Union Oil Company of California

Carl E Flint

Darrell L Gallup

John L Featherstone

Brent F Chaffee

Paul D Lundegard

Additives are usually diluted before they are added to a geothermal brine processing stream. It has been found that one preferred diluent is the conditioned steam condensate produced after power generation in the geothermal plants. One class of additives beneficially diluted by the conditioned steam condensate are crystal structure modifiers. When it is diluted with the steam condensate, the heat-sensitive crystal structure modifier is prevented from being degraded by the heat of the brine so that when blended with the geothermal brine the crystal structure modifier can perform its function of inhibiting the precipitation of alkaline earth salts.

Use of steam to condensate to dilute brine stream additives

A process for cyclically operating injection and withdrawal wells penetrating contaminated zones. A high flowrate portion of the cycle time preferably does not exceed a transient response period for in-situ formation fluids to achieve a quasi-steady state conditions. A low flowrate portion of the cycle time limits fluid flowrate which allows in-situ formation fluids to at least partially return to the zone affected by the high flowrate portion of the cycle. The cyclic operation produces improved remediation when compared to continuous operation of wells at similar operating conditions.

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Yorba Linda, CA, United States of America

Carl E Flint