An Interactive 5-Day Training Course
Geomechanics for Geothermal Projects
Geomechanics for Safe Geothermal Operations
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Duration
5 Days
Price
$ 4,000
Starting From
14 Jun 2027
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Geomechanics for Geothermal Projects
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Geomechanics for Geothermal Projects - GG-GTGEOM-PEA27
| Code | Date | Time | Duration | Location | Currency | Early Bird Fee Per Person |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GG-GTGEOM-PEA27 | 14 - 18 Jun 2027 | 10 AM CST | 4 Hours Per Day |
Online |
USD |
4000 |
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Geomechanics for Geothermal Projects
This training covers geomechanics for geothermal projects. It works through stress characterisation at high temperature, thermal stress and cooling effects, wellbore stability in geothermal wells, fracture conductivity and stress, hydraulic stimulation of geothermal reservoirs, induced seismicity and its management, reservoir deformation and subsidence, well integrity under thermal cycling and the geomechanical design of geothermal operations.
Description
Geothermal operations impose large thermal changes on rock, and thermal stress is often the dominant geomechanical effect. Injecting water a hundred or more degrees cooler than the formation contracts the rock, reduces the local stresses substantially and can open or create fractures. That is useful when it improves injectivity and dangerous when it reactivates a fault, and the induced seismicity events that have stopped geothermal projects were mostly caused by a combination of pressure and thermal stress change.
This training covers geothermal geomechanics. Stress characterisation at high temperature is established first, covering the measurement difficulties and the data available. Thermal stress and cooling effects follow in detail, covering the magnitude of thermal stress reduction and its spatial extent. Wellbore stability in geothermal wells is then developed, covering the particular problems of drilling hot fractured rock. Fracture conductivity and stress follow, covering the stress control on which fractures conduct and therefore on well targeting. Hydraulic stimulation of geothermal reservoirs is then addressed. Induced seismicity and its management follow, covering the case histories and the current practice. Reservoir deformation and subsidence are then developed. Well integrity under thermal cycling follows. The training closes with geomechanical design.
Thermal stress reduction from cold water injection can exceed the effect of the pressure increase. Cooling rock by a hundred degrees reduces the horizontal stresses by an amount that depends on the thermal expansion coefficient and the elastic modulus, and for typical crystalline rock the reduction is of the order of ten to twenty megapascals. That is larger than the pressure increase in many injection operations. The cooled region grows outward from the injector over years, so the stress reduction is progressive and the seismic hazard may increase long after injection begins.
Stimulation in geothermal reservoirs works mainly by shear, not by creating new fractures. The objective is to increase the permeability of the existing fracture network, and the effective mechanism is shear displacement on pre-existing fractures favourably oriented in the stress field, which creates aperture by asperity mismatch. This is why the stimulation pressures required are often below the minimum stress, and why the resulting permeability enhancement is accompanied by microseismicity: the seismicity is the mechanism working rather than a side effect, which is an awkward fact for projects in populated areas.
The relationship between injected volume and maximum magnitude is a real constraint. Observations across stimulated geothermal and other injection projects indicate that the largest event tends to scale with the injected volume, which means that a project needing a large stimulated volume cannot guarantee small events. Some events have occurred after injection stopped, driven by continued pressure diffusion, so stopping injection does not immediately remove the hazard. Project design therefore has to consider the total volume and the proximity to populations before stimulation begins, not only the operational controls during it.
Finally, geothermal wells cycle thermally and the loads on casing are severe. A well may be shut in and cooled, then brought back on production with a rapid temperature rise of over a hundred degrees, which thermally expands the casing against the constraint of the cement and the wellhead. The resulting axial loads can exceed the yield strength, and casing buckling, connection failure and cement damage are common in geothermal wells. Design has to accommodate the thermal cycle explicitly, and operational practice has to limit the rate of temperature change.
By the end of this training, participants will be able to:
- Characterise stress in high temperature geothermal settings
- Quantify thermal stress change from injection and production
- Assess the spatial extent and evolution of cooled regions
- Predict wellbore stability in geothermal wells
- Assess fracture conductivity from the stress field and target wells accordingly
- Design and assess hydraulic stimulation of geothermal reservoirs
- Assess induced seismicity hazard and design monitoring and controls
- Assess reservoir deformation and subsidence
- Design wells and operating practice for thermal cycling
- Apply geomechanics to geothermal project design decisions
The training works on geothermal project data including stress, temperature, stimulation and seismicity records. Participants calculate thermal stress changes and assess their effect on fault stability, design stimulation programmes with seismicity controls, and analyse the documented induced seismicity cases. Well thermal load calculations are performed against operating temperature histories.
Organisations sending participants to this training will:
- Account for thermal stress in geothermal operations
- Assess induced seismicity hazard before stimulation
- Design stimulation with appropriate controls
- Target wells using the stress field
- Design wells for thermal cycling
- Reduce geomechanical failures in geothermal operations
Participants will:
- Quantify thermal stress effects
- Assess fault stability in geothermal settings
- Design and evaluate stimulation
- Assess seismicity hazard
- Design for thermal cycling
- Contribute geomechanics to geothermal projects
- Geomechanics staff on geothermal projects
- Geoscientists in geothermal development
- Reservoir engineers in geothermal operations
- Drilling and well engineers on geothermal wells
- Stimulation engineers in geothermal projects
- Seismologists supporting geothermal monitoring
- Project staff managing geothermal seismicity risk
Module 1 - Stress Characterisation at High Temperature
- Stress data requirements for geothermal projects
- Vertical stress determination
- Minimum stress measurement in geothermal wells
- Injection test interpretation at high temperature
- Maximum stress constraint from wellbore failures
- Image logging at high temperature
- Tool limitations in geothermal wells
- Stress orientation from borehole and seismicity data
- Stress regimes in geothermal settings
- Stress in crystalline and volcanic rock
- Property measurement at temperature
- Uncertainty in geothermal stress models
Module 2 - Thermal Stress
- Thermal expansion and contraction
- Thermal expansion coefficients of rock
- Thermal stress magnitude calculation
- Comparison against pressure induced stress change
- Cooled region growth over time
- Thermal front against pressure front
- Thermal stress near injection wells
- Thermal fracturing
- Thermal stress and fault stability
- Progressive hazard increase with cooling
- Thermal stress in production wells
- Modelling thermal stress evolution
Module 3 - Wellbore Stability
- Drilling conditions in geothermal wells
- Fractured and altered rock instability
- Losses and their management
- Mud weight windows in geothermal wells
- Cooling of the wellbore during drilling
- Thermal stress at the wellbore wall
- Breakouts in geothermal wells
- Trajectory effects on stability
- Instability in altered and clay rich zones
- Hole cleaning and stability interaction
- Casing seat selection
- Mitigation measures
Module 4 - Fracture Conductivity and Targeting
- Fracture permeability in geothermal reservoirs
- Stress control on fracture aperture
- Critically stressed fracture analysis
- Slip tendency and conductivity
- Fracture characterisation from image logs
- Core and cuttings fracture evidence
- Flow logging and conductive zone identification
- Comparing stress analysis against flow evidence
- Fault zone architecture and permeability
- Target selection from stress and structure
- Trajectory design for fracture intersection
- Conductivity change with cooling and pressure
Module 5 - Hydraulic Stimulation
- Stimulation objectives in geothermal reservoirs
- Shear stimulation mechanism
- Hydroshearing against hydraulic fracturing
- Pressure requirements for shear stimulation
- Self-propping by asperity mismatch
- Chemical stimulation methods
- Thermal stimulation
- Stimulation design parameters
- Injection rate and volume selection
- Zonal isolation and staged stimulation
- Permeability enhancement achieved
- Evaluating stimulation effectiveness
Module 6 - Induced Seismicity
- Seismicity mechanisms in geothermal operations
- Pressure diffusion triggering
- Thermal stress triggering
- Poroelastic effects
- Injected volume and maximum magnitude
- Post-injection seismicity
- Documented case histories
- Basel and Pohang events
- Hazard assessment methodology
- Monitoring network design
- Traffic light systems and thresholds
- Site selection and population proximity
Module 7 - Reservoir Deformation
- Pressure decline and compaction
- Thermal contraction of the reservoir
- Combined pressure and thermal deformation
- Subsidence at geothermal fields
- Observed subsidence magnitudes
- Subsidence monitoring methods
- InSAR and levelling surveys
- Reinjection to limit subsidence
- Surface infrastructure consequences
- Ground deformation and public concern
- Coupled modelling of deformation
- Deformation management strategies
Module 8 - Well Integrity and Design
- Thermal cycling of geothermal wells
- Axial loads from thermal expansion
- Casing buckling and yield
- Connection selection for thermal loads
- Pre-tensioning and its use
- Cement selection for high temperature
- Cement thermal shock and cracking
- Scaling and its mechanical effects
- Corrosion in geothermal fluids
- Rate of temperature change limits
- Integrity monitoring methods
- Geomechanical design summary for geothermal projects
Upon successful completion of this training course, delegates will be awarded an official Certificate of Completion issued by the Petroleum Engineers Association (PEA), an ISO 9001:2015 certified training organization. The certificate carries 10 Credits and formally records the total learning hours completed.
Each certificate is signed by the Course Facilitator and the CEO of the Petroleum Engineers Association, and serves as verifiable proof of professional training that delegates can present to employers and professional bodies worldwide.
Frequently Asked Questions
All course bookings made through PEA are strictly non-refundable. By registering for a course, you acknowledge and accept that all fees are payable in full and are not subject to refund under any circumstances, including changes in personal or professional commitments or partial attendance.
PEA reserves the right to make reasonable adjustments to course content, trainers, or schedules where necessary, without entitling delegates to a refund. Comprehensive details of each course — including objectives, target audience, and content — are clearly outlined before enrolment, and it is the responsibility of the delegate to ensure the course's suitability prior to booking.
For any inquiries related to cancellations or bookings, please contact our support team, who will be happy to assist you.
