The use of modeling in drawing up guidelines for the exploitation of the Khankalageothermal field (Chechen Republic)

Abstract

International audienceNowadays, geothermal waters have become an important form of energy and manyresearchers have put to the forefront the issue of “sustainability” of the geothermalreservoir development. Reinjection of the used fluid during exploitation allowsminimizing the possible negative effect on the environment and maintaining thereservoir pressure and therefore the initial high flow rates. However, it has a majordisadvantage—a gradual temperature decrease in an aquifer, which needs to be takeninto account. The most effective methods assessing this disadvantage are based onnumerical modeling, which has been actively implemented in all areas of science. Inthe current paper, mathematical modeling is applied for the Khankala geothermalfield in the Chechen Republic to forecast changes in the temperature regime of theresource and define the optimal exploitation scenario to achieve its sustainabledevelopment