Energy Development Corporation
A production well at EDC’s Mahanagdong geothermal field had been idle for many years because it produced high concentrations of non-condensable gas (NCG) when flowed. For most geothermal operators, an idle well is a non-performing asset and options to reuse it include either sidetracking (redrilling the well) or drilling a new production well.
This is an example of GreenFire Energy customizing a solution from its toolkit of clean energy technologies for the specific wells and resources.
Surface reboiler system installed to produce steam from a high-NCG well at EDC’s Mahanagdong geothermal field
Photo courtesy of EDC
Challenge
EDC’s well in the Mahanagdong geothermal field had not been used for many years due to the high concentrations of NCG in the steam when the production well is flowed. Significant NCG in the steam causes back pressure in the turbines so connecting the high-NCG well to the power plant would lower the efficiency of the power plant resulting in a net MW loss.
Solution
GreenFire Energy analyzed the idle well and proposed the surface reboiler technology. GreenFire Energy customized a surface reboiler system from its toolkit of technologies to separate the NCG from the steam produced by the well. The well could then be reconnected to the nearby power plant for renewable energy generation.
Results
After installation of the surface reboiler system, the well is able to generate an additional 2.0 – 2.5 MW of electricity, which exceeded the target 1.5 MW from this project. The higher-than-expected MW output is because the well produced a higher volume of fluids than initially anticipated but the reboiler was designed to be flexible enough to accommodate the higher flow from the well.
2.0 – 2.5 MW after installation
Restored well was connected to the rest of the production system to the power plant
Installing a surface reboiler system in a high-NCG well at EDC’s Mahanagdong geothermal field. Photo courtesy of EDC. 
Surface reboiler system installed to produce steam at a high-NCG well at EDC’s Mahanagdong geothermal field. Photo courtesy of EDC. 
Surface reboiler system installed in to produce steam at a high-NCG well at EDC’s Mahanagdong geothermal field. Photo courtesy of EDC.