Thermal-Hydro-Mechanical coupled numerical analysis of a faulted zone in a Quebec’s potential geothermal engineering site

ABSTRACT: Previous studies showed that deep geothermal energy can be a promising solution to support Canada’s energy transition, which is particularly valuable for remote northern communities. Due to the production and injection of fluids, geothermal reservoirs are susceptible to experiencing significant variations in both pressure and temperature. These changes in operating conditions have the potential to affect the fault stability in an engineered geothermal reservoir located in a fault zone. In this study, we carry out finite element numerical analysis on thermo-hydro-mechanical (THM) coupled processes to anticipate fluid production or injection operations in a potential deep geothermal energy project in Kuujjuaq, Canada. The system simulates a doublet operation within a faulted zone with hydraulically stimulated injection and production wells at a targeted depth of 3950 meters. Regional in-situ stresses were obtained based on previous investigations. Laboratory tests were conducted to obtain the mechanical properties of rocks retrieved from the studying site. The slip tendency along the fault under a constant injection-production scenario is quantified based on the numerical results.