Assessing aquifer thermal energy storage and production in the Texas Carrizo-Wilcox aquifer using numerical simulations

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

12-1-2025

Abstract

Aquifer Thermal Energy Storage (ATES) utilizes the abundance of free geothermal energy in the subsurface to reheat injected fluids, store it in the aquifer and produce it when demand rises. The higher temperature of produced fluid can be used for applications ranging from electricity generation, household heating to animal husbandry. The Carrizo-Wilcox Aquifer in Texas, composed predominantly of brackish groundwater beneath freshwater zones, is used to develop a renewable geothermal energy source without interfering with the existing fresh groundwater supply. The temperature range in this aquifer varies from 50 °C to 70 °C annually. A total of eight different cases are simulated in this study over a thirty-year period to assess ATES performance in the Carrizo-Wilcox formations using SUTRA. Results indicate that ATES system power output and efficiency are influenced by the distance between injection and production wells, the flow rate, and the cycle schedules. Increased injection/production rates yield the highest power output, followed by a greater distance between wells. Thermal efficiency is maximized through increased well spacing and extended rest periods between ATES cycles. Continuous operation yields higher annual energy output compared to intermittent cycling. For the Carrizo-Wilcox Formation, optimizing well spacing and maintaining moderate to high flow rates are identified as the most practical strategies for long-term ATES performance.

Publication Source (Journal or Book title)

Geoenergy Science and Engineering

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