Enhanced Geothermal Systems: Unlocking the Potential of Geothermal Energy

Question 1

In Enhanced Geothermal Systems (EGS), hydraulic fracturing is primarily used to:

Accepted Answer

Create artificial fractures in the rock to enhance permeability

Answer

Inject water or other fluids into the reservoir to circulate heat

Answer

Extract heat from the subsurface

Answer

Monitor the performance of the system

Question 2

A key advantage of employing a closed-loop system in an Enhanced Geothermal System (EGS) is:

Accepted Answer

Reduced environmental impact

Answer

Improved thermal efficiency

Answer

Increased fluid circulation rates

Answer

Lower capital costs

Question 3

In an Enhanced Geothermal System (EGS), the primary function of a heat exchanger is to:

Accepted Answer

Transfer heat from the geothermal fluid to the working fluid

Answer

Separate steam from water in the geothermal fluid

Answer

Filter out impurities from the geothermal fluid

Answer

Control the flow of geothermal fluid through the system

Question 4

When selecting a site for an Enhanced Geothermal System (EGS) project, which of the following factors is typically NOT considered?

Accepted Answer

Aesthetic appeal

Answer

Geological characteristics of the subsurface

Answer

Proximity to existing infrastructure

Answer

Environmental regulations

Question 5

In an Enhanced Geothermal System (EGS), the caprock layer serves to:

Accepted Answer

Prevent the escape of geothermal fluids to the surface

Answer

Provide a heat source for the system

Answer

Act as a barrier to heat loss from the reservoir

Answer

Enhance the permeability of the subsurface formations

Question 6

Which of the following is the primary objective of Enhanced Geothermal Systems (EGS)?

Accepted Answer

To significantly increase the extraction of heat from existing geothermal reservoirs

Answer

To generate renewable electricity using geothermal energy

Answer

To store excess renewable energy

Answer

To prevent seismic activity associated with natural geothermal systems

Question 7

What is the primary role of fluid injection in EGS?

Accepted Answer

To increase fluid pressure and enhance fluid circulation

Answer

To create artificial fractures in the reservoir rock

Answer

To dissolve minerals and improve permeability

Answer

To cool the reservoir and extend its lifespan

Question 8

What is the approximate efficiency of a typical EGS power plant?

Accepted Answer

15-20%

Answer

5-10%

Answer

10-15%

Answer

Over 20%

Question 9

Hydraulic fracturing, as applied in EGS, involves

Accepted Answer

Injecting fluids into the reservoir to create or expand existing fractures

Answer

Drilling horizontal wells to intersect natural fractures

Answer

Applying pressure to the reservoir to enhance fluid flow

Answer

Changing the chemical composition of the reservoir fluids

Question 10

The primary role of fluid injection in EGS is to:

Accepted Answer

Maintain reservoir pressure and enhance fluid flow

Answer

Cool the reservoir rocks and decrease heat extraction

Answer

Dissolve minerals and increase reservoir permeability

Answer

Prevent bacterial growth in the reservoir

Question 11

Which of the following is NOT a technique used to enhance the productivity of geothermal reservoirs?

Accepted Answer

Directional drilling

Answer

Hydraulic fracturing

Answer

Fluid injection

Answer

Chemical stimulation

Question 12

Which technique involves creating new fractures in the reservoir to enhance fluid flow?

Accepted Answer

Hydraulic fracturing

Answer

Fluid injection

Answer

Steam injection

Answer

Tracer testing

Question 13

What is the primary purpose of fluid injection in an EGS?

Accepted Answer

To increase reservoir pressure and fracture permeability

Answer

To decrease reservoir temperature and prevent scaling

Answer

To remove impurities and improve fluid flow

Answer

To monitor reservoir characteristics and track fluid movement

Question 14

What type of fluid is commonly used in EGS fluid injection systems?

Accepted Answer

Water

Answer

Carbon dioxide

Answer

Hydrocarbons

Answer

Supercritical fluids

Question 15

Which parameter is used to measure the productivity of an EGS reservoir?

Accepted Answer

Flow rate

Answer

Temperature

Answer

Pressure

Answer

Permeability

Question 16

What is the primary purpose of tracers in Enhanced Geothermal Systems (EGS) development?

Accepted Answer

Tracking fluid movement and evaluating reservoir connectivity

Answer

Determining reservoir temperature and pressure

Answer

Identifying potential fracture zones

Answer

Monitoring groundwater contamination

Question 17

Which of the following is the overarching goal of EGS research and development?

Accepted Answer

Enhancing the potential of geothermal energy production

Answer

Lowering the costs of geothermal energy development

Answer

Mitigating the environmental impacts of geothermal energy

Answer

Optimizing the efficiency of geothermal power plants

Question 18

Which of the following is NOT an advantage of implementing Enhanced Geothermal Systems (EGS)?

Accepted Answer

Environmental degradation

Answer

Increased geothermal energy production

Answer

Reduced drilling costs

Answer

Lower operating expenses

Question 19

Which type of fluid is typically used in fluid injection techniques for EGS?

Accepted Answer

Water

Answer

Oil

Answer

Gas

Answer

Molten rock

Question 20

What is the main purpose of tracer testing in Enhanced Geothermal Systems?

Accepted Answer

Measuring fluid flow paths

Answer

Determining reservoir temperature

Answer

Monitoring fracture growth

Answer

Assessing heat transfer efficiency

Question 21

What is the main benefit of using closed-loop systems in EGS?

Accepted Answer

Reduced environmental impact

Answer

Eliminating greenhouse gas emissions

Answer

Improved energy efficiency

Answer

Lower maintenance costs

Question 22

In hydraulic fracturing, what primary mechanism is utilized to increase geothermal reservoir permeability?

Accepted Answer

Injecting fluid to create and extend cracks

Answer

Elevating reservoir temperature

Answer

Drilling horizontal wells

Answer

Modifying reservoir fluid chemistry

Question 23

What is the primary objective of fluid injection in EGS?

Accepted Answer

Dissolving minerals and creating flow paths

Answer

Cooling reservoir rock

Answer

Increasing fluid pressure

Answer

Preventing fluid leakage

Question 24

What is the current status of enhanced geothermal systems?

Accepted Answer

Undergoing research and development

Answer

Widely deployed and commercially viable

Answer

Not feasible for large-scale energy production

Answer

Banned due to environmental concerns

Question 25

What is the primary aim of geothermal reservoir stimulation?

Accepted Answer

Enhancing permeability

Answer

Reducing reservoir temperature

Answer

Altering fluid chemistry

Answer

Decreasing fluid pressure

Question 26

What is the function of caprock in EGS?

Accepted Answer

Preventing fluid leakage

Answer

Increasing reservoir pressure

Answer

Enhancing heat transfer

Answer

Reducing induced seismicity

Question 27

Which of the following is NOT an established technique for enhancing geothermal reservoirs?

Accepted Answer

Geothermal drilling

Answer

Hydraulic fracturing

Answer

Fluid injection

Answer

Chemical stimulation

Question 28

What is the primary purpose of hydraulic fracturing in geothermal systems?

Accepted Answer

To enhance reservoir permeability, increasing fluid flow and heat extraction

Answer

To reduce the temperature of the geothermal fluid

Answer

To remove impurities from the geothermal fluid

Answer

To create new flow paths for geothermal fluid

Question 29

Which fluid is commonly used in Enhanced Geothermal Systems (EGS)?

Accepted Answer

Water

Answer

Carbon dioxide

Answer

Oil

Answer

Air

Question 30

What is a key advantage of using fluid injection in geothermal systems?

Accepted Answer

Increased fluid flow and heat extraction, leading to enhanced energy production

Answer

Reduced environmental impact

Answer

Lowered production costs

Answer

Improved fluid quality

Question 31

What is the primary principle behind enhanced geothermal systems (EGS)?

Accepted Answer

Increasing rock permeability

Answer

Using natural geothermal reservoirs

Answer

Lowering fluid temperatures

Question 32

Which reservoir enhancement technique involves injecting fluid to increase permeability and fluid flow?

Accepted Answer

Hydraulic fracturing

Answer

Directional drilling

Answer

Chemical stimulation

Answer

Thermal stimulation

Question 33

What is the primary purpose of fluid injection in enhanced geothermal systems?

Accepted Answer

To create and extend fractures

Answer

To extract heat directly

Answer

To dissolve minerals

Answer

To inhibit scaling

Question 34

What is the main objective of directional drilling in EGS?

Accepted Answer

To access geothermal formations at specific locations

Answer

To increase wellbore stability

Answer

To reduce drilling costs

Answer

To improve heat extraction efficiency

Question 35

What is the primary function of heat exchangers in geothermal systems?

Accepted Answer

To transfer heat from the geothermal fluid to a secondary working fluid

Answer

To measure fluid temperature

Answer

To regulate fluid flow rates

Answer

To prevent scaling and corrosion

Question 36

Which key indicator suggests successful operation of an EGS system?

Accepted Answer

Sustained fluid circulation and thermal output

Answer

Low environmental impacts

Answer

Minimal injection pressures

Answer

High wellhead temperatures

Question 37

Which technology is primarily used to monitor EGS reservoir performance and induced seismicity?

Accepted Answer

Microseismic monitoring

Answer

Seismic imaging

Answer

Tracer testing

Answer

Well logging

Question 38

Which of the following techniques is NOT typically used to enhance the productivity of geothermal reservoirs?

Accepted Answer

Seismic stimulation

Answer

Fluid injection

Answer

Thermal stimulation

Answer

Hydraulic fracturing

Question 39

The primary goal of hydraulic fracturing in geothermal reservoirs is to:

Accepted Answer

Increase permeability and create pathways for fluid flow.

Answer

Reduce the temperature of the reservoir.

Answer

Extract geothermal energy directly from the fractured rock.

Question 40

Injecting fluids into a geothermal reservoir primarily aims to:

Accepted Answer

Increase heat transfer and enhance energy extraction.

Answer

Stabilize the geothermal gradients.

Answer

Reduce the pressure within the reservoir.

Question 41

What type of fluid is most commonly used for injection in enhanced geothermal systems?

Accepted Answer

Water

Answer

Carbon dioxide

Answer

Crude oil

Answer

Natural gas

Question 42

Which factor is LEAST crucial when selecting a site for an enhanced geothermal system?

Accepted Answer

Proximity to a major city.

Answer

Presence of suitable geothermal resources.

Answer

Geologic stability and low risk of induced seismicity.

Answer

Availability of water resources for injection.

Question 43

What is the fundamental difference between conventional and enhanced geothermal systems?

Accepted Answer

Enhanced geothermal systems require artificial stimulation of the reservoir.

Answer

Enhanced geothermal systems are only suitable for generating electricity.

Answer

Enhanced geothermal systems utilize a different type of geothermal energy source.