Testing the Naphthalene Sulfonates As Geothermal Tracers At Dixie Valley, Ohaaki, and Awibengkok

Abstract

The decay kinetics of the candidate tracer 1,3,6- naphthalene trisulfonate was studied under conditions that simulate a hydrothermal environment. It was shown to possess sufficient thermal stability to qualify for use in reservoirs as hot as 340oC. In a series of field tests at Dixie Valley, Nevada; Ohaaki, New Zealand; and Awibengkok, Indonesia, 1,3,6- naphthalene trisulfonate and the closely related 1,5- naphthalene disulfonate were successfully used to trace injection-production flow patterns. In addition to being environmentally benign, affordable and very thermally stabile, these compounds were shown to have excellent detection limits of approximately 200 parts per trillion by standard HPLC and fluorescence detection methods.