Patent ID: 11959665
Assignee: nan
Field: Thermal processes and apparatus (Mechanical engineering)
Classification: CPC F  Y | IPC F

Claim 10:
11. A method of extracting thermal energy from a subterranean formation comprising:
establishing a direct fluid connection between a naturally occurring subterranean water reservoir of the formation and a permeable radiator zone of the formation that is located at a depth greater than a depth of the subterranean water reservoir by a radiator injection well;
the radiator injection well has a first section and a second section, the first section has an end that is disposed in the subterranean water reservoir and fluidically connected to the subterranean water reservoir to directly receive fluid from the subterranean water reservoir, the first section extending from the end in a direction downwardly in the formation and into the permeable radiator zone, the second section extends from the first section in a direction horizontally in the radiator zone and the second section being open to the radiator zone to permit fluid from the second section to flow into the radiator zone, wherein fluid from the water reservoir flows from the water reservoir to the radiator zone entirely within the formation by the first and second sections of the radiator injection well;
causing the fluid contained in the subterranean water reservoir to directly flow through the radiator injection well into and along the radiator zone to heat the fluid to a temperature higher than its temperature when entering the radiator zone by a pressure difference between the subterranean water reservoir and the radiator zone, wherein the subterranean water reservoir has a first pressure and the radiator zone has a second pressure that is lower than the first pressure; and
recovering the fluid from the radiator zone at the surface of the earth via at least one recovery well.