Patent Publication Number: US-11644220-B1

Title: Multiple well pairs for scaling the output of geothermal energy power plants

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     Geothermal heat is an excellent source of renewable energy as the Earth&#39;s temperature naturally increases with depth. Although there are many geothermal energy facilities around the world, these facilities are typically located in places with volcanic activity, which provide a high temperature and are an easily accessible resource for energy harvesting. Unfortunately, these volcanic regions are geographically limited. Hot dry rock is another potential source of geothermal energy, but nearly all projects attempting to harvest heat in this manner have failed. Hot sedimentary aquifers are widespread and represent a new, promising, and very economical source for geothermal energy production. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES 
       The accompanying drawings are incorporated herein and form a part of the specification. 
         FIG.  1    is a schematic diagram of an example natural geothermal system, according to some embodiments. 
         FIG.  2    is a schematic diagram of an example natural enhanced geothermal system (NAT-EGS), according to some embodiments. 
         FIG.  3    is a schematic diagram of an example numerical simulation domain of an example NAT-EGS, according to some embodiments. 
         FIG.  4    shows the results of an example numerical simulation of an example NAT-EGS, according to some embodiments. 
         FIG.  5    shows an example graph associated with an example geothermal convective power cell process, according to some embodiments. 
         FIG.  6    is a schematic diagram of an example natural geothermal system having multiple pairs of extraction and injection wells formed according to a wagon-wheel pattern, according to some embodiments. 
         FIG.  7    is a schematic diagram of an example natural geothermal system having multiple pairs of extraction and injection wells formed according to a wine-rack pattern, according to some embodiments. 
         FIGS.  8 A and  8 B  are schematic diagrams of an example natural geothermal system having multiple pairs of extraction and injection wells formed according to a gun-barrel pattern, according to some embodiments. 
         FIG.  9    is a schematic diagram of an example natural geothermal system having multiple pairs of extraction and injection wells formed according to a chicken-foot pattern, according to some embodiments. 
         FIG.  10    shows a chart of the thicknesses and relative depths of various sedimentary layers, according to some embodiments. 
         FIG.  11    is a flowchart illustrating a process for configuring a geothermal system, according to some embodiments. 
         FIG.  12    is a flowchart illustrating a process for harvesting heat from a hot sedimentary aquifer (HSA), according to some embodiments. 
         FIG.  13    illustrates an example computer system for implementing various embodiments. 
     
    
    
     In the drawings, like reference numbers generally indicate identical or similar elements. Additionally, generally, the left-most digit(s) of a reference number identifies the drawing in which the reference number first appears. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Fossil fuels (or hydrocarbons) are the primary source of energy for the world today, and they present two major problems. First, fossil fuel resources are not renewable, meaning that there is a finite amount of them on our planet. Second, using fossil fuels produces carbon dioxide (CO 2 ), the major greenhouse gas and the main driver of the Earth&#39;s atmospheric warming. With the ever-increasing population on Earth, the need for newer, renewable and clean sources of energy is more evident than ever before. In contrast to fossil fuels, geothermal energy has the potential to provide a functionally infinite amount of clean energy, with no carbon footprint. And in contrast to other renewable energies, geothermal energy is constantly available and is the best candidate for providing baseload power. The earlier inefficient designs of geothermal plants, for a number of reasons, were not able to provide a worldwide commercial level of energy extraction from this infinite source of energy beneath our feet. The current locations of geothermal plants are geographically biased, and only extract energy almost exclusively in the proximity of volcanic regions from naturally-occurring, geyser-like hydrothermal systems. Thus, while geothermal energy has a massive potential, the share of such energy in the global energy market is minute. 
     In one example, geothermal energy can have two main applications: direct use (e.g., heat generation): and power generation. However, as described above, geothermal energy extraction is primarily restricted to seismically and volcanically active regions such as in the western United States. Extracting energy from other parts of Earth&#39;s continental crust (e.g., seismically non-active regions) can be expensive, non-economic, and short-lived. Some geothermal systems, referred to as enhanced geothermal systems (EGS), generate man-made hydrothermal reservoirs through artificial fracking methods. These geothermal systems can be constructed in hot dry rock (HDR) that are commonly found at sufficiently great depths below the surface such that high enough temperatures are encountered. Constructing an EGS in HDR involves drilling into the HDR and creating an artificially made reservoir through fracturing. Fracturing, however, is a complex and expensive engineering task that requires a substantial amount of equipment (e.g., hardware resources, environmental resources, computing resources, etc.) and is ecologically and environmentally damaging. 
     Artificially-constructed fractured reservoirs can be designed to contain an extensive plexus of fractures through which fluid flow is facilitated horizontally and/or randomly and without obstruction. Under such geothermal systems, water from an injection well is made to flow to and through the artificially fractured reservoir, where it becomes heated and then is pumped back up to the surface to the energy conversion unit via the extraction well. As such, the thermal energy of the water is transferred from the hot solid rock through thermal conduction. The efficiency of these conventional geothermal systems is limited because the thermal diffusivity of rock is low. As the waters in the subsurface heat up, the associated rock must proportionally cool down, and the time for replacing the lost rock-heat is very long. The longevity of such systems is thus relatively short, less than 10 years after which the water temperature rapidly drops below the economic level. 
     However, the amount of power that can be generated from a single well pair, whether in HDR or in a hot sedimentary aquifer (HSA), can be limited. For example, the wellbore diameters and downhole pump designs limit the flow rates that can be achieved. In addition, HDRs and HSAs typically range in temperature from 80 degrees Celsius (° C.) to about 300° C. depending on location and depth. As a result, upper limitations on flow rates and temperatures place a ceiling on the amount of geothermal energy that can be harvested, regardless of the system used. 
     In one illustrative example, modern data centers typically require about 100 megawatts to power their buildings and computing infrastructure. However, conventional geothermal power plants may only be able to produce about 20 megawatts of power. Thus, there is a need for a geothermal system having a compact footprint that can generate 100 megawatts or more to power such data centers. 
     Therefore, to scale a geothermal power plant to meet the power generation requirements of modern data centers, oil and gas fields, local microgrids, and other infrastructure, or simply to provide power to a utility grid, the above-ground power plant can be fed with hot water from multiple wells and/or well pairs substantially simultaneously. However, designing such a system can be complex. Parameters such as well depth, lateral length (e.g., if laterals are used), well spacing, well orientation, downhole temperature, water salinity, aquifer stratigraphy (e.g., if in an aquifer), rock composition, permeability, porosity, fracture systems, etc. all play a role in the design and configuration of each well and/or well pair. These factors can play an even more significant role in the placing of multiple wells and/or well pairs so that any negative interactions between them are reduced or substantially eliminated and any positive interactions, when possible, are enhanced. 
     Provided herein are system, apparatus, device, method and/or computer program product embodiments, and/or combinations and sub-combinations thereof, illustrate several system designs that demonstrate the ability to scale a geothermal power plant using multiple wells and/or well pairs. For instance, the embodiments disclosed herein can provide for harvesting geothermal energy on a widespread, global basis using multiple underground lateral well pairs (e.g., multiple pairs of extraction and injection wells) having lateral components disposed in an HSA and angled vertical components connecting the lateral components to a single power plant. 
     In some embodiments, the geothermal systems disclosed herein can provide for, but are not limited to: (i) inducing a large scale subsurface convection flow field by imposing dipole pressure gradients through pumping between multiple extraction and injection wells; (ii) pumping hot water from this subsurface system via multiple extraction wells; (iii) extracting heat or thermal energy from the extracted superheated water via a power generation unit; (iv) using the extracted heat to generate a power output of 25 megawatts, 50 megawatts, 100 megawatts, 250 megawatts, 500 megawatts, or any other suitable power output; and (v) returning, via pumping, the resultant cooled water to the subsurface through multiple injection wells, where the water can be reheated, continuing the cycle. The overall induced convective system allows the harvesting of hot waters over a vastly larger area than that simply represented by the distance between the extraction and reinjection wells and over a vastly longer time. Moreover, the lengths and positioning of the coupled lateral extraction and reinjection wells can be styled or crafted to fit any suitable sedimentary formation. 
     In some embodiments, the present disclosure provides geothermal systems capable of steadily harvesting economic energy from a wide spectrum of sedimentary aquifers, thick and thin sedimentary aquifers, to generate a power output between about, for example, 25 megawatts and 500 megawatts. These geothermal systems can provide these power output capabilities for many decades. The geothermal systems disclosed herein can be configured to perform operations including, but not limited to, identifying an adequately deep HSA such that the waters of the porous aquifer are of a sufficiently high-temperature for power generation. If the sedimentary aquifer is sufficiently thick, the locations of the injection wells can be placed at the bottom of the layer and the locations of the extraction wells can be placed vertically above the injection wells, near the top of the layer. In thin sedimentary layers, which present more challenging situations, the injection and extraction wells may be very nearly at the same depth. 
     In some embodiments, the present disclosure provides a method of harvesting geothermal energy that includes, but is not limited to, pumping water to and from the sedimentary aquifer via the injection wells and the extraction wells, respectively. This pumping process can be designed to create a pressure field that induces or stimulates a flow field or convection cell within the sedimentary aquifer that generates a relatively large-scale zone of mixing between the subsurface waters with the re-injected pumped waters. Subsequently, the extraction wells pump the now heated water to the surface and into the conversion unit or power station. 
     In some embodiments, the geothermal systems disclosed herein can include a power generation unit, a pump system, a well system disposed within an HSA or a series of HSAs (e.g., one HSA in the Lyons formation and another HSA in the Fountain formation shown in  FIG.  10   ; one HSA in the Lyons formation and another HSA in the Amazon formation below the Lyons formation; etc.), and a regulatory device. The well system can include multiple extraction wells that enable the pump system to provide heated water at one or more extraction depths of the HSA to the power generation unit. The well system can further include multiple injection wells that enable the pump system to inject cooled water from the power generation unit into the HSA at one or more injection depths. In one example, the well system can have a first well pair disposed in a first HSA and a second well pair disposed in a second HSA different from the first HSA. The first HSA can be, for example, a thick-bed HSA (e.g., having a thickness between about 100 meters and 500 meters), and the second HSA can be, for example, a thin-bed HSA (e.g., having a thickness less than about 100 meters). 
     The present disclosure provides for many configurations that can be engineered to stimulate convective heat flow in a series of underground systems feeding a single above-ground power plant. For example, the extraction wells and the injection wells can be formed according to a wagon-wheel pattern, a wine-rack pattern, a gun-barrel pattern, a chicken-foot pattern, or a vertically-stacked pattern. The regulatory device can be configured to generate first control signals configured to instruct the pump system to pump the heated water from the extraction wells to the power generation unit. The regulatory device can be further configured to generate a second control signal configured to instruct the power generation unit to extract thermal energy from the heated water and to transform the heated water into cooled water. The regulatory device can be further configured to generate third control signals configured to instruct the pump system to pump the cooled water from the power generation unit to the injection wells. The pumping system can be installed on the surface or underground. The pumping system can cause the extraction wells to extract hot water from the subsurface and cause the injection wells to re-inject cooled water back into the subsurface. As a result, the power generation unit can generate a power output between about 25 megawatts and 500 megawatts. 
     In some embodiments, the present disclosure provides geothermal systems configured to produce about 25 to 500 megawatts or more using an HSA having a thickness less than about 500 meters (e.g., 100 to 500 meters; or less than 100 meters, such as 30 to 40 meters). In the geothermal systems disclosed herein, lateral drilled injection and extraction wells may be vertically disjointed and offset horizontally. More specifically, water (e.g., liquid water, vaporized water, or any other type of water-based fluid) is extracted from the HSA via multiple extraction wells. The water is processed to capture heat from the heated water, resulting in cooled water. The cooled water is then re-injected via multiple injection wells. The imposed pumping pressure field induces a large-scale fluid convection or circulation system in the HSA which continually recharges the geothermal system. As the area between each pair of injection and extraction wells becomes larger, an increasingly larger amount of heat is available for harvesting. Thus, the lateral components of the injection and extraction wells of each well pair can be offset (e.g., by 300 meters, 500 meters, etc.), which allows for harvesting heat from a large area. An increase in well spacing may also necessitate a need for larger pumping pressures in the extraction well and/or the injection well of each well pair. Correspondingly, in contrast with previous EGS systems, the geothermal systems disclosed herein are relatively simplified and inexpensive because they do not involve any artificial fracturing of rock at depth to create a manmade reservoir. 
     In some embodiments, an HSA is a targeted geothermal reservoir that is sufficiently hot and of almost arbitrary and variable thickness. In order to identify HSAs that have the necessary threshold characteristics to provide an economically desirable amount of heat, specific geologic terrains must be sought through a process of characterization and analysis. Through careful analyses of the desirable geophysical characteristics, the potential efficiency of the formation can be determined. Using the methods and systems described herein, depending on the geothermal characteristics of the HSA, geothermal energy can be extracted for relatively long periods of time (e.g., 10-20 years, or even over 50 years). Additionally, the geothermal systems disclosed herein can be constructed at a vast array of geographically diverse locations on Earth beyond the volcanic regions typically associated with geothermal systems. 
     In some embodiments, HSAs located in shallow crust, or in regions with insufficient or low background heat fluxes, are generally not be able to produce an adequate amount of geothermal energy for generating power. These HSAs, however, may be suitable for producing water hot enough for direct use in the heating of homes and buildings. Although thicker HSAs may be more suitable for power generation, even thin sedimentary aquifers are capable of producing energy using the geothermal systems disclosed herein, which are suitably well-designed and can be crafted to fit the specific aquifer. For example, while a geothermal system may generate a power output of about 20 megawatts from a thin HSA using only a single pair of extraction and injection wells, the geothermal systems disclosed herein may generate a power output of about 25 to 500 megawatts or more from thin HSAs, thick HSAs, or a combination of thick HSAs and thin HSAs using multiple pairs of extraction and wells as described herein. In some embodiments, the multiple pairs of extraction injection wells may be formed according to a wagon-wheel pattern (e.g., as described with reference to  FIG.  6   ), a wine-rack pattern (e.g., as described with reference to  FIG.  7   ), a gun-barrel pattern (e.g., as described with reference to  FIGS.  8 A and  8 B ), a chicken-foot pattern (e.g., as described with reference to  FIG.  9   ), a vertically-stacked pattern (e.g., as described with reference to  FIG.  10   ), any other suitable pattern or arrangement, or any combination thereof. 
     In some embodiments, the geothermal systems disclosed herein provide for inducing a large-scale convective or flow field within the sedimentary aquifer due to gravity and/or head pressure (e.g., in the case of thicker aquifers where the extraction and injection wells are vertically separated), pressure differentials in the aquifer itself, a dipolar pumping pressure field imposed between each pair of injection and extraction wells, or a combination thereof. Prior to the initiation of pumping, the fluid within the aquifer can have a slow regional flow without substantially any local convective pattern or recirculation system. Upon initiation of pumping, the pattern of fluid flow is soon highly modified in response to the newly established imposed dipolar pressure field of pumping. Under such a scenario, the pumped water becomes heated by both heat conduction and convection.  FIG.  4    below shows an example of the convective or recirculation field (e.g., the convective recirculation cell  450 ) found in numerical simulations. 
     In some embodiments, the present disclosure provides a method that includes pumping heated water, via multiple extraction wells, from one or more extraction depths of an HSA. The method can further include transferring the heated water to an energy conversion unit, converting thermal energy to electric energy and resulting in cooled water. The method can further include pumping or re-injecting the cooled water, via multiple injection wells, back into an HSA beneath the surface (e.g., this water subsequently can become reheated in the HSA via conduction and convection) to one or more injection depths of an HSA. The method can further include determining, using comprehensive geologic data analyses, the permeability and/or porosity conditions that satisfy a threshold permeability and/or porosity. The method can further include determining, using comprehensive geologic data analyses, the thermal gradient, heat flux, and temperature that satisfy a necessary produced water temperature of 100° C. (e.g., for advanced organic Rankine cycle (ORC) power generation technologies) or lower (e.g., in the case of district heating). The method can further include generating a respective dipolar pumping pressure field between each pair of injection and extraction wells, where the dipolar pressure pattern imposes a pattern of fluid recirculation in the sedimentary aquifer, causing continual recharge of the geothermal system. The method can further include determining, using comprehensive numerical modeling, the optimum well configuration (e.g., depths of wells, lateral distances of wells, lengths of horizontal wells, orientations of wells, etc.) from which an economic multi-well geothermal system can be constructed. 
     In some embodiments, the present disclosure provides geothermal systems for extracting geothermal energy from thin, hot, and deeply buried sedimentary aquifers called HSAs that satisfy a certain threshold of geothermal characteristics. The geothermal systems disclosed herein may provide for extracting hot, superheated water by pumping the water to the surface via multiple extraction wells to an energy conversion unit on the surface that extracts energy from the hot water. As a result of the operation of this energy conversion unit, the heated water becomes cooled and is re-injected back into the original HSA beneath the surface via multiple injection wells. The geothermal systems disclosed herein may also provide for establishing a system of fluid convection or recirculation within the thin sedimentary aquifer using a differential pumping pressure between the extraction and injection wells of each well pair. Such convection can be a fundamental feature of the geothermal systems disclosed herein and can substantially enhance the longevity of these geothermal systems, allowing them to persist much longer than other manmade geothermal systems. 
     Definitions 
     Unless defined otherwise, all technical and scientific terms used herein can have substantially the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which the disclosure pertains. The following definitions supplement those in the art and are directed to the current application and are not to be imputed to any related or unrelated case, e.g., to any commonly owned patent or application. The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only, and is not intended to be limiting. 
     As used in this specification and the appended claims, the singular forms “a,” “an” and “the” include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Thus, for example, reference to “an attribute” includes a plurality of such attributes, and the like. 
     The term “about” as used herein indicates the value of a given quantity varies by +10% of the value. For example, a thickness of “about 500 meters” can encompass a range of thicknesses from 450 meters to 550 meters, inclusive. 
     Spatially relative terms, such as “beneath,” “below,” “lower,” “above,” “on,” “upper” and the like, may be used herein for ease of description to describe one element or feature&#39;s relationship to another element(s) or feature(s) as illustrated in the figures. The spatially relative terms are intended to encompass different orientations of the element(s) or feature(s) in use or operation in addition to the orientation(s) depicted in the figures. The element(s) or feature(s) can be otherwise oriented (e.g., rotated 90 degrees or at other orientations) and the spatially relative descriptors used herein may likewise be interpreted accordingly. 
     The term “natural enhanced geothermal system (NAT-EGS)” and “geothermal convective power cell (geo power cell or GPC)” refer to systems for harvesting geothermal energy from hot sedimentary aquifers without hydraulic fracturing by generating convection cells between a production well and an injection well. As used herein, the term NAT-EGS is synonymous with the term GPC. 
     The term “characteristic” or “geologic characteristic” can refer to a property, such as a rock property or a seismically-determined property, that is present at substantially all locations in the geologic volume (e.g., penetrative). The rock property can include density, porosity, permeability, and other suitable rock properties. The seismically-determined property can include velocity, Young&#39;s modulus, and other suitable seismically-determined properties. 
     The term “permeability” can refer to the various geologic characteristics that form the bulk permeability of a geologic volume, such as an HSA. These geologic characteristics can include, but are not limited to, the permeability of the rock itself, the distribution and degree of existing fractures in the formation, and any new fractures that are induced (e.g., via acid and/or energetics) to increase and/or enhance the bulk permeability of the geologic volume. 
     In some embodiments, the term “fracture” or “natural fracture” can refer to any non-sedimentary mechanical discontinuity thought to represent a surface or zone of mechanical failure. Chemical processes such as solution and stress corrosion may have played an important role in the fracture process. The term “fracture” can be used to describe a natural feature either when available evidence is inadequate for exact classification or when distinction between fracture types is unimportant. In some embodiments, faults are types of fractures. In some embodiments, an “induced fracture” can refer to any rock fracture produced by human activities, such as drilling, accidental or intentional hydrofracturing, core handling, and other activities. 
     In some embodiments, the term “machine learning” can refer to multivariate-statistics, neural networks, deep neural networks, and other suitable techniques, and any combination thereof. Accordingly, the term “machine learning” as used herein can include all possible correlation methods including multivariate statistics and neural networks. 
     The term “hot sedimentary aquifer (HSA)” can refer to a sedimentary rock stratum or sequence of strata filled with water (e.g., fresh, saline, or brine) that is sufficiently hot and that has sufficient porosity and permeability to be an economical source of geothermal energy. The term “thick-bed HSA” can refer to an HSA having a thickness between about 100 meters and 500 meters or more. The term “thin-bed HSA” can refer to an HSA having a thickness equal to or less than about 100 meters. 
     Example Geothermal Systems 
       FIG.  1    is a schematic diagram of an example implementation of an example natural geothermal system  100 , according to some embodiments. In some embodiments, the natural geothermal system  100  may be a NAT-EGS configured to extract heat from an HSA. In some embodiments, one or more of the operations described below with reference to  FIG.  1    may be performed or otherwise carried out by one or more components of the computer system  1300 . 
     As shown in  FIG.  1   , a power unit  110  (e.g., an above-ground power plant or other type of geothermal energy processing or utilization facility) associated with the natural geothermal system  100  is positioned on a surface  102  of a location that is above, over, or near a geologic volume  104  that includes an HSA  106 . The natural geothermal system  100  includes multiple extraction wells, such as an extraction well  120  with an extraction lateral  118 . The natural geothermal system  100  further includes multiple injection wells, such as an injection well  112  with an injection lateral  114 . The multiple extraction wells and the multiple injection wells may have been drilled to various depths of the HSA  106  and may be either vertically aligned or horizontally separated. 
     In some embodiments, the power unit  110  may include a pump system, a power generation unit (e.g., including, but not limited to, an energy capture unit and an energy conversion unit to convert geothermal energy to mechanical energy, electrical energy, any other suitable form of energy, or any combination thereof), and a regulatory device to control the natural geothermal system  100 . For example, the regulatory device may control one or more extraction pumps (e.g., one pump per extraction well, or a common pump for two or more extraction wells) to extract water from the HSA  106  via the multiple extraction wells (e.g., including, but to limited to, the extraction well  120 ). In another example, the regulatory device may control the power generation unit to capture and process geothermal energy from the heated water, resulting in cooled water. In still another example, the regulatory device may control one or more injection pumps (e.g., one pump per injection well, or a common pump for two or more injection wells) to inject the cooled water from the power generation unit into the HSA  106  via the multiple injection wells (e.g., including, but to limited to, the injection well  112 ). In some embodiments, a single pump may be used for the plurality of wells. Alternatively, each well that is drilled can have its own pump and pumping system. Each pump can then be controlled by the regulatory device to balance the flow rates, pressures, and temperatures that are flowing to and from the power unit  110  to and from the multiple well system. 
     In some embodiments, such as when the HSA  106  is underpressured (e.g., as in the Lyons formation shown in  FIG.  10   ), the injection well pump can be smaller than the extraction well pump. In some embodiments, each well pair can transfer heat in an individual way to the power unit  110  (e.g., an ORC system) such that the same water extracted from the HSA  106  can be pumped back into the same well pair and not cool parts of the HSA  106  in an uneven way. In some embodiments, the power unit  110  may be configured based on a determined optimum range of water injection rate in the multiple injection wells and/or water extraction rate of the multiple extraction wells can produce about 25 to 500 megawatts of power or more. Further, the flow rate of the water (e.g., as indicated by water flow  116 ) can be tuned (e.g., over time) via pumping adjustments to achieve a best possible efficiency for the natural geothermal system  100  according to the characteristics of the HSA  106 . 
     Regarding the terrain of the natural geothermal system  100  (e.g., as indicated by geologic volume  104 ), the surface  102  may correspond to a ground or soil surface, a water surface (e.g., a lake surface, ocean surface, river surface), or any other suitable type of surface of the Earth. The HSA  106  can be disposed beneath the surface  102  (e.g., beneath the power unit  110 ) and may include any suitable type of fresh or salt-water bearing sedimentary rock. In some embodiments, the HSA  106  may be configured above and/or between one or more layers of igneous rock. 
     In some embodiments, the location of the surface  102  may be selected for the power unit  110  based on one or more geothermal characteristics of the HSA  106 . For example, the location of the surface  102  may be selected based on determining that the HSA  106  is at a suitable, manageable, and/or accessible depth and includes a sufficient volume of water at a sufficiently high temperature, to determine whether the HSA  106  can efficiently be used to capture geothermal energy from the Earth. The HSA  106  (and/or geothermal characteristics of the HSA  106 ) may initially be identified and/or analyzed from drilling and sampling the terrain beneath the surface  102 . Additionally or alternatively, the HSA  106  may be identified and/or analyzed from seismic imaging data (e.g., mapping data, imaging data, the parameters listed above with reference to the geologic volume parameterization system  130 ) associated with the terrain beneath the surface  102 . The seismic imaging data may be obtained and/or captured in real-time and/or may correspond to historical data associated with previous seismic imaging and/or previously created well bores associated with previous operations, analyses, and/or geological mappings of the terrain beneath the surface  102 . 
     In some embodiments, the geothermal characteristic of the HSA  106  may correspond to one or more characteristics of the HSA  106  that would enable a desired amount of geothermal energy to be extracted from the Earth at a particular rate, for a particular period of time, or both. Such geothermal characteristics may be based on certain physical characteristics of the HSA  106  (e.g., depth, thickness, porosity, permeability, temperature of the HSA  106 , and/or pressure and/or composition of water within the HSA  106 ). 
     In some implementations, one of the geothermal characteristics of the HSA  106  that may be considered when selecting the location of the surface  102  for the power unit  110  may include a measured or determined heat flow between various depths of the HSA  106 . The heat flow may indicate and/or represent an amount of heat or geothermal energy that can be captured from the HSA  106  during a particular time period. The heat flow may be based on the geothermal gradient and determines the temperature of the water at various depths of the HSA  106 . Accordingly, the heat flow can be determined (e.g., estimated) based on certain characteristics and/or measurements associated with the HSA  106 . 
     Another geothermal characteristic may include or be associated with permeability of the HSA  106 . The permeability of the HSA  106  may indicate the rate at which water can be extracted from the HSA  106 . Correspondingly, in combination with temperatures of the HSA  106  (e.g., at various depths of the HSA  106 ), the amount of heat or geothermal energy that can be extracted from the HSA  106  can be determined. The permeability of the HSA  106  may be determined based on various tests conducted in the associated drill holes into the HSA  106  and, in some embodiments, further based on the terrain of the HSA  106 . According to some implementations, a construction lateral can be drilled between or beyond the injection lateral  114  and the extraction lateral  118  to perform an operation to improve the permeability of the HSA  106 . For example, construction lateral(s) can be drilled outside of the injection/extraction lateral plane to increase the permeability of the region surrounding the well pair(s) to stimulate increased convective flow into the system from the region beyond the well pair (e.g., also referred to as “the far field”). In another example, construction lateral(s) may be drilled and configured to inject acidic water and/or pressurized water (and/or an energetic or propellant, such as an ignitable liquid or solid fuel) to increase the bulk permeability of the HSA  106 , thereby improving the permeability between each injection lateral  114  and extraction lateral  118 . In such cases, the permeability of the HSA  106  may satisfy a permeability threshold associated with permitting the construction lateral to be drilled. In some embodiments, such a threshold permeability may be greater than a permeability threshold to use the HSA  106  without performing enhancement operation to increase the permeability of the HSA  106  to configure the natural geothermal system  100 . 
     Yet another geothermal characteristic may include or be associated with a porosity of the HSA  106 , which can indicate of the volume of water held by the HSA  106 . The porosity may indicate or be used to identify the permeability and enable a determination of a flow rate of water through the HSA  106 , an amount of water that can be received within the HSA  106  after being processed by the power unit  110  (e.g., to determine an injection rate of a flow of water via the injection well  112 ). 
     Such geothermal characteristics may be compared against corresponding thresholds of the geothermal characteristics to determine whether the HSA  106  is suitable for capturing a desired amount of geothermal energy (e.g., corresponding to enough energy to permit the power unit  110  to output a desired amount of power for an area or region of the location of the surface  102 ) for a desired period of time (e.g., 10-20 years, or even over 50 years). In some embodiments, the thresholds may include a minimum heat flow rate into the HSA  106 , a minimum permeability of the HSA  106 , a minimum porosity of the HSA  106 , any other suitable threshold, or any combination thereof. Additionally or alternatively, certain physical characteristics of the HSA  106  associated with geothermal characteristics of the HSA  106  may be considered (e.g., a minimum or maximum depth of the HSA  106 , a minimum or maximum thickness of the HSA  106 , a minimum temperature of the HSA  106 ). 
     In some embodiments, the natural geothermal system  100  may use the HSA  106  that has a sufficiently high background basal heat flux and is sufficiently large enough (e.g., has a sufficient volume, thickness) to supply geothermal energy for ten years or more. In some locations of the Earth, such an injection depth of the HSA  106  may be at a minimum of 1,500 meters below the surface  102 , and/or such an extraction depth of the HSA  106  may be at a minimum of 1,000 meters. In such an example, any recirculated water that was injected via the multiple injection wells and is extracted via the multiple extraction wells reaches the threshold temperature of at least 100° C. For higher levels of basal heat flux, the minimum depth becomes correspondingly less. 
     In some embodiments, after the location of the surface  102  is selected for the power unit  110 , the natural geothermal system  100  may be configured and/or designed according to the characteristics of the HSA  106 . For example, as shown, the injection well  112  and the extraction well  120  may be part of a disjointed, multi-well system connected to the power unit  110  in that heated water is to be extracted from the HSA  106  at an extraction depth and cooled water (which is created from capturing heat from the heated water) is to be injected at an injection depth of the HSA  106 . In some embodiments, based on the geothermal characteristics of the HSA  106  and the desired amount of geothermal energy that is to be captured from the HSA  106 , the extraction depth and injection depth (and, correspondingly, the vertical distance  122  between the extraction depth of the extraction lateral  118  and the injection depth of the injection lateral  114 ), as well as the extraction location and the injection location (and, correspondingly, the horizontal distance  123  between the extraction well  120  and the injection well  112 ), can be determined to provide a desired water flow rate and/or energy extraction rate for a desired period of time that the power unit  110  is to be operable to provide power. As a result, the extraction well  120  and the injection well  112  may be offset laterally, vertically, or both laterally and vertically. 
     In some implementations, the cooled water can be supplied with a supplemental agent to facilitate flow of available water through the HSA  106 , as indicated by water flow  116 . The supplemental agent can include, for example, a propellant-based agent (e.g., rocket fuel), a solvent or solute (e.g., a hydrochloric acid such as muriatic acid; a sulfuric acid; or any other suitable material for performing acid leaching), any other suitable agent, or any combination thereof. When injected into the HSA  106  via the injection well  112  (along with the cooled water), the supplemental agent can increase permeability and/or porosity of the HSA  106  (by causing erosion or breakdown of some of the rock or material of the HSA  106 ). In this way, the natural geothermal system  100 , using the supplemental agent, can improve geothermal energy extraction via the HSA  106 . 
     In some embodiments, geothermal energy can be obtained, by the power unit  110  and from the HSA  106 , by pumping heated water from the HSA  106  via the multiple extraction wells, extracting heat from the heated water to capture energy, resulting in cooled water, and injecting the cooled water back into the HSA  106  via the multiple injection wells. In some embodiments, the power unit  110  can generate a power output between about 25 megawatts and 500 megawatts. For example, the power unit  110  may generate a power output of about 20 megawatts using only the extraction well  120  and the injection well  112 . In contrast, the power unit  110  may generate a power output between about 25 megawatts and 500 megawatts or more using multiple extraction wells and multiple injection wells (e.g., including, but not limited to, the extraction well  120  and the injection well  112 ) as described herein. In some embodiments, the multiple extraction wells and the multiple injection wells may be formed according to a wagon-wheel pattern (e.g., as described with reference to  FIG.  6   ), a wine-rack pattern (e.g., as described with reference to  FIG.  7   ), a gun-barrel pattern (e.g., as described with reference to  FIGS.  8 A and  8 B ), a chicken-foot pattern (e.g., as described with reference to  FIG.  9   ), a vertically-stacked pattern (e.g., as described with reference to  FIG.  10   ), any other suitable pattern or arrangement, or any combination thereof. 
       FIG.  2    is a schematic diagram of an example implementation of an example NAT-EGS  200  (e.g., a GPC) in a thin sedimentary aquifer, according to some embodiments. In some embodiments, one or more of the operations described below with reference to  FIG.  2    may be performed or otherwise carried out by one or more components of the computer system  1300 . 
     As shown in  FIG.  2   , the NAT-EGS  200  can include a power plant  210  that includes a power generation unit, a pump system, and a well system disposed within an HSA  206 . In some embodiments, the HSA  206  can be disposed above an impermeable rock  207 . 
     The well system can include multiple extraction wells, such as an extraction well  220 , that enable the pump system to provide heated water at one or more extraction depths, such as an extraction depth D E , of the HSA  206  to the power generation unit. The extraction well  220  can include a production element that includes an extraction pump, an extraction lateral  218  disposed within the HSA  206  at the extraction depth D E , and a vertical extraction component  219  extending between the extraction depth D E  and the power generation unit. 
     The well system can further include multiple injection wells, such as an injection well  212 , that enable the pump system to inject cooled water from the power generation unit into the HSA  206  at one or more injection depths, such as an injection depth D I . The injection well  212  can include an injection element that includes an injection pump, an injection lateral  214  disposed within the HSA  206  at the injection depth D I , and a vertical injection component  213  extending between the injection depth D I  and the power generation unit. 
     In some embodiments, a horizontal distance  223  (e.g., along the Y-axis as shown in  FIG.  2   ) between the injection lateral  214  and the extraction lateral  218  can be equal to or greater than about 300 meters. In some aspects, the horizontal distance  223  between the extraction lateral  218  and the injection lateral  214  can be equal to or greater than about 500 meters. 
     In some embodiments, the HSA  206  may be a thin-bed HSA. In some aspects, a thickness T HSA  of the HSA  206  can be equal to or less than about 100 meters, and a depth difference ΔD between the extraction depth D E  and the injection depth D I  (where ΔD=|D I −D E |) can be equal to or less than about the thickness T HSA  of the HSA  206  (e.g., ΔD can be less than or equal to about 100 meters, 75 meters, 50 meters, 25 meters, 10 meters, etc.). In some aspects, the thickness T HSA  of the HSA  206  can be equal to or less than about 50 meters, and the depth difference ΔD between the extraction depth D E  and the injection depth D can be equal to or less than about the thickness T HSA  of the HSA  206  (e.g., ΔD can be less than or equal to about 50 meters, 40 meters, 30 meters, 20 meters, 10 meters, etc.). In some aspects, the depth difference ΔD may be determined according to the geothermal characteristics of the HSA  206  and may be on the order of 100 meters or less, as described herein. 
     As shown in  FIG.  2   , the injection wells and the extraction wells can be L-shaped in that the injection well  212  and the extraction well  220  each have vertical elements (e.g., vertical components) and horizontal elements (e.g., laterals). For example, the extraction well  220  may have a production element (e.g., which may include a vertical extraction component  219 ) that extends between the extraction depth D E  and the surface  202  (and/or the power plant  210  on a surface  202  above the HSA  206 ) and the extraction lateral  218  that is laterally drilled at the extraction depth D E . The extraction lateral  218  (e.g., which may include a horizontal perforated pipe) may be mechanically coupled (e.g., physically attached to, physically fastened to, fluidly coupled, and/or the like) to the production element. Accordingly, the extraction lateral  218  may laterally branch out from the production element at the extraction depth D E . Furthermore, the injection well  212  may have the injection element that extends between the injection depth D I  and the surface  202  and the injection lateral  214 . The injection lateral  214  may be mechanically coupled to the injection element, and laterally branch out from the injection element at the injection depth D I . The extraction lateral  218  and the injection lateral  214  can be substantially parallel (e.g., within an industry standard threshold of parallel) to one another and substantially vertically aligned (e.g., within an industry standard threshold of vertical). Accordingly, a substantially horizontal heat zone aligned with the induced natural lateral flow of hot water (e.g., as indicated by the reference arrow  250 ) can be formed within the HSA  206  between the extraction lateral  218  and the injection lateral  214  and in the region surrounding them. 
     In some embodiments, as shown in  FIG.  2   , the injection depth D I  can be substantially the same as the extraction depth D E . In other embodiments, the injection depth D I  can be substantially deeper than the extraction depth D E . In still other embodiments, depending upon the terrain, the extraction depth D E  can be deeper than the injection depth D I . In such embodiments where the depth difference ΔD between the extraction depth D E  and the injection depth D I  is substantially non-zero, the configuration of the injection well  212  and the extraction well  220  (which may be referred to collectively herein as “the wells”) can be “disjointed” in that the wells can be drilled to different depths substantially without creating manmade fractures or openings directly connecting the wells (e.g., between the extraction lateral  218  of the extraction well  220  and the injection lateral  214  of the injection well  212 ). For example, the terrain of the HSA  206  between the injection well  212  and the extraction well  220  can have a sufficient permeability to create a substantially uninhibited lateral flow of water between the wells, as indicated by reference arrow  250 . 
     In some embodiments as shown in  FIG.  1   , when the thickness of the HSA  106  is adequately thick, the extraction lateral  118  and the injection lateral  114  can be located vertically above one another at the bottom (e.g., injection well  112 ) and top (e.g., extraction well  120 ) of the HSA  106  without lateral offsetting. In contrast, in some embodiments as shown in  FIG.  2   , when the sedimentary layer is thin (e.g., the thickness T HSA  of the HSA  206  is not adequately thick), the extraction lateral  218  and the injection lateral  214  can be located horizontally offset from each other (e.g., horizontal distance  223  can be non-zero). Such a geometrical setting can generate a fluid convection or recirculation system within the HSA  206 . 
     Referring again to  FIG.  2   , the well system can further include a regulatory device configured to generate a set of first control signals configured to instruct the pump system to pump the heated water from the extraction wells (e.g., including, but not limited to, the extraction well  220 ) to the power generation unit. In some embodiments, the set of first control signals can be further configured to instruct the pump system to pump, via the extraction wells, the heated water from the one or more extraction depths (e.g., including, but not limited to, the extraction depth D E ) of the HSA  206  at an extraction rate that stimulates a flow field that provides a recharge of the extracted heat. The regulatory device can be further configured to generate a second control signal configured to instruct the power generation unit to extract thermal energy from the heated water and to transform the heated water into cooled water. The regulatory device can be further configured to generate a set of third control signals configured to instruct the pump system to pump the cooled water from the power generation unit to the injection wells (e.g., including, but not limited to, the injection well  212 ). 
     In some embodiments, the set of third control signals can be further configured to instruct the pump system to inject the cooled water with a supplemental agent to enhance a permeability, a porosity, or both of the HSA  206 . In such embodiments, the permeability may not satisfy a threshold permeability range before an injection of the cooled water with the supplemental agent, and the permeability can satisfy the threshold permeability range after the injection of the cooled water with the supplemental agent. In some embodiments, the supplemental agent can include an energetic or propellant-based agent, including, but not limited to, an ignitable solid or liquid fuel and/or any other materials and methods to enhance the permeability of the HSA  206 . In other embodiments, the supplemental agent can include materials including, but not limited to, a muriatic acid, a hydrochloric acid, and/or any other materials and methods to enhance the permeability of the HSA  206 . 
     As shown by magnified view  270 , the HSA  206  may include a plurality of channels that permit water within the HSA  206  to flow through the HSA  206  from the injection well  212  to the extraction well  220 , as shown by reference arrow  250 . During operation, the injection well  212  can be used to release a certain amount of cooled water at the injection depth D I  in a region of the HSA  206 , and the extraction well  220  can be used to harvest heated water in another region of the HSA  206 . Accordingly, as indicated by hot/cold scale  260  and the shading of channels shown in magnified view  270  of the HSA  206 , the temperature of the water flowing laterally between in the injection well  212  and the extraction well  220  can be relatively cooler toward the injection well  212  and relatively warmer toward the extraction well  220  due to the configuration of the NAT-EGS  200  and geothermal characteristics of the HSA  206 . Correspondingly, as illustrated by the shading of the reference arrow  250 , the water in the HSA  206  can be heated as the water permeates or flows laterally from the injection depth D I  to the extraction depth D E . 
     Using the NAT-EGS  200 , water can be cycled through the HSA  206 . For example, injected cooled water in a first region of the HSA  206  can be exposed to heated material (e.g., sand, rocks, and/or the like) and heated water within the HSA  206 . More specifically, as the cooled water traverses or is infused within the HSA  206 , the cooled water is warmed via conduction, convection, advection, or a combination thereof. As heated water is pumped from the extraction well  220  in a second region of the HSA  206 , the injected water circulates within the HSA  206  to replace the extracted water. As the energy or heat is harvested from the extracted water, which is now relatively cooler, the cooled water is then reinjected into the first region of the HSA  206  via the injection well  212 . That cooled water can again be heated as it circulates and mingles with other waters eventually to be harvested throughout one or more cycles. By this technique, a large-scale convective or circulation system can be established within the greater surrounding HSA  206  environment between the extraction well  220 , the power plant  210 , the injection well  212 , and the HSA  206 . As a result, in the NAT-EGS  200 , heat is provided mainly by widespread, natural advection or convection of super-heated water in the deep sedimentary aquifer over a volume of HSA  206  material surrounding the specific wells and thus a longer (e.g., greater than 10 years, 20 years, 50 years, etc.) and more continuous production of energy can be maintained substantially without the potential of environmental hazard (e.g., from fracking techniques). 
     In some embodiments, the NAT-EGS  200  may have a longer useful life (e.g., 10-20 years, or even over 50 years or more) due to the geothermal characteristics of the HSA  206  (many of which are located throughout the Earth). Further, the NAT-EGS  200  may be substantially maintenance free during the extended duration and useful life of the NAT-EGS  200  because the heat source (e.g., the HSA  206 ) does not have to be maintained (e.g., no fractures may need to be cleared of debris and/or reopened to maintain a desired flow if the fractures collapse). Moreover, within the source volume of the HSA  206  (e.g., laterally between the drill holes), there are no pipes or artificial or manufactured pathways that may need maintenance. 
     In some embodiments, the NAT-EGS  200  can provide a large-scale recharge of the HSA  206  via circulatory movement of water and heat through the HSA  206  that is induced by the pressure field and temperature gradient associated with pumping water from the extraction well  220  and back into the HSA  206  via the injection well  212 . For example, water from areas that are not within regions surrounding the wells can be pulled into the heat zone between the wells via the circulatory movement. Thus, water in regions of the HSA  206  around the wells can be continuously and naturally reheated by the higher temperature of sedimentary rocks throughout the HSA  206 . Furthermore, a combined effect of heated, low density water being extracted from one region of the HSA  206 , and cooled denser water, having been run through the power plant, being injected into another region of the HSA  206  functions, in effect, as a thermal flywheel to sustain the circulation. 
     In some embodiments, the HSA  206  and additional HSAs can be selected based on a predicted power output for the power generated by the power plant  210  (e.g., also referred to as “generated power,” “captured geothermal energy,” and “extracted thermal energy”) that satisfies a threshold power generation requirement of the power plant  210  (e.g., a power output required to power a data center, oil and gas field, corporate campus, governmental facility, small town, etc.). In some embodiments, the quantity of well pairs (e.g., two well pairs, six well pairs, ten well pairs, etc.) can be selected such that the generated power satisfies the threshold power generation requirement. In some embodiments, if the threshold power generation requirement increases, the quantity of well pairs can be increased as well (e.g., by drilling additional well pairs in the HSA  206  or in a different HSA). 
     In some embodiments, the power plant  210  can generate a power output equal to or greater than about 25 megawatts, 50 megawatts, 100 megawatts, 250 megawatts, 500 megawatts, or any other suitable power output. For example, the power generation unit of the power plant  210  may generate a power output of about 20 megawatts using only the extraction well  220  and the injection well  212 . In contrast, the power generation unit of the power plant  210  may generate a power output of about 25 to 500 megawatts or more using multiple extraction wells and multiple injection wells as described herein. In some embodiments, the multiple extraction wells and the multiple injection wells may be formed according to a wagon-wheel pattern (e.g., as described with reference to  FIG.  6   ), a wine-rack pattern (e.g., as described with reference to  FIG.  7   ), a gun-barrel pattern (e.g., as described with reference to  FIGS.  8 A and  8 B ), a chicken-foot pattern (e.g., as described with reference to  FIG.  9   ), a vertically-stacked pattern (e.g., as described with reference to  FIG.  10   ), any other suitable pattern or arrangement, or any combination thereof. 
       FIG.  3    illustrates an example numerical modeling domain (e.g., various geologic layers, well configuration and distancing, etc.) that has been used to simulate the full operation of an example NAT-EGS  300 , according to some embodiments. In some embodiments, one or more of the operations described below with reference to  FIG.  3    may be performed or otherwise carried out by one or more components of the computer system  1300 . 
     As shown in  FIG.  3   , the NAT-EGS  300  can include an extraction well  320  having a production element that includes an extraction pump, a vertical extraction component  319 , and an extraction lateral  318  laterally drilled at an extraction depth and disposed within an HSA  306  (e.g., a thin-bed HSA). NAT-EGS  300  can further include an injection well  312  having an injection element that includes an injection pump, a vertical injection component  313 , and an injection lateral  314  laterally drilled at an injection depth and disposed within the HSA  306 . The HSA  306  can be disposed below a confining layer  305  and above an impermeable rock  307 . The geophysical characteristics of each of the confining layer  305 , the HSA  306  and the impermeable rock  307  have been determined via geologic data analysis including direct drilling. 
     In the example numerical modeling domain, the HSA  306  is relatively thin, about 50 meters, and located at a depth of about 2,800 meters below the surface. The pumping system that controls the extraction of hot water and re-injection of cooled water can be controlled on the surface. For example, the extraction pump can be downhole but controlled on the surface. Alternatively, the HSA  306  can be pressurized and the extraction pump can be located on the surface. The horizontal distance  323  between the extraction lateral  318  and the injection lateral  314  (e.g., well spacing) has an important impact on the efficiency and longevity of the NAT-EGS  300  and may be different from case to case, not necessarily parallel to one another, and distinctly crafted to each specific geologic situation. 
       FIG.  4    illustrates the results of an example numerical simulation of the full operation of an example NAT-EGS  400  using the example numerical modeling domain described with reference to  FIG.  3   , according to some embodiments. In some embodiments, one or more of the operations described below with reference to  FIG.  4    may be performed or otherwise carried out by one or more components of the computer system  1300 . 
     As shown in  FIG.  4   , the NAT-EGS  400  can include an extraction well  420  having a production element that includes an extraction pump, a vertical extraction component  419 , and an extraction lateral  418  laterally drilled at an extraction depth and disposed within an HSA  406  (e.g., a thin-bed HSA). NAT-EGS  400  can further include an injection well  412  having an injection element that includes an injection pump, a vertical injection component  413 , and an injection lateral  414  laterally drilled at an injection depth and disposed within the HSA  406 . The HSA  406  can be disposed below a confining layer  405  and above an impermeable rock  407 . The geophysical characteristics of each of the confining layer  405 , the HSA  406  and the impermeable rock  407  have been determined via geologic data analysis. 
     As shown in  FIG.  4   , the results of the example numerical simulation of the full operation of the example NAT-EGS  400  show a convective recirculation cell  450  induced within the HSA  406 . In this numerical simulation, the HSA  406  was about 50 meters and located at a depth of about 2,800 meters below the surface, the extraction well  420  and the injection well  412  were parallel to each other, and the horizontal distance  423  between the extraction lateral  418  and the injection lateral  414  was 300 meters. Due to a dipolar pumping pressure, the convective recirculation cell  450  was formed which caused an aquifer-wide mixing of the injected water and existing water. Such convection caused recharging of the system and increased the longevity of the NAT-EGS  400 . The arrows and lines in the convective recirculation cell  450  were calculated (e.g., extrapolated) values and showed that the flow field was still operating after 20 years. 
       FIG.  5    shows an example graph  500  that demonstrates the impact of changing the spacing between the extraction and injection wells on the temperature of the extracted water in an example geothermal system, according to some aspects of the present disclosure. In some embodiments, one or more of the operations described below with reference to  FIG.  5    may be performed or otherwise carried out by one or more components of the computer system  1300 . 
     In some embodiments, determining the optimum offset spacing between the injection and extraction wells can improve the operation of the geothermal system because. (i) if the distance is too short, a quick chilling or short-circuiting of the geothermal system occurs; (ii) if the injection and extraction wells are too distant, a substantially large amount of pumping pressure is required and, additionally, the geologic setting might change undesirably over a larger scale. Accordingly, by using the state of the art finite element modeling, an optimum configuration of the injection and extraction wells can be fully determined for the most economic harvesting of Geothermal Energy. 
     As shown in  FIG.  5   , the example graph  500  illustrates the variation of the temperature of the extracted water over a period of 20 years as found in numerical simulations for three geometric configurations or offsets of the respective laterals of the extraction and injection wells: a no offset curve  502  (e.g., horizontal distance  223  between the injection lateral  214  and the extraction lateral  218 =0 meters); a 300 meter offset curve  504  (e.g., horizontal distance  223 =300 meters); and a 650 meter offset curve  506  (e.g., horizontal distance  223 =650 meters). As the horizontal separation between the extraction and injection laterals increases, the cooling of the sedimentary aquifer is increasingly delayed with the result that the geothermal energy system is economically efficient for an increasingly long duration. 
       FIG.  6    is a schematic diagram of an overhead view of an example implementation of an example geothermal system  600  having multiple underground lateral well pairs disposed below a single power plant, according to some embodiments. In some aspects, the example geothermal system  600 , or any portion thereof, can be implemented using any of the structures, components, features, or techniques described with reference to the example natural geothermal system  100  described with reference to  FIG.  1   ; the example NAT-EGS  200  described with reference to  FIG.  2   ; the example NAT-EGS  300  described with reference to  FIG.  3   ; the example NAT-EGS  400  described with reference to  FIG.  4   ; the example graph  500  described with reference to  FIG.  5   ; the example geothermal system  700  described with reference to  FIG.  7   ; the example geothermal system  800  described with reference to  FIGS.  8 A and  8 B ; the example geothermal system  900  described with reference to  FIG.  9   ; the chart  1000  described with reference to  FIG.  10   ; the method  1100  described with reference to  FIG.  11   ; the method  1200  described with reference to  FIG.  12   ; the example computing system  1300  described with reference to  FIG.  13   ; any other suitable structure, component, feature, or technique; any portion thereof; or any combination thereof. In some embodiments, one or more of the operations described below with reference to  FIG.  6    may be performed or otherwise carried out by one or more components of the computer system  1300 . 
     As shown in  FIG.  6   , the example geothermal system  600  can include a power plant  610  that includes a power generation unit, a pump system, and a well system disposed within an HSA (e.g., a thin-bed HSA). In some embodiments, the HSA can be disposed above an impermeable rock. 
     The well system can include multiple extraction wells, such as extraction wells  618 A- 618 I, that enable the pump system to provide heated water at one or more extraction depths of the HSA to the power generation unit. Each of the extraction wells  618 A- 618 I can include a production element that includes an extraction pump, an extraction lateral disposed within the HSA at a respective one of the one or more extraction depths, and a vertical extraction component connecting the respective extraction lateral to the power generation unit. 
     The well system can further include multiple injection wells, such as injection wells  614 A- 614 I, that enable the pump system to inject cooled water from the power generation unit into the HSA at one or more injection depths. Each of the injection wells  614 A- 614 I can include an injection element that includes an injection pump, an injection lateral disposed within the HSA at a respective one of the one or more injection depths, and a vertical injection component connecting the respective injection lateral to the power generation unit. The extraction wells and the injection wells form two or more well pairs. 
     As shown in  FIG.  6   , the extraction wells  618 A- 618 I and the injection wells  614 A- 614 I may be formed according to a wagon-wheel pattern. For example, a first pair of wells can include the extraction well  618 A and the injection well  614 A whose laterals are disposed within a first region of the HSA. A second pair of wells can include the extraction well  618 B and the injection well  614 B whose laterals are disposed within a second region of the HSA. A third pair of wells can include the extraction well  618 C and the injection well  614 C whose laterals are disposed within a third region of the HSA. A fourth pair of wells can include the extraction well  618 D and the injection well  614 D whose laterals are disposed within a fourth region of the HSA. A fifth pair of wells can include the extraction well  618 E and the injection well  614 E whose laterals are disposed within a fifth region of the HSA. A sixth pair of wells can include the extraction well  618 F and the injection well  614 F whose laterals are disposed within a sixth region of the HSA. A seventh pair of wells can include the extraction well  618 G and the injection well  614 G whose laterals are disposed within a seventh region of the HSA. An eighth pair of wells can include the extraction well  618 H and the injection well  614 H whose laterals are disposed within an eighth region of the HSA. A ninth pair of wells can include the extraction well  618 I and the injection well  614 I whose laterals are disposed within a ninth region of the HSA. 
     The well system can further include a regulatory device configured to generate a set of first control signals configured to instruct the pump system to pump the heated water from the extraction wells  618 A- 618 I to the power generation unit. In some embodiments, the set of first control signals can be further configured to instruct the pump system to pump, via the extraction wells  618 A- 618 I, the heated water from the one or more extraction depths of the HSA at an extraction rate that stimulates a flow field that provides a recharge of the extracted heat. The regulatory device can be further configured to generate a second control signal configured to instruct the power generation unit to extract thermal energy from the heated water and to transform the heated water into cooled water. The regulatory device can be further configured to generate a set of third control signals configured to instruct the pump system to pump the cooled water from the power generation unit to the injection wells  614 A- 614 I. 
     In some embodiments, the set of third control signals can be further configured to instruct the pump system to inject, via the injection wells  614 A- 614 I, the cooled water with a supplemental agent to enhance a permeability, a porosity, or both of the HSA. In such embodiments, the permeability may not satisfy a threshold permeability range before an injection of the cooled water with the supplemental agent, and the permeability can satisfy the threshold permeability range after the injection of the cooled water with the supplemental agent. In some embodiments, the supplemental agent can include an energetic or propellant-based agent, including, but not limited to, an ignitable solid or liquid fuel and/or any other materials and methods to enhance the permeability of the HSA. In other embodiments, the supplemental agent can include materials including, but not limited to, a muriatic acid, a hydrochloric acid, and/or any other materials and methods to enhance the permeability of the HSA. 
     In some embodiments, the example geothermal system  600  can provide a large-scale recharge of the HSA via circulatory movement of water and heat through the HSA that is induced by the pressure field and temperature gradient associated with pumping water from the extraction wells  618 A- 618 I and back into the HSA via the injection wells  614 A- 614 I. For example, water from areas that are not within regions surrounding each pair of wells can be pulled into the heat zone between the pair of wells via the circulatory movement. Thus, water in regions of the HSA around the well pairs can be continuously and naturally reheated by the higher temperature of sedimentary rocks throughout the HSA. 
     In some embodiments, the power plant  610  can generate a power output of about 25 to 500 megawatts. For example, the power generation unit of the power plant  610  may generate a power output of about 20 megawatts using only the extraction well  618 A and the injection well  614 A. In contrast, the power generation unit of the power plant  610  may generate a power output of about 25 to 500 megawatts using the extraction wells  618 A- 618 I and the injection wells  614 A- 614 I as described herein. 
       FIG.  7    is a schematic diagram of an overhead view of an example implementation of an example geothermal system  700  having multiple underground lateral well pairs disposed below a single power plant, according to some embodiments. In some aspects, the example geothermal system  700 , or any portion thereof, can be implemented using any of the structures, components, features, or techniques described with reference to the example natural geothermal system  100  described with reference to  FIG.  1   ; the example NAT-EGS  200  described with reference to  FIG.  2   ; the example NAT-EGS  300  described with reference to  FIG.  3   ; the example NAT-EGS  400  described with reference to  FIG.  4   ; the example graph  500  described with reference to  FIG.  5   ; the example geothermal system  600  described with reference to  FIG.  6   ; the example geothermal system  800  described with reference to  FIGS.  8 A and  8 B ; the example geothermal system  900  described with reference to  FIG.  9   ; the chart  1000  described with reference to  FIG.  10   ; the method  1100  described with reference to  FIG.  11   ; the method  1200  described with reference to  FIG.  12   ; the example computing system  1300  described with reference to  FIG.  13   ; any other suitable structure, component, feature, or technique, any portion thereof; or any combination thereof. In some embodiments, one or more of the operations described below with reference to  FIG.  7    may be performed or otherwise carried out by one or more components of the computer system  1300 . 
     As shown in  FIG.  7   , the example geothermal system  700  can include a power plant  710  that includes a power generation unit, a pump system, and a well system disposed within an HSA (e.g., a thin-bed HSA). In some embodiments, the HSA can be disposed above an impermeable rock. 
     The well system can include multiple extraction wells, such as extraction wells  718 A- 718 O, that enable the pump system to provide heated water at one or more extraction depths of the HSA to the power generation unit. Each of the extraction wells  718 A- 718 O can include a production element that includes an extraction pump, an extraction lateral disposed within the HSA at a respective one of the one or more extraction depths, and a vertical extraction component connecting the respective extraction lateral to the power generation unit. 
     The well system can further include multiple injection wells, such as injection wells  714 A- 714 O, that enable the pump system to inject cooled water from the power generation unit into the HSA at one or more injection depths. Each of the injection wells  714 A- 714 O can include an injection element that includes an injection pump, an injection lateral disposed within the HSA at a respective one of the one or more injection depths, and a vertical injection component connecting the respective injection lateral to the power generation unit. The extraction wells and the injection wells form two or more well pairs. 
     As shown in  FIG.  7   , the extraction wells  718 A- 718 O and the injection wells  714 A- 714 O may be formed according to a wine-rack pattern. For example, a first pair of wells can include the extraction well  718 A and the injection well  714 A whose laterals are disposed within a first region of the HSA. A second pair of wells can include the extraction well  718 B and the injection well  714 B whose laterals are disposed within a second region of the HSA. A third pair of wells can include the extraction well  718 C and the injection well  714 C whose laterals are disposed within a third region of the HSA. A fourth pair of wells can include the extraction well  718 D and the injection well  714 D whose laterals are disposed within a fourth region of the HSA. A fifth pair of wells can include the extraction well  718 E and the injection well  714 E whose laterals are disposed within a fifth region of the HSA. A sixth pair of wells can include the extraction well  718 F and the injection well  714 F whose laterals are disposed within a sixth region of the HSA. A seventh pair of wells can include the extraction well  718 G and the injection well  714 G whose laterals are disposed within a seventh region of the HSA. An eighth pair of wells can include the extraction well  718 H and the injection well  714 H whose laterals are disposed within an eighth region of the HSA. A ninth pair of wells can include the extraction well  718 I and the injection well  714 I whose laterals are disposed within a ninth region of the HSA. A tenth pair of wells can include the extraction well  718 J and the injection well  714 J whose laterals are disposed within a tenth region of the HSA. An eleventh pair of wells can include the extraction well  718 K and the injection well  714 K whose laterals are disposed within an eleventh region of the HSA. A twelfth pair of wells can include the extraction well  718 L and the injection well  714 L whose laterals are disposed within a twelfth region of the HSA. A thirteenth pair of wells can include the extraction well  718 M and the injection well  714 M whose laterals are disposed within a thirteenth region of the HSA. A fourteenth pair of wells can include the extraction well  718 N and the injection well  714 N whose laterals are disposed within a tenth fourteenth of the HSA. A fifteenth pair of wells can include the extraction well  718 O and the injection well  714 O whose laterals are disposed within a fifteenth region of the HSA. 
     The well system can further include a regulatory device configured to generate a set of first control signals configured to instruct the pump system to pump the heated water from the extraction wells  718 A- 718 O to the power generation unit. In some embodiments, the set of first control signals can be further configured to instruct the pump system to pump, via the extraction wells  718 A- 718 O, the heated water from the one or more extraction depths of the HSA at an extraction rate that stimulates a flow field that provides a recharge of the extracted heat. The regulatory device can be further configured to generate a second control signal configured to instruct the power generation unit to extract thermal energy from the heated water and to transform the heated water into cooled water. The regulatory device can be further configured to generate a set of third control signals configured to instruct the pump system to pump the cooled water from the power generation unit to the injection wells  714 A- 714 O. 
     In some embodiments, the set of third control signals can be further configured to instruct the pump system to inject, via the injection wells  714 A- 714 O, the cooled water with a supplemental agent to enhance a permeability, a porosity, or both of the HSA. In such embodiments, the permeability may not satisfy a threshold permeability range before an injection of the cooled water with the supplemental agent, and the permeability can satisfy the threshold permeability range after the injection of the cooled water with the supplemental agent. In some embodiments, the supplemental agent can include an energetic or propellant-based agent, including, but not limited to, an ignitable solid or liquid fuel and/or any other materials and methods to enhance the permeability of the HSA. In other embodiments, the supplemental agent can include materials including, but not limited to, a muriatic acid, a hydrochloric acid, and/or any other materials and methods to enhance the permeability of the HSA. 
     In some embodiments, the example geothermal system  700  can provide a large-scale recharge of the HSA via circulatory movement of water and heat through the HSA that is induced by the pressure field and temperature gradient associated with pumping water from the extraction wells  718 A- 718 O and back into the HSA via the injection wells  714 A- 714 O. For example, water from areas that are not within regions surrounding each pair of wells can be pulled into the heat zone between the pair of wells via the circulatory movement. Thus, water in regions of the HSA around the well pairs can be continuously and naturally reheated by the higher temperature of sedimentary rocks throughout the HSA. 
     In some embodiments, the power plant  710  can generate a power output equal of about 25 to 500 megawatts. For example, the power generation unit of the power plant  710  may generate a power output of about 20 megawatts using only the extraction well  718 A and the injection well  714 A. In contrast, the power generation unit of the power plant  710  may generate a power output of about 25 to 500 megawatts using the extraction wells  718 A- 718 O and the injection wells  714 A- 714 O as described herein. 
       FIGS.  8 A and  8 B  are schematic diagrams of an overhead view ( FIG.  8 A ) and a side view ( FIG.  8 B ) of an example implementation of an example geothermal system  800  having multiple underground lateral well pairs disposed below a single power plant, according to some embodiments. In some aspects, the example geothermal system  800 , or any portion thereof, can be implemented using any of the structures, components, features, or techniques described with reference to the example natural geothermal system  100  described with reference to  FIG.  1   ; the example NAT-EGS  200  described with reference to  FIG.  2   ; the example NAT-EGS  300  described with reference to  FIG.  3   ; the example NAT-EGS  400  described with reference to  FIG.  4   ; the example graph  500  described with reference to  FIG.  5   ; the example geothermal system  600  described with reference to  FIG.  6   ; the example geothermal system  700  described with reference to  FIG.  7   ; the example geothermal system  900  described with reference to  FIG.  9   ; the chart  1000  described with reference to  FIG.  10   ; the method  1100  described with reference to  FIG.  11   ; the method  1200  described with reference to  FIG.  12   ; the example computing system  1300  described with reference to  FIG.  13   ; any other suitable structure, component, feature, or technique; any portion thereof: or any combination thereof. In some embodiments, one or more of the operations described below with reference to  FIGS.  8 A and  8 B  may be performed or otherwise carried out by one or more components of the computer system  1300 . 
     As shown in  FIG.  8 A , the example geothermal system  800  can include a power plant  810  that includes a power generation unit, a pump system, and a well system disposed within an HSA (e.g., a thin-bed HSA). In some embodiments, the HSA can be disposed above an impermeable rock. 
     The well system can include multiple extraction wells, such as extraction wells  818 A- 818 J, that enable the pump system to provide heated water at one or more extraction depths of the HSA to the power generation unit. Each of the extraction wells  818 A- 818 J can include a production element that includes an extraction pump, an extraction lateral disposed within the HSA at a respective one of the one or more extraction depths, and a vertical extraction component connecting the respective extraction lateral to the power generation unit. 
     The well system can further include multiple injection wells, such as injection wells  814 A- 814 J, that enable the pump system to inject cooled water from the power generation unit into the HSA at one or more injection depths. Each of the injection wells  814 A- 814 J can include an injection element that includes an injection pump, an injection lateral disposed within the HSA at a respective one of the one or more injection depths, and a vertical injection component connecting the respective injection lateral to the power generation unit. The extraction wells and the injection wells form two or more well pairs. 
     As shown in  FIG.  8 A , the extraction wells  818 A- 818 J and the injection wells  814 A- 814 J may be formed according to a gun-barrel pattern. For example, a first set of injection and extraction wells can be disposed pointing away from the power plant  810  in a first direction (e.g., substantially parallel to the positive Y-axis), and a second set of injection and extraction wells can be disposed pointing away from the power plant  810  in a second direction (e.g., substantially parallel to the negative Y-axis) different from the first direction. The distance D represents the distance between the heels of the first set of injection and extraction wells and the second set of injection and extraction wells. The first set of injection and extraction wells can include, for example, the extraction well  818 A, the extraction well  818 B, the extraction well  818 C, the extraction well  818 D, the extraction well  818 E, the injection well  814 B, the injection well  814 C, the injection well  814 D, and the injection well  814 E, each of whose laterals are disposed within a first region of the HSA. The second set of injection and extraction wells can include, for example, the extraction well  818 F, the extraction well  818 G, the extraction well  818 H, the extraction well  818 I, the extraction well  818 J, the injection well  814 G, the injection well  814 H, the injection well  814 I, and the injection well  814 J, each of whose laterals are disposed within a second region of the HSA. In some embodiments, the first set of injection and extraction wells and the second set of injection and extraction wells can include as many wells as possible pointing in both directions from the power plant. In some embodiments, the diagonal lines connecting the wells to the power plant  810  can come substantially straight up to the surface and feed into insulated pipes that run to the power plant  810  to avoid cooling the produced water in a long well path to the surface. 
     The well system can further include a regulatory device configured to generate a set of first control signals configured to instruct the pump system to pump the heated water from the extraction wells  818 A- 818 J to the power generation unit. In some embodiments, the set of first control signals can be further configured to instruct the pump system to pump, via the extraction wells  818 A- 818 J, the heated water from the one or more extraction depths of the HSA at an extraction rate that stimulates a flow field that provides a recharge of the extracted heat. The regulatory device can be further configured to generate a second control signal configured to instruct the power generation unit to extract thermal energy from the heated water and to transform the heated water into cooled water. The regulatory device can be further configured to generate a set of third control signals configured to instruct the pump system to pump the cooled water from the power generation unit to the injection wells  814 A- 814 J. 
     In some embodiments, the set of third control signals can be further configured to instruct the pump system to inject, via the injection wells  814 A- 814 J, the cooled water with a supplemental agent to enhance a permeability, a porosity, or both of the HSA. In such embodiments, the permeability may not satisfy a threshold permeability range before an injection of the cooled water with the supplemental agent, and the permeability can satisfy the threshold permeability range after the injection of the cooled water with the supplemental agent. In some embodiments, the supplemental agent can include an energetic or propellant-based agent, including, but not limited to, an ignitable solid or liquid fuel and/or any other materials and methods to enhance the permeability of the HSA. In other embodiments, the supplemental agent can include materials including, but not limited to, a muriatic acid, a hydrochloric acid, and/or any other materials and methods to enhance the permeability of the HSA. 
     In some embodiments, the example geothermal system  800  can provide a large-scale recharge of the HSA via circulatory movement of water and heat through the HSA that is induced by the pressure field and temperature gradient associated with pumping water from the extraction wells  818 A- 818 J and back into the HSA via the injection wells  814 A- 814 J. For example, water from areas that are not within regions surrounding each pair of wells can be pulled into the heat zone between the pair of wells via the circulatory movement. Thus, water in regions of the HSA around the well pairs can be continuously and naturally reheated by the higher temperature of sedimentary rocks throughout the HSA. 
     In some embodiments, the power plant  810  can generate a power output of about 25 to 500 megawatts. For example, the power generation unit of the power plant  810  may generate a power output of about 20 megawatts using only the extraction well  818 B and the injection well  814 B. In contrast, the power generation unit of the power plant  810  may generate a power output of about 25 to 500 megawatts using the extraction wells  818 A- 818 J and the injection wells  814 A- 814 J as described herein. 
       FIG.  8 B  shows a side view  801  of the second set of injection and extraction wells disposed within the HSA  806 . As shown in  FIG.  8 B , the laterals of each of the extraction well  818 F, the extraction well  818 G, the extraction well  818 H, the extraction well  818 I, and the extraction well  818 J can be disposed within a shallower portion of the HSA  806 . The injection well  814 G, the injection well  814 H, the injection well  814 I, and the injection well  814 J can be disposed within a deeper portion of the HSA  806 . 
     In one illustrative and non-limiting example embodiment, the well length for each of the extraction and injection wells may be about 1,500 meters. The thickness T of the HSA  806  may be about 40 meters (e.g., the thickness of the Lyons formation shown in  FIG.  10   ). The offset O of the row of extraction wells  818 F- 818 J from the top of the HSA  806  may be about 3 meters. The offset O of the row of injection wells  814 G- 814 J from the bottom of the HSA  806  also may be about 3 meters. The depth difference V (e.g., the vertical spacing) between the row of extraction wells  818 F- 818 J and the row of injection wells  814 G- 814 J may be about 34 meters (e.g., V=T−2*O). Accordingly, the depth difference V between a shallowest one of the extraction depths of the extraction wells  818 F- 818 J and a deepest one of the injection depths of the injection wells  814 G- 814 J may be equal to or less than about the thickness of the HSA  806 . The spacing H between the laterals of the extraction and injection wells may be between about 650 meters and about 800 meters. In some aspects, an 800-meter spacing between the laterals of the extraction and injection wells may substantially increase well life but could cause geomechanical problems depending on the rock properties of the HSA  806  and surrounding layers. 
       FIG.  9    is a schematic diagram of an overhead view of an example implementation of an example geothermal system  900  having multiple underground lateral well pairs disposed below a single power plant, according to some embodiments. In some aspects, the example geothermal system  900 , or any portion thereof, can be implemented using any of the structures, components, features, or techniques described with reference to the example natural geothermal system  100  described with reference to  FIG.  1   ; the example NAT-EGS  200  described with reference to  FIG.  2   ; the example NAT-EGS  300  described with reference to  FIG.  3   ; the example NAT-EGS  400  described with reference to  FIG.  4   ; the example graph  500  described with reference to  FIG.  5   ; the example geothermal system  600  described with reference to  FIG.  6   ; the example geothermal system  700  described with reference to  FIG.  7   ; the example geothermal system  800  described with reference to  FIGS.  8 A and  8 B ; the chart  1000  described with reference to  FIG.  10   ; the method  1100  described with reference to  FIG.  11   ; the method  1200  described with reference to  FIG.  12   ; the example computing system  1300  described with reference to  FIG.  13   ; any other suitable structure, component, feature, or technique; any portion thereof; or any combination thereof. In some embodiments, one or more of the operations described below with reference to  FIG.  9    may be performed or otherwise carried out by one or more components of the computer system  1300 . 
     As shown in  FIG.  9   , the example geothermal system  900  can include a power plant  910  that includes a power generation unit, a pump system, and a well system disposed within an HSA (e.g., a thin-bed HSA). In some embodiments, the HSA can be disposed above an impermeable rock. 
     The well system can include multiple extraction wells, such as extraction wells  918 A- 918 E, that enable the pump system to provide heated water at one or more extraction depths of the HSA to the power generation unit. Each of the extraction wells  918 A- 918 E can include a production element that includes an extraction pump, an extraction lateral disposed within the HSA at a respective one of the one or more extraction depths, and a vertical extraction component connecting the respective extraction lateral to the power generation unit. 
     The well system can further include multiple injection wells, such as injection wells  914 A- 914 E, that enable the pump system to inject cooled water from the power generation unit into the HSA at one or more injection depths. Each of the injection wells  914 A- 914 E can include an injection element that includes an injection pump, an injection lateral disposed within the HSA at a respective one of the one or more injection depths, and a vertical injection component connecting the respective injection lateral to the power generation unit. The extraction wells and the injection wells form two or more well pairs. 
     As shown in  FIG.  9   , the extraction wells  918 A- 918 E and the injection wells  914 A- 914 E may be formed according to a chicken-foot pattern. For example, the injection wells  914 A- 914 E can be disposed pointing away from the power plant  910  radially in a first region of the HSA, and the extraction wells  918 A- 918 E can be disposed pointing away from the power plant  910  radially in a second region of the HSA. The injection wells  914 A- 914 E can include, for example, the injection well  914 A, the injection well  914 B, the injection well  914 C, the injection well  914 D, and the injection well  914 E, each of whose laterals are disposed radially within the first region of the HSA. The extraction wells  918 A- 918 E can include, for example, the extraction well  918 A, the extraction well  918 B, the extraction well  918 C, the extraction well  918 D, the extraction well  918 E, each of whose laterals are disposed radially within the second region of the HSA. 
     The well system can further include a regulatory device configured to generate a set of first control signals configured to instruct the pump system to pump the heated water from the extraction wells  918 A- 918 E to the power generation unit. In some embodiments, the set of first control signals can be further configured to instruct the pump system to pump, via the extraction wells  918 A- 918 E, the heated water from the one or more extraction depths of the HSA at an extraction rate that stimulates a flow field that provides a recharge of the extracted heat. The regulatory device can be further configured to generate a second control signal configured to instruct the power generation unit to extract thermal energy from the heated water and to transform the heated water into cooled water. The regulatory device can be further configured to generate a set of third control signals configured to instruct the pump system to pump the cooled water from the power generation unit to the injection wells  914 A- 914 E. 
     In some embodiments, the set of third control signals can be further configured to instruct the pump system to inject, via the injection wells  914 A- 914 E, the cooled water with a supplemental agent to enhance a permeability, a porosity, or both of the HSA. In such embodiments, the permeability may not satisfy a threshold permeability range before an injection of the cooled water with the supplemental agent, and the permeability can satisfy the threshold permeability range after the injection of the cooled water with the supplemental agent. In some embodiments, the supplemental agent can include an energetic or propellant-based agent, including, but not limited to, an ignitable solid or liquid fuel and/or any other materials and methods to enhance the permeability of the HSA. In other embodiments, the supplemental agent can include materials including, but not limited to, a muriatic acid, a hydrochloric acid, and/or any other materials and methods to enhance the permeability of the HSA. 
     In some embodiments, the example geothermal system  900  can provide a large-scale recharge of the HSA via circulatory movement of water and heat through the HSA that is induced by the pressure field and temperature gradient associated with pumping water from the extraction wells  918 A- 918 E and back into the HSA via the injection wells  914 A- 914 E. For example, water from areas that are not within regions surrounding each pair of wells can be pulled into the heat zone between the pair of wells via the circulatory movement. Thus, water in regions of the HSA around the well pairs can be continuously and naturally reheated by the higher temperature of sedimentary rocks throughout the HSA. 
     In some embodiments, the power plant  910  can generate a power output of about 25 to 500 megawatts. For example, the power generation unit of the power plant  910  may generate a power output of about 20 megawatts using only the extraction well  918 A and the injection well  914 A. In contrast, the power generation unit of the power plant  910  may generate a power output of about 25 to 500 megawatts using the extraction wells  918 A- 918 E and the injection wells  914 A- 914 E as described herein. 
       FIG.  10    shows a chart  1000  of the thicknesses and relative depths of various sedimentary layers, according to an embodiment. In some embodiments, the extraction and injection laterals disclosed herein (e.g., as described with reference to  FIGS.  1 ,  2 ,  3 ,  4 ,  5 ,  6 ,  7 ,  8 A,  8 B,  9 ,  11 , and  12   ) can be stacked vertically each in a different formation, such as the Lyons formation indicated by reference arrow  1002  and the Fountain formation indicated by the reference arrow  1004 . 
     In some embodiments, any of the geothermal systems disclosed herein may be configured according to a vertically-stacked pattern, such as a two-formation stack having one set of extraction and injection laterals disposed in a first formation (e.g., Lyons) and another set of extraction and injection laterals disposed in a second formation (e.g., Fountain). For example, the example geothermal system  600  may include the extraction wells  618 A- 618 I and the injection wells  614 A- 614 I disposed in the Lyons formation and an additional set of extraction and injection wells disposed in the Fountain formation, all connected to the power plant  610 . In another example, the example geothermal system  700  may include the extraction wells  718 A- 718 O and the injection wells  714 A- 714 O disposed in the Lyons formation and an additional set of extraction and injection wells disposed in the Fountain formation, all connected to the power plant  710 . In yet another example, the example geothermal system  800  may include the extraction wells  818 A- 818 J and the injection wells  814 A- 814 J disposed in the Lyons formation and an additional set of extraction and injection wells disposed in the Fountain formation, all connected to the power plant  810 . In still another example, the example geothermal system  900  may include the extraction wells  918 A- 918 E and the injection wells  914 A- 914 E disposed in the Lyons formation and an additional set of extraction and injection wells disposed in the Fountain formation, all connected to the power plant  910 . 
     Example Method for Configuring a Geothermal System 
       FIG.  11    is a flowchart for a method  1100  for configuring a geothermal system, according to an embodiment. Method  1100  can be performed by processing logic that can include hardware (e.g., circuitry, dedicated logic, programmable logic, microcode, etc.), software (e.g., instructions executing on a computing device), or a combination thereof. It is to be appreciated that not all steps may be needed to perform the disclosure provided herein. Further, some of the steps may be performed simultaneously, or in a different order than shown in  FIG.  11   , as will be understood by a person of ordinary skill in the art. 
     Method  1100  shall be described with reference to  FIGS.  2  and  6   . However, method  1100  is not limited to those example embodiments. 
     In  1102 , the method  1100  includes determining, according to a geothermal characteristic of an HSA  206  below a surface  202  location that satisfies a threshold associated with providing geothermal energy, one or more respective extraction depths D E  for extraction wells  618 A- 618 I (e.g., each of the extraction wells  618 A- 618 I may be formed at about the same, or at a different, extraction depth D E ) disposed to extract heated water from the HSA  206 . In  1102 , the method  1100  further includes determining, according to the geothermal characteristic, one or more respective injection depths D I  for injection wells  614 A- 614 I (e.g., each of the injection wells  614 A- 614 I may be formed at about the same, or at a different, injection depth D I ) disposed to inject cooled water into the HSA  206  that is generated from a heat extraction process (e.g., performed by the power plant  610 ) associated with capturing geothermal energy. The extraction wells and the injection wells form two or more well pairs. In some embodiments, an average, mean, or median depth difference ΔD between the one or more injection depths D I  and the one or more extraction depths D E  can be based on the geothermal characteristic. In some embodiments, an average, mean, or median depth difference ΔD between the one or more injection depths D I  and the one or more extraction depths D E  can be equal to or less than about the thickness T HSA  of the HSA  206 . For example, the depth difference ΔD between a shallowest one of the one or more injection depths D I  and a deepest one of the one or more extraction depths D E  can be equal to or less than about the thickness T HSA  of the HSA  206 . In some embodiments, a thickness of the HSA  206  can be equal to or less than about 500 meters. 
     In some embodiments, the extraction well  618 A can include the extraction lateral  218 , and the injection well  614 A can include the injection lateral  214 . In some embodiments, the horizontal distance  223  between the extraction lateral  218  and the injection lateral  214  can be equal to or greater than about 300 meters. 
     In  1104 , the method  1100  includes configuring the NAT-EGS  200  to extract the heated water from the HSA  206  at the one or more extraction depths D E . Optionally, the method  1100  can further include configuring the NAT-EGS  200  to pump, via the extraction wells  618 A- 618 I, the heated water from the one or more extraction depths D E  at an extraction rate that stimulates a flow field that provides a recharge of the extracted heat. 
     In  1106 , the method  1100  includes configuring the NAT-EGS  200  to inject cooled water into the HSA  206  at the one or more injection depths D I . In some embodiments, the configuring the NAT-EGS  200  to inject the cooled water can include configuring the NAT-EGS  200  to inject, via the injection wells  614 A- 614 I, the cooled water with a supplemental agent to enhance a permeability of the HSA  206 . In such embodiments, before an injection of the cooled water with the supplemental agent, the permeability does not satisfy a threshold permeability range; and after the injection of the cooled water with the supplemental agent, the permeability satisfies the threshold permeability range. In one example, the supplemental agent can include an energetic or propellant-based agent, including, but not limited to, an ignitable solid or liquid fuel and/or any other materials and methods to enhance the permeability of the HSA  206 . In another example, the supplemental agent can include, for example, such materials as or similar to a muriatic acid or hydrochloric acid. 
     Optionally, the method  1100  can further include configuring the geothermal system to have a power output of about 25 to 500 megawatts. In one non-limiting example, the geothermal system (e.g., power plant  610 ) may be configured to have a power output of about 20 megawatts using only the extraction well  618 A and the injection well  614 A. In contrast, the geothermal system may be configured to have a power output of about 25 to 500 megawatts using the extraction wells  618 A- 618 I and the injection wells  614 A- 614 I. 
     Optionally, the method  1100  can further include determining a formation for the extraction wells  618 A- 618 I and the injection wells  614 A- 614 I. The formation can include, but is not limited to, a wagon-wheel pattern (e.g., as described with reference to  FIG.  6   ), a wine-rack pattern (e.g., as described with reference to  FIG.  7   ), a gun-barrel pattern (e.g., as described with reference to  FIGS.  8 A and  8 B ), a chicken-foot pattern (e.g., as described with reference to  FIG.  9   ), a vertically-stacked pattern (e.g., as described with reference to  FIG.  10   ), any other suitable pattern or arrangement, or any combination thereof. 
     Optionally, the method  1100  can further include determining a flow characteristic of the HSA  206 . Optionally, the method  1100  can further include determining, based on the one or more extraction depths D E , the one or more injection depths D I , and the flow characteristic, a water flow rate associated with extracting the heated water via the extraction wells  618 A- 618 I or injecting the cooled water via the injection wells  614 A- 614 I. Optionally, the method  1100  can further include configuring the NAT-EGS  200  to extract the heated water or inject the cooled water at the water flow rate. 
     Example Method for Harvesting Heat from a Hot Sedimentary Aquifer 
       FIG.  12    is a flowchart for a method  1200  for harvesting heat from an HSA, according to an embodiment. Method  1200  can be performed by processing logic that can include hardware (e.g., circuitry, dedicated logic, programmable logic, microcode, etc.), software (e.g., instructions executing on a computing device), or a combination thereof. It is to be appreciated that not all steps may be needed to perform the disclosure provided herein. Further, some of the steps may be performed simultaneously, or in a different order than shown in  FIG.  12   , as will be understood by a person of ordinary skill in the art. 
     Method  1200  shall be described with reference to  FIGS.  2  and  6   . However, method  1200  is not limited to those example embodiments. 
     In  1202 , the method  1200  includes pumping, via extraction wells  618 A- 618 I, heated water from one or more extraction depths D E  of an HSA  206 . Each of the extraction wells  618 A- 618 I may be formed at about the same, or at a different, extraction depth D E . The HSA  206  can be identified based on a permeability (e.g., bulk permeability) satisfying a threshold permeability range. In some embodiments, the permeability can be a bulk permeability determined according to an analysis of geologic data associated with the HSA  206  which ultimately will allow for sufficient pumping of the heated water to generate geothermal power. 
     In some embodiments, for each respective one of the extraction wells  618 A- 618 I, the pumping the heated water can include pumping, via the extraction wells  618 A- 618 I, the heated water via a respective production element and a respective extraction lateral  218  of the respective one of the extraction wells  618 A- 618 I. The respective production element can include a respective extraction pump and a respective vertical extraction component  219  extending between a respective one of the one or more extraction depths D E  and a power generation unit of a power plant  610 . The respective extraction lateral  218  can be mechanically coupled to the respective production element and include one or more respective lateral production branches that extend from the respective production element at the respective one of the one or more extraction depths D E . 
     In  1204 , the method  1200  includes extracting, via a power generation unit of a power plant  610 , heat from the heated water to generate power and transform the heated water into cooled water. 
     In  1206 , the method  1200  includes injecting, via injection wells  614 A- 614 I, the cooled water at one or more injection depths DA of the HSA  206 . Each of the injection wells  614 A- 614 I may be formed at about the same, or at a different, injection depth Dr. The extraction wells and the injection wells form two or more well pairs. 
     In some embodiments, the extraction well  618 A can include the extraction lateral  218 , and the injection well  614 A can include the injection lateral  214 . In some embodiments, the horizontal distance  223  between the extraction lateral  218  and the injection lateral  214  can be equal to or greater than about 300 meters. 
     In some embodiments, the pumping the heated water can include pumping, via the extraction wells  618 A- 618 I, the heated water from the one or more extraction depths D E  of the HSA  206  at an extraction rate that stimulates a flow field that provides a recharge of the extracted heat (e.g., to provide a decades-long longevity of the extracted heat for geothermal power generation). 
     In some embodiments, an average, mean, or median depth difference ΔD between the one or more injection depths D I  and the one or more extraction depths D E  can be equal to or less than about the thickness T HSA  of the HSA  206 . For example, the depth difference ΔD between a shallowest one of the one or more injection depths D I  and a deepest one of the one or more extraction depths D E  can be equal to or less than about the thickness T HSA  of the HSA  206 . In some embodiments, a thickness of the HSA  206  can be equal to or less than about 500 meters. 
     In some embodiments, for each respective one of the injection wells  614 A- 614 I, the injecting of the cooled water can include injecting the cooled water via a respective injection element and a respective injection lateral  214  of the respective one of the injection wells  614 A- 614 I. The respective injection element can include a respective injection pump and a respective vertical injection component  213  extending between a respective one of the injection depths D I  and the power generation unit. The respective injection lateral  214  can be mechanically coupled to the respective injection element and can include one or more respective lateral injection branches that extend from the respective injection element at a respective one of the injection depths D I . 
     In some embodiments, the injecting of the cooled water can include injecting, via the injection wells  614 A- 614 I, the cooled water with a supplemental agent to enhance the permeability of the HSA  206 . The supplemental agent can include, for example, such materials as or similar to an energetic or propellant-based agent (e.g., solid or liquid fuel), a muriatic acid, or a hydrochloric acid. In such embodiments, before the injecting the cooled water with the supplemental agent, the permeability does not satisfy the threshold permeability range; and after the injecting the cooled water with the supplemental agent, the permeability satisfies the threshold permeability range. 
     Optionally, the method  1200  can further include generating, via the power generation unit of the power plant  610 , a power output of about 25 to 500 megawatts. In one non-limiting example, the power generation unit of the power plant  610  may be configured to generate about 20 megawatts using only the extraction well  618 A and the injection well  614 A. In contrast, the power generation unit of the power plant  610  may be configured to generate about 25 to 500 megawatts or more using the extraction wells  618 A- 618 I and the injection wells  614 A- 614 I. 
     In some embodiments, the extraction wells  618 A- 618 I and the injection wells  614 A- 614 I may be formed according to a wagon-wheel pattern (e.g., as described with reference to  FIG.  6   ), a wine-rack pattern (e.g., as described with reference to  FIG.  7   ), a gun-barrel pattern (e.g., as described with reference to  FIGS.  8 A and  8 B ), a chicken-foot pattern (e.g., as described with reference to  FIG.  9   ), a vertically-stacked pattern (e.g., as described with reference to  FIG.  10   ), any other suitable pattern or arrangement, or any combination thereof. 
     Example Computer System 
     Various embodiments of this disclosure may be implemented, for example, using one or more computer systems, such as computer system  1300  shown in  FIG.  13   . For example, the systems, devices, components, and/or structures disclosed herein may be implemented using combinations or sub-combinations of computer system  1300 . Additionally or alternatively, computer system  1300  can include one or more computer systems that may be used, for example, to implement any of the embodiments discussed herein, as well as combinations and sub-combinations thereof. It is noted, however, that the computer system  1300  is provided solely for illustrative purposes, and is not limiting. Embodiments of this disclosure may be implemented using and/or may be part of environments different from and/or in addition to the computer system  1300 , as will be appreciated by persons skilled in the relevant art(s) based on the teachings contained herein. An example of the computer system  1300  shall now be described. 
     Computer system  1300  may include one or more processors (also called central processing units, or CPUs), such as one or more processors  1304 . In some embodiments, one or more processors  1304  may be connected to a communications infrastructure  1306  (e.g., a bus). 
     Computer system  1300  may also include user input/output device(s)  1303 , such as monitors, keyboards, pointing devices, etc., which may communicate with communications infrastructure  1306  through user input/output interface(s)  1302 . 
     One or more of the one or more processors  1304  may be a graphics processing unit (GPU). In an embodiment, a GPU may be a processor that is a specialized electronic circuit designed to process mathematically intensive applications. The GPU may have a parallel structure that is efficient for parallel processing of large blocks of data, such as mathematically intensive data common to computer graphics applications, images, videos, etc. 
     Computer system  1300  may also include a main memory  1308  (e.g., a primary memory or storage device), such as random access memory (RAM). Main memory  1308  may include one or more levels of cache. Main memory  1308  may have stored therein control logic (e.g., computer software) and/or data. 
     Computer system  1300  may also include one or more secondary storage devices or memories such as secondary memory  1310 . Secondary memory  1310  may include, for example, a hard disk drive  1312 , a removable storage drive  1314  (e.g., a removable storage device), or both. Removable storage drive  1314  may be a floppy disk drive, a magnetic tape drive, a compact disk drive, an optical storage device, tape backup device, and/or any other storage device/drive. 
     Removable storage drive  1314  may interact with a removable storage unit  1318 . Removable storage unit  1318  may include a computer usable or readable storage device having stored thereon computer software (e.g., control logic) and/or data. Removable storage unit  1318  may be a floppy disk, magnetic tape, compact disk, DVD, optical storage disk, and/any other computer data storage device. Removable storage drive  1314  may read from and/or write to removable storage unit  1318 . 
     Secondary memory  1310  may include other means, devices, components, instrumentalities or other approaches for allowing computer programs and/or other instructions and/or data to be accessed by computer system  1300 . Such means, devices, components, instrumentalities or other approaches may include, for example, a removable storage unit  1322  and an interface  1320 . Examples of the removable storage unit  1322  and the interface  1320  may include a program cartridge and cartridge interface (such as that found in video game devices), a removable memory chip (such as an EPROM or PROM) and associated socket, a memory stick and USB or other port, a memory card and associated memory card slot, and/or any other removable storage unit and associated interface. 
     Computer system  1300  may further include a communications interface  1324  (e.g., a network interface). Communications interface  1324  may enable computer system  1300  to communicate and interact with any combination of external devices, external networks, external entities, etc. (individually and collectively referenced by reference number  1328 ). For example, communications interface  1324  may allow computer system  1300  to communicate with external devices  1328  (e.g., remote devices) over communications path  1326 , which may be wired and/or wireless (or a combination thereof), and which may include any combination of LANs, WANs, the Internet, etc. Control logic and/or data may be transmitted to and from computer system  1300  via communications path  1326 . 
     Computer system  1300  may also be any of a personal digital assistant (PDA), desktop workstation, laptop or notebook computer, netbook, tablet, smart phone, smart watch or other wearable, appliance, part of the Internet-of-Things, and/or embedded system, to name a few non-limiting examples, or any combination thereof. 
     Computer system  1300  may be a client or server, accessing or hosting any applications and/or data through any delivery paradigm, including but not limited to remote or distributed cloud computing solutions; local or on-premises software (“on-premise” cloud-based solutions); “as a service” models (e.g., content as a service (CaaS), digital content as a service (DCaaS), software as a service (SaaS), managed software as a service (MSaaS), platform as a service (PaaS), desktop as a service (DaaS), framework as a service (FaaS), backend as a service (BaaS), mobile backend as a service (MBaaS), infrastructure as a service (IaaS), etc.); and/or a hybrid model including any combination of the foregoing examples or other services or delivery paradigms. 
     Any applicable data structures, file formats, and schemas in computer system  1300  may be derived from standards including but not limited to JavaScript Object Notation (JSON), Extensible Markup Language (XML), Yet Another Markup Language (YAML), Extensible Hypertext Markup Language (XHTML), Wireless Markup Language (WML), MessagePack, XML User Interface Language (XUL), or any other functionally similar representations alone or in combination. Alternatively, proprietary data structures, formats or schemas may be used, either exclusively or in combination with various standards. 
     In some embodiments, a tangible, non-transitory apparatus or article of manufacture including a tangible, non-transitory computer useable or readable medium having control logic (software) stored thereon may also be referred to herein as a computer program product or program storage device. This includes, but is not limited to, computer system  1300 , main memory  1308 , secondary memory  1310 , removable storage unit  1318 , and removable storage unit  1322 , as well as tangible articles of manufacture embodying any combination of the foregoing. Such control logic, when executed by one or more data processing devices (e.g., one or more computing devices, such as the computer system  1300  or the one or more processors  1304 ), may cause such data processing devices to operate as described herein. 
     Based on the teachings contained in this disclosure, it will be apparent to persons skilled in the relevant art(s) how to make and use embodiments of this disclosure using data processing devices, computer systems and/or computer architectures other than that shown in  FIG.  13   . In particular, embodiments can operate with software, hardware, and/or operating system implementations other than those described herein. 
     CONCLUSION 
     It is to be appreciated that the Detailed Description section, and not any other section, is intended to be used to interpret the claims. Other sections can set forth one or more but not all example embodiments as contemplated by the inventors, and thus, are not intended to limit this disclosure or the appended claims in any way. 
     While this disclosure describes example embodiments for example fields and applications, it should be understood that the disclosure is not limited thereto. Other embodiments and modifications thereto are possible, and are within the scope and spirit of this disclosure. For example, and without limiting the generality of this paragraph, embodiments are not limited to the software, hardware, firmware, and/or entities illustrated in the figures and/or described herein. Further, embodiments (whether or not explicitly described herein) have significant utility to fields and applications beyond the examples described herein. 
     Embodiments have been described herein with the aid of functional building blocks illustrating the implementation of specified functions and relationships thereof. The boundaries of these functional building blocks have been defined herein for the convenience of the description. Alternate boundaries can be defined as long as the specified functions and relationships (or equivalents thereof) are appropriately performed. Also, alternative embodiments can perform functional blocks, steps, operations, methods, etc. using orderings different than those described herein. 
     References herein to “one embodiment,” “an embodiment,” “an example embodiment,” or similar phrases, indicate that the embodiment described may include a particular feature, structure, or characteristic, but every embodiment may not necessarily include the particular feature, structure, or characteristic. Moreover, such phrases are not necessarily referring to the same embodiment. Further, when a particular feature, structure, or characteristic is described in connection with an embodiment, it would be within the knowledge of persons skilled in the relevant art(s) to incorporate such feature, structure, or characteristic into other embodiments whether or not explicitly mentioned or described herein. Additionally, some embodiments can be described using the expression “coupled” and “connected” along with their derivatives. These terms are not necessarily intended as synonyms for each other. For example, some embodiments can be described using the terms “connected” and/or “coupled” to indicate that two or more elements are in direct physical or electrical contact with each other. The term “coupled,” however, can also mean that two or more elements are not in direct contact with each other, but yet still co-operate or interact with each other. 
     The breadth and scope of this disclosure should not be limited by any of the above-described example embodiments, but should be defined only in accordance with the following claims and their equivalents.