Preliminary evaluation of fluid chemistry in the East Mesa KGRA

One of the major problems needing consideration when bringing a geothermal field into production is the anticipation and control of mineral precipitation in both the producing formations and production equipment. Prediction of the chemical interactions between natural multicomponent thermal fluids and the minerals comprising a producing formation can be accomplished by the study of equilibrium models approximating the natural system. Models are constructed from theoretically and experimentally derived thermodynamic data for the involved minerals and aqueous species. This equilibrium modeling approach was applied to the rock-water system at the East Mesa geothermal area in the Imperial Valley of California. Results of petrographic and fluid analyses are given. (JGB)