P ROCEEDINGS, Kenya Geothermal Conference 2011

Kenyatta International Conference Center, Nairobi, November 21 -22, 2011

UPDATED GEOTHERMAL RESERVOIR MODEL OF OLKARIA I, II AND IV

Felix M. Mwarania
Kenya Electricity Generating
Company P.O Box 785-20117,
Naivasha fmwarania@kengen.co.ke

ABS TRACT

Production in the greater Olkaria Geothermal field has been ongoing

since 1980s. To date, three sectors of the fields have been developed;
two by kenGen and one by Orpower4 Inc. Downhole temperature
profiles have been used in updating conceptual reservoir model of the
field. Four up-flow zones have been observed from the model in three
parts of the greater Olkaria Geothermal field with wells drilled in these
zones producing highest output.
Keywords: Olkaria, up flow, down flow

INTROD UC TIO N
The Greater Olkaria Geothermal field is located
in the Kenyan Rift valley, about 120 km
from Nairobi. The field is divided into seven
fields for the sake of development. The divisions
are: Olkaria Central, Olkaria East, Olkaria North
East, Olkaria North West, Olkaria South East,
Olkaria West and Olkaria Domes (Figure 1).The
Three power plants have been installed in the
field; Olkaria I (Olkaria East) generating 45MWe,
Olkaria II (Olkaria North East) generating
105MWe and Olkaria III (Olkaria West ) with a
capacity of 48MWe. Olkaria I and Olkaria II are
owned by KenGen while Olkaria III is operated
by Orpower4 Inc.
Intensive drilling in Olkaria IV (Olkaria
Domes) has realized more than 180MWe and
more than 120MWe in Olkaria East field. Plans
are under way to expand Olkaria I by installing a
fourth and fifth unit and put up Olkaria IV
power plant. These plans are soon entering
implementation
stages targeting 280MWe.
Olkaria III is also expanding its power plant to
100MWe.
Attempts to understand the reservoir of the
Greater Olkaria geothermal field has been
done using temperature and pressure logging.
Mechanical tools have been in use but will soon be
replaced by more accurate digital tools. Data
acquired helps in updating conceptual model of
the geothermal field which explains the heat
source in the geothermal reservoir and the
location of recharge zones. The model also
describes the location of main flow channels,
the general flow in the main reservoir and above

all, helps in locating wells to be drilled in a geothermal

field. This is the subject of this paper.

Fi gure 1: The Greater Ol kari a

Geotherma l fi el d

BACKGROUND

OF
T HE
GREATER

OLKARIA FIELD
The geothermal field is a remnant of
an old caldera complex which has been
subsequently cut by N-S normal rifting
faults that have provided loci for later
eruptions of rhyolitic and pumice
Domes (Ofwona, 2002). The main

structures in the caldera complex are: the Ol

Njorowa gorge, the
ring
structure
of
volcanic
Domes, N-S trending Ololbutot
fault and N-S, NNE-SSW, NW-SE and
WNW-ESE trending faults (Figure 2). Theses
faults are more prominent in the East, North
East and West of Olkaria although a few are also
in Domes possibly hidden by pyroclastics
cover (Lagat, 2004). The ring structure is
thought to indicate the presence of a buried
caldera but might have been produced by
the mag matic stresses in the Olkaria magma
chamber also

Mwarania

(Omenda, 1998). Several subsurface faults

have been encountered during drilling and these
have led to problems like loss of drilling
fluids and cement together with cave-ins.

2000m which might be attributed to drilling

effects (Figure 4). The temperature inversion
can be checked by logging the well at a later
date but it may be assumed that, after a long
heating period, temperature disturbances will
die away and the
temperature aligns itself to the true
formation temperature.
Deep drilling in Olkaria has realized wells
with very high wellhead pressures. This has
been a challenge in the past well logging and
at some point several well logging exercises
postponed for safety reasons. This however, has
been resolved by buying high pressure logging
equipment.

Figure 2: Geological structural map of

Olkaria
Many seismic studies have been carried out in
the greater Olkaria geothermal area and the
results indicate high level of micro earthquake
activity (Lagat, 2004). Resistivity measurements
have also shown that the geothermal resource
boundaries are controlled by linear structures in
the NE-SW and NW-SE directions (Figure 3)
and the resource is confined within areas with
resistivity value of less
than 15 m at an elevation of 1400 m
a.s.l (BwObuya and Omenda, 2005).

Figure 4: Temperature inversion in OW910A

TEMPERATURE AND
S ECTIONS

PRES S URE CROS S -

A model of the Greater Olkaria geothermal

field can be realized best by drawing horizontal
cross sections at different elevations and vertical
cross sections in different directions. Figure 5
shows the location of wells drilled in the
geothermal field.
WELLS
Figure 2: Resistivity at 1400 m a.s.l from
TEM measurement (Bw' Obuya and Omenda,
2005)
CHARACTERIS TICS

OF
GEOTHERMAL

Initial temperature and pressure profile obtained in wells

drilled in Olkaria I follow boiling point for depth
curve from the point where steam zone intercepts
the water reservoir (Ofwona, 2005). Wells in
Domes follow boiling point for depth curve but
several have an inversion at around

From Figure 6 through 11, Olkaria North

East has its up-flow zone around wells
OW-720, OW-701, OW-727 and OW-728.
Down flow in that part of the field is
observed around well OW -711, OW-709,
OW-719 and OW-707. Olkaria east
field seems to have two up-flow zones;
One around wells OW-34, OW-28, wells
on pad OW-35 and OW-38 and the

other around wells OW -19, and OW-23. The

two up-flow zones are separated by a down flow
around wells OW-10 and OW-41. Before
drilling wells on pad OW-35, OW-38 and OW41, Ofwona (2002) suggested that Olkaria
East field has one big up-flow zone that is
possibly centred around wells OW-28, 30 and
32. This compares well with the results
realized after

Mwarania

drilling wells around that area whose output

is commendable.
Olkaria east and Domes field seem to be
separated by a down flow which starts at areas
around OW -901 and OW-902 and extends
through wells on pad OW-904 and OW-903.
An up flow in Domes is
observed in areas around wells on pad OW 909,

OW-910 and OW-912 with another down

flow again observed at areas near wells on pad
OW -916. Temperature and pressure logging in
all newly drilled wells has been proposed using
the high pressure logging tools recently
purchased . This aims at capturing the
temperature and pressure values after well
recovery and thus giving a clear picture of the
field heat source and recharge zone.

Figure 5: Location of wells drilled in the Greater Olkaria Geothermal field

Figure 6: Temperature contours in section AA'

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Figure 7: Pressure contours in section AA'

Figure 8: Temperature contours in section BB'

Figure 9: Pressure contours in section BB'

Figure 10: Temperature contours in section CC'

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Figure 11: Pressure contours in section CC'

Horizontal sections (Figure 12 and 13) show
a general up-flow trending NW to SE
direction. North east geothermal field and east
production field are observed to have highest
temperatures compared to Domes. This might not
be true and has to be checked again since
temperature and pressure

log data available is not adequate. More work

is advised especially on high pressure wells
which were not logged due to excessive
well head pressures in order to get reliable
conceptual models.

Figure 12: Temperature section at 500 m a.s.l

Mwarania

Figure 13: Temperature section at 0 m a.s.l

REFER ENC ES
CONCLUS ION
There are four up-flow zones in the greater
Olkaria geothermal field. The zones tally well
with regions where the wells producing the
highest output are located. However, to refine
the model of the field, more well logging is
recommended.

BwObuya, M. and Omenda, P., 2005: History of

development of the conceptual model of Olkaria
geothermal field by use of geophysics and other
methods. In: Mwangi, M. (lecturer): Lectures on
Geothermal in Kenya and Africa. UNU-GTP,
Iceland, report 4, 15-27.

Lagat,

J.K., 2004: Geology,

hydrothermal
alteration and fluid inclusion studies of the
Olkaria
Domes
geothermal
field,
Kenya. University of
Iceland, M.Sc. thesis, UNU-GTP, Iceland,
report 1, 79 pp
Ofwona, C.O., 2002: A reservoir study of
Olkaria
East
geothermal
system,
Kenya. University of Iceland, M.Sc.

thesis, UNU-GTP, Iceland, report 1, 86 pp.

Ofwona, C. O., Resource assessment of Olkaria
I geothermal
field,
Kenya.
Proceedings,
World Geothermal Congress, Antalya, Turkey
(2005)
Omenda, P.A., 1998: The geology and
structural controls of the Olkaria geothermal
system, Kenya. Geothermics, 27-1, 55-74.