ICE's Pailas Geothermal Complex
Date: Friday 17 of November 2023
Health and safety requirements: Protection helmets and protective hearing aids will be provided by ICE.
Dressing requirements: Closed shoes and long sleeved shirt.
Schedule:
08:00 - 09:00 am - Transfer from hotel to Las Pailas Geothermal Complex
09:00 - 10:30 am - Visit to Pailas I (binary) and Pailas II (flash)
10:30 a 12:00 Visit to the field, production platform, reinjection platform, separation station and other elements of the infrastructure. During the visit to the field its considered to address the socio-environmental and geoscientific scope
12:00 a 13:00 Visit to el Parque Nacional Volcán Rincón de la Vieja. Talk given by representatives of the Guanacaste Conservation Area and walk along the universal path to the fumaroles area.
13:00 a 14:00 Lunch.
14:00 a 15:00 Transfer from the geothermal complex las Pailas to the hotel.
The Pailas Geothermal Complex is located on the southwestern slope of the Rincón de la Vieja volcano in Guanacaste, Costa Rica, 25 km from the city of Liberia. The Alfredo Mainieri Protti Geothermal Field, in commercial production since 1994, and the Borinquen Geothermal Field, currently under development, are also located in this northern sector of Costa Rica.
The Pailas Geothermal Complex, owned by the Instituto Costarricense de Electricidad (ICE), was developed in two stages:
Pailas I has three producing platforms with a total of 7 wells integrated to the system, and four reinjection platforms with a total of 7 integrated wells. It has a 42.5 MW gross generating unit of binary technology. It entered commercial operation in 2012.
Pailas I has three producing platforms with a total of 7 wells integrated to the system, and four reinjection platforms with a total of 7 integrated wells. It has a 42.5 MW gross generating unit of binary technology. It entered commercial operation in 2012.
Pailas II, its development contemplated three production platforms with a total of 12 wells integrated to the system, and four reinjection platforms with a total of 9 integrated wells. It has a 55 MW gross generating unit based on single flash condensing cycle technology. It entered commercial operation in 2019. This is the last of ICE's 7 geothermal operating units.
On the other hand, the Unit I of the Borinquen Geothermal Field (55 MW) is currently under development, projected to start commercial operation in 2027.
The geothermal wells of the Pailas Complex have an average depth of 2400 m. In the first half of Pailas I drilling program, the wells were vertical, and in the second half of the campaign, directional. In the case of Pailas II, all the wells were drilled directional, with maximum displacements of 1000 meters, from multi-well pads, with the objective of accessing the largest possible area of the reservoir; reducing surface affectation; lowering surface infrastructure, operation and maintenance costs, and increasing the activities’ compatibility with a sensitive context: the vicinity of the Rincon de la Vieja National Park, conservation NGOs , hotel developments and high tourist activity.
The technical tour to the Pailas Geothermal Complex will include a visit to the field facilities, production wells, separator station, storage ponds, reinjection wells and generation plants. During the tour, ICE's technical and scientific staff will present different technical, scientific, and socio-environmental experiences, as well as answer the participants questions.
In addition, we will also visit the Rincón de la Vieja National Park facilities, where the staff of the Guanacaste Conservation Area will present their experiences on the development of geothermal projects in the limits of a national park, along with the joint work they have done with ICE searching for the best environmental practices, including innovative monitoring programs. Finally, after having lunch in this environment, we will visit Las Pailas’ sector within the PNRV.
Transportation and Lunch: Will be included in the field trip registration fee.
For more information please contact:
lan@eage.org
Field trip supported by: