Amides as thermo-sensitive tracers for investigating the thermal state of geothermal reservoirs

Abstract The application of thermo-sensitive tracers is a promising technique for evaluating the thermal state of geothermal reservoirs. To extend the compound spectrum for hydrolyzable compounds to reservoir temperatures between 100 and 200 °C carboxamides were studied. The kinetic parameters of 17 self-synthesized amides were determined in hydrothermal batch and autoclave experiments. The influence of the molecular structure and the role of pH/pOH on hydrolysis kinetics were studied. Additionally, the thermal stabilities of the hydrolysis products were evaluated. The results demonstrate the high potential of tracers based on amide hydrolysis for use in medium enthalpy reservoirs.