Micro Geothermal Power Generation in Depleted Wells

Engineers use the earth’s heat to create heat pumps, to store energy, and to generate power. As the world moves away from carbon fuels, geothermal resources are increasingly attractive, promising sustainable, reliable sources of energy. Fortunately, the oil industry has already provided infrastructure to access this resource—depleted horizontal oil and gas wells drilled to a minimal depth of 1500 m, where a supply a steady heat can be sourced at a minimum of about 60 °C. While much geothermal research has focused on conventional geothermal using convective heat transfer at temperatures above 150 °C, this project seeks to optimize heat extraction from the greater reaches of these abandoned wells, enabling partner GeoGen Technologies Inc. to create an operational and economic system to perform such extraction—thus developing a sustainable energy resource and mitigating the environmental costs of well closure or cleanup.

Faculty Supervisor:

Abdulmajeed Mohamad

Student:

Rahul Agarwal;Saleh Baakeem

Partner:

GeoGen Technologies

Discipline:

Engineering - mechanical

Sector:

Professional, scientific and technical services

University:

University of Calgary