Course Content
This e-symposium covers advances in geothermal energy, integration with petroleum operations, and lessons learned in recent cases. Geothermal resources are being used in oil and gas operations in several ways:
- geothermally-driven pumps
- geothermal energy production via injection into abandoned wells
- geothermal resources used in conjunction with steam-flood and enhanced oil recovery
Advances in geothermal energy are occurring due to a blend of:
- better understanding of geology and basin temperature dynamics
- improved technology
Several recent ventures provide insight into new opportunities and applications:
- Case study: Coproduction of Geothermal Power from Oil and Gas Fields in California
- Steamflood Performance in a Giant Oilfield: Kern River Field, California
- Low-temperature geothermal energy from oil fields (Rocky Mountain Testing Center / DOE) -- The power system being used is a commercial standard design Ormat Organic Rankine Cycle power plant. The binary power unit uses hot water from a producing oil well as the heating fluid for a heat exchanger.
- Shale gas with high bottom-hole temperatures: Marcellus shale; Haynesville shale.