| Title | Repurposing a hydrothermal well with a closed loop vacuumized pipe-in-pipe solution |
|---|---|
| Authors | K. G. Maver, C. Hanna, N. H. Nissen, H. Hofmann, R. Tegeler, I. Sass |
| Year | 2026 |
| Conference | World Geothermal Congress |
| Keywords | |
| Abstract | The Gross Schonebeck site is located approximately 50 km north of Berlin, Germany, and serves to investigate, understand, and optimize all steps related to the sustainable provision of geothermal energy from a deep sedimentary basin from two deep wells completed as a geothermal doublet system for producing and injecting thermal water. The reservoir located at a depth of 4,100 to 4,400 m in the Lower Permian of the northeast German basin, with temperature of 145 degrees C in the production well. Both wells were hydraulically stimulated to enhance productivity. However, it was not possible to achieve commercial flow rates and the wells are currently suspended. To both try to repurpose one of the wells and the test a new geothermal closed loop solution, a continuous vacuumized pipe will be installed in one of the wells after the lowest perforated few hundred meters are plugged to create a closed space. The goal of this well test is to show how efficient pipe is both maintaining the continuous vacuum and have an Insolation effect ensuring only a few percent heat loss of the heated water returning to the surface. Furthermore, the performance of the well will also be tested to understand the effect of a changing flow rate and what the impact is of highly thermal conductive salt. Finally, the potential for repurposing suspended wells, both oil & gas and geothermal, are reviewed. |