| Title | UTILIZATION OF ABANDONED OIL WELLS IN GEOTHERMAL APPLICATIONS |
|---|---|
| Authors | J. Bo, J. Saeid, and N. Younes |
| Year | 2019 |
| Conference | New Zealand Geothermal Workshop |
| Keywords | Geothermal, Abandoned oil wells, Utilization, Efficiency |
| Abstract | Abandoned oil wells have several possible applications as geothermal resources. Selecting the most viable application depends on characteristics of individual oil wells and the general condition of the region for the development. In this study, the potential for the possible utilization such as low temperature power production (binary power cycle), desalination of water, pseudo hot-springs and spas, geothermal district heating (GeoDH) and agricultural applications will be reviewed. Moreover, retrofitting abandoned oil wells for geothermal utilizations can reduce the reliance on fossil fuels and also eliminates mining, processing and transportation process for the power production. According to Geothermal Energy Association (GEA), an economically competitive geothermal power plant can cost as low as 3400US$ per kilowatt installed. While the cost of a new geothermal power plant is higher than that of a comparable natural gas facility, in the long run the two are similar over time (CEC). This is because natural gas construction costs account for only one third of the total price of the facility, while the cost of the fuel at a natural gas facility represents two thirds of the cost. The initial construction costs of a geothermal facility, in contrast, represent two thirds or more of total costs. So, although initial investment is high for geothermal, natural gas and geothermal are still economically comparable over a long term. Considering the drilling costs more than 40% (Carolyn. K) for a geothermal powerplant development, retrofitting high potential abandoned oil wells can make it the cheapest one among all options including renewable energies. |