A NOVEL TECHNIQUE FOR EXTRACTION
OF GEOTHERMAL ENERGY FROM
ABANDONED OIL WELLS
A. Ghoreishi and F. Hassani,
McGill University
Mohammed J. Al-Khawaja
Qatar University
EMERG
3
Ferri Hassani Webster Chair Professor, Mining Engineering, McGill University EMERG Director
Bantwal Rabindranath Baliga Professor, Mechanical Engineering, McGill University
Frank A Mucciardi Professor, Materials Engineering, McGill University
Peter Henry Radziszewski Professor, Mechanical Engineering, McGill University
Geza Joos CRC Chair Professor, Electrical and Computer Engineering, McGill University
Mory M. Ghomshei Energy consultant and adjunct professor at McGill University
René Therrien Professor, Hydrogeology, Laval University, Engineering Geology
Majid Mohammadian, Ottawa University, Civil Engineering Dept.
Sources: EIA 2001, 1998 Manufacturing Energy Consumption Survey; U.S.
DOE 2002, Energy and Environmental Profile of the U.S. Mining
Industry
Energy Consumption (Trillion Btu)
Petroleum
Chemicals
Paper Primary
Metals
Food Processing
Nonmetallic Minerals
Tobacco/Beverages
Furniture
Leather Machinery and Computers
Wood
Transportation
Fabricated Metals
Textiles/Apparel
Plastics/
Rubber
Electrical
Printing
Miscellaneous 1
10
100
1000
10 100 1000 10000
En
erg
y I
nte
ns
ity (
Th
ou
sa
nd
Btu
/$ G
DP
)
Energy-Intensive
Industries
Industrial Energy Intensity vs. Energy Consumption
Mining
Energy Intensive Industries
Geothermal Energy
Harness the heat
within the earth to
use as renewable
energy
World Production
USA: 3,000MW
Philippines: 2,000MW
Indonesia: 1,000MW
Geothermal Energy Resource
Classification
• High Temperature: >200C
– Dry steam and flash power plant electricity
production
• Medium Temperature: 100-200C
– Flash and binary power plant electricity production
• Low Temperature: <100C
– Binary power plant electricity production
– Direct heat supply or heat pump designs for
residences and industrial purposes
Advantages: • Reduce CO2 emissions
• Domestic energy
• Competitive cost when compared to renewable
energy options
• Lack of dependence on weather for production
• Eliminate risk of contamination and reduce
surface installations
• Multiple applications for end-use
• energy options
Disadvantages: • Drilling/Pumping/
• Re-injection/Water management
Geothermal Systems: Open Loop
Geothermal Systems: Closed Loop
Antifreeze
Geothermal return
Geothermal closed loops can be connected to increase
the heat capacity.
Loops can also be horizontally placed in trenches
and backfilled with soil.
Closed loops are more efficient in water saturated zones,
where water can bring the heat to the vicinity of the
loops.
Shallow wells (10 to 25 m)
Test Case
t (day)
Po
we
r(W
att
)
0 730 1460 2190 29200
1000
2000
3000
4000
5000
6000
7000
8000
9000
10000
t (day)
T(o
C)
0 730 1460 2190 2920 365025
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
Toutlet
(oC)
Tinlet
(oC)
U-tube length 700 m
Center to center distance of the U-tube 0.125 m
Tube diameter 0.055 m
Ground thermal conductivity 1.5 W/m°C
Ground density 2100 kg/m3
Ground specific heat capacity 1000 J/kg°C
Ground hydraulic conductivity 10-6 m/s
Ground porosity 0.378
Length of the insulated zone of the U-tube 300 m
Bottom-well temperature 50 °C
Ground temperature at the surface 7 °C
Fluid velocity in the U-tube 1 m/sec
Well diameter 0.254 m
Test Case H
eig
ht
(m)
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 600
100
200
300
400
500
600
700
800
900
1000
38.4941
36.9881
35.4821
33.9761
32.47
30.964
29.458
27.952
26.446
24.94
23.434
21.928
20.422
18.9159
17.4099
T (oC)
Width (m)
Conclusion
• Oil wells can sustainably produce geothermal energy; both for heating/cooling purposes.
• Effect of natural convection should be considered; hydraulic conductivity of 10-5 m/s to 10-4 m/s, the role of natural convection grows from medium to considerably effective.
• Geo-gradient is the key factor that affects the geothermal capacity of an oil well.
• Thermal conductivity significantly affects the sustainable rate of heat extraction.
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