The CEEE Geothermal Retrofit Workshop will review the formations available for thermal energy extraction in the Appalachian region, discuss the sources and engineered methods by which the heat can be extracted (e.g., produced fluids from oil and gas wells/power plants, downhole closed loop systems), examine current direct use examples, and highlight existing and emerging technologies that may be applicable to this space. Join leaders from academia, regulatory, and the commercial spaces for cutting-edge discussions on this emerging subfield within the geothermal energy industry. Registration link is available above.
In the workshop’s Keynote Address, John Lassek, Deputy Assistant Secretary for the US DOE’s Hydrocarbons and Geothermal Energy Office will share the current vision for geothermal energy potentials in the United States, including the role of the
recently established Geothermal Center of Excellence at the National Laboratory of the Rockies in Golden, Colorado. Following the Keynote, Ben Burke, CEO of Gradient Geothermal will lead a panel discussion on “Exploring the Potential of Oil & Gas Wells for Geothermal Applications” where invited speakers from Vallourec, CNX Resources, W&T Offshore, and Cornell University will discuss emerging technologies and real-world projects. Next, Susan Nash, AAPG’s Director of Innovation, Emerging Science and Technology leads a panel to discuss the challenges of “Enabling Geothermal Retrofit at Scale” facing energy offtakers, such
as the regulatory framework, permitting pathways, incentives, and policy considerations. The workshop concludes with a Luncheon Plenary delivered by Brad Gray, President and CFO of Diversified Energy.
Where available, geothermal resources can produce clean baseload electrical power with a relatively small footprint. Unfortunately, as is the case in the eastern United States, near-surface geothermal resources for power generation are sparse and drilling deep enough to find temperatures above 150°C can be costly. This, however, does not mean that Appalachia cannot benefit from lower temperature geothermal resources. Geothermal formations in the 80-150°C range are able to be used for a variety of direct heating applications, and new technologies that would benefit from a constant heat source (e.g., binary power plants) are being developed. Furthermore, the potential to repurpose existing wells for thermal extraction by retrofitting their existing facilities may be able to offset or avoid some of the geothermal-specific installation costs.