Workshop 13

Does Geothermal Energy Have a Significant Role to Play in the Future Energy Supply? Exploration and Utilisation Challenges
Convenors: Lars Henrik Nielsen (GEUS) & Anders Mathiesen (GEUS)

Friday 8 June, 09:00 - 17:00 hrs

Workshop description
The objectives of this workshop are to focus on exploration and utilisation of geothermal energy from low enthalpy sedimentary basins and from areas with extraordinary high geothermal gradients, temporal subsurface storage of heat produced by industry, and exploitation of low-temperature reserves in shallow boreholes. In addition, the design of various utilisation facilities such as simple well couplets, multiple well completions, and use of heat extraction technologies will be discussed. The workshop will thus address a number of applied aspects of geosciences ranging from play models, risk assessments, design of well completions to management of geothermal systems.

The utilisation of geothermal energy is well established in areas with high geothermal gradients such as active volcanic provinces. However, geothermal resources in low enthalpy sedimentary basins may also represent very significant energy reserves dependent on a number of factors such as local production costs, geothermal gradients, presence of thick, continuous and permeable aquifers, access to existing seismic and well databases and well-constrained geological models. The exploration for geothermal energy resources share many challenges with conventional hydrocarbon exploration activities, including the access to modern seismic and well data, risk analyses and sharing, maintenance and development. The initial challenge is to find porous and permeable aquifers with sufficiently warm water that can be produced to the surface in satisfactorily amounts in areas where the adequate geology coincides with surface infrastructures and heat consumption. Successful exploration models are thus dependent on well-constrained geological models describing the burial depths of thick, continuous and permeable aquifers, thermal conductivity and geothermal gradients.

Workshop objectives and deliverables
The goal of this workshop is to bring together key experts from the industry, contractors and research institutions to discuss which parameters are most sensitive for exploration and utilisation of geothermal energy in the coming years.

Workshop format
A list of invited speakers and speakers selected from the submitted abstracts will give presentations on topics related to the challenges within exploration and utilisation of geothermal energy.

Who should attend
This workshop is designed for professionals in the geothermal energy industry and in academia, who are interested in the promotion and use geothermal energy as an important substitute to fossil energy in the coming years. The workshop is aimed at people who work with or whose principle interests fall into any of the following categories:

• Exploration Geophysics and Geology
• Reservoir Modelling and Engineering
• Production Engineering
• Petrophysics
• Sustainable Energy Supply

Contact
For questions about the workshop please contact the convenors.

Programme