Screening Criteria Required for Conversion of Abandoned Oil and Gas Wells into Geothermal Wells

Geothermal energy from abandoned oil and gas wells using water in combination with a closed wellbore

Binary cycle power plants have been used successfully for electricity generation utilizing co-produced fluids from active onshore oil wells. Adapting this process for use on abandoned wells by circulating the binary working fluid down the wellbore has been previously proposed and a selection of fluids evaluated. This work proposes and evaluates an approach using water as the wellbore fluid in c...

The integrity of oil and gas wells.

Public concerns about oil and natural gas extraction these days inevitably turn to hydraulic fracturing, where millions of gallons of water, sand, and chemicals are pumped underground at high pressures to crack open rocks. Hydraulic fracturing often occurs a mile or more down, far from the water we drink or the air we breathe. The focus for safety and environmental stewardship should often be s...

Identification and characterization of high methane-emitting abandoned oil and gas wells.

Recent measurements of methane emissions from abandoned oil/gas wells show that these wells can be a substantial source of methane to the atmosphere, particularly from a small proportion of high-emitting wells. However, identifying high emitters remains a challenge. We couple 163 well measurements of methane flow rates; ethane, propane, and n-butane concentrations; isotopes of methane; and nobl...

Oil and Gas Wells in Michigan

Fugitive emissions of methane from abandoned, decommissioned oil and gas wells.

This study considered the fugitive emissions of methane (CH4) from former oil and gas exploration and production wells drilled to exploit conventional hydrocarbon reservoirs onshore in the UK. This study selected from the 66% of all onshore wells in the UK which appeared to be properly decommissioned (abandoned) that came from 4 different basins and were between 8 and 79 years old. The soil gas...