GEOTHERMAL ENERGY APPLICATIONS AS A SUSTAINABLE RENEWABLE SOURCE FOR ABANDONED OIL WELLS

Abstract

Earth's natural heat has been used by humans for thousands of years. Based on historical records, it has been used in various parts of the world for medical purposes, cooking, bathing, and space heating. In light of the limited supply of fossil fuels, efforts are being directed toward alternate raw materials. An energy source that originates from the earth's interior heat is called geothermal energy. The two primary ways in which this energy source is utilized directly and indirectly are the cleanest. This research aims to investigate three characteristics, namely well depth, well temperature, and temperature gradient, to expound on the various applications of geothermal energy for ten abandoned oil wells in the Defa oilfield of the Waha oil business. Conversely, geothermal energy is used for a variety of direct uses, such as swimming and bathing, agriculture, aquaculture, industrial processing, ground heat pumps, etc.; and indirect uses, such as electric power plants. Geothermal energy is dependent on the depth and temperature of the geothermal source. It is consistently accessible and works well with other renewable energy sources including hydro, solar, and wind.The findings revealed that the energy ranges from low to high enthalpy and the average temperature value of the produced water is 212.10ºC, whereas the flash steam power plants can be used for electricity generation besides the other different applications. The power output according to the different reported authors ranging from 59.4 to 364 kW. The best conventional geothermal resources are localized by favourable geological conditions. The future of geothermal energy is tied to unlocking the vast source potential lying at deeper levels and across much larger using Enhanced Geothermal System (EGS) technology.