Design and Optimization of Enhanced Geothermal Systems in Alberta

Project description:

Deep geothermal energy is a potential source of clean, reliable, utility-scale energy from Alberta’s Precambrian basement geology, with temperatures of 200+ Celsius. Enhanced Geothermal System (EGS) technology circulates a working fluid down one or more horizontal injection wells, through a thermal reservoir created by hydraulic fracking, and up one or more production wells where the extracted heat can be recovered for use. This project assesses opportunities, risks and potential technical solutions. This project is intended to lay the groundwork for Alberta’s first EGS pilot.

The Project seeks to evaluate several optimization opportunities for developing EGS, including:

• Through partner collaborations, leverage hydrocarbon and geoscience expertise in Alberta to select preferred locations, assess risks, and mitigate costs. 
• Evaluate the use of carbon dioxide (CO2) as a working fluid. Assess potential advantages over a water-based system, including higher energy extraction rate, sequestration of CO2 below ground, less corrosion and scaling, and lower cost, more efficient turbines. 
• Evaluate potential synergies with CO2 direct air capture, which can use waste heat from geothermal facilities.