Drilling for Geothermal and CCS Data in West Virginia
Dr. Shikha Sharma, WVU professor of Geology and IsoBioGeM lab director, is leading a team of researchers who gathered data from an exploratory well near Morgantown. Funded by the U.S. Department of Energy, the team collected the first geological data on whether geothermal reservoirs can be a clean energy source for parts of West Virginia and Mid-Appalachia. Carbon storage is also part of the research project. The team is currently analyzing the data.
This exploratory well was a borehole drilled 3 miles vertically to assess the geothermal heat potential in this region. The well was used to collect critical rock samples and data on heat temperatures. It was not a production well, meaning no energy or heat came out of the well, only scientific data and rocks. No fracking was involved.
See the latest research: Exploring Geothermal Energy for West Virginia