WVU is building on its previously conducted feasibility study exploring year-round, deep-direct use of geothermal energy for heating and cooling on campus.
In this new phase, WVU will drill an exploratory well near Morgantown, West Virginia, with a full logging and coring program critical to developing geothermal energy in the area. The team will evaluate shallow reservoirs for energy storage. Additionally, WVU will engineer and design a surface plant for WVU and conduct techno-economic analyses of individual building demands and requirements.
As identified in DOE’s GeoVision study, improved technologies in these areas could help increase geothermal power generation nearly 26-fold by 2050—reaching 60 gigawatts of always-on, baseload energy capacity. This research could enhance direct-use heating and cooling solutions for military installations, hospital complexes, and U.S. homes and businesses.
Research
- Drilling and sampling of a deep exploratory and scientific well to a depth of ~10,500 feet, along with a full logging and coring program to evaluate the geothermal gradient, petrophysics, geochemistry, and drilling parameters at the proposed site.
- Geothermal Temperature Assessment of the MIP-1S Well
- Geomechanical Modeling for Well Drilling Optimization
- Developing Innovative Corrosion Detection Methods
- Reactive Transport Modeling of Open Loop Geothermal Systems
- Reactive Transport Modeling of Enhanced Geothermal Systems
- High Pressure-Temperature Static Flow-Through Experiments
- Thermal Performance Evaluation of Closed-Loop Geothermal Systems
- Validating Hydraulic Fracturing for Sustainable Geothermal Heat Extraction
- Evaluation of the multiple stacked potential geothermal energy supply and storage reservoirs and development of selection criteria.
- Assessment of campus building energy loads and building equipment for hot water versus steam utilization.
- Campus Building Energy Load Characterization using metering, architectural drawings, and e-QUEST modeling
- Techno-economic assessment of building retrofit costs for hot water systems versus steam systems, including air-handling equipment, identification of potential steam requirements, and detailed calculations of geothermal fluid requirements.
- Geothermal & STEM Outreach Initiatives.
- Establishing
the Sustainable Energy Student Ambassadors on the WVU campus to introduce
renewable energy concepts, opportunities, and connections in the region
The Utica Shale Play in relation to the GSEEL study site and Appalachian Sedimentary Basin stratigraphy near USGS Corehole 10 in Preston County, West Virginia. Geologic cross section adapted from (Ryder et al., 2009). Geospatial location provided by Google Maps. Adapted from U.S. Energy Information Administration based on DrillingInfo Inc., New York State Geological Survey, Ohio State Geological Survey, Pennsylvania Bureau of Topographic & Geologic Survey, West Virginia Geological & Economic Survey, Appalachian Oil & Natural Gas Research Consortium, and U.S. Geological Survey.