Opinion: Oil and gas coproduction expands geothermal power possibilities

Leslie Blodgett, editor for the Geothermal Energy Association, writes for Renewable Energy World that “Federal funding initiatives are hoping to unlock the geothermal energy potential in an innovative new technology known as oil and gas coproduction. New research has shown that much of the 25 billion barrels of this geothermally heated “wastewater” produced at oil wells each year in the U.S. is hot enough to produce electricity. It is estimated that many of the wells might have clean energy capacities of up to 1 MW. Generally oil companies are receptive to the idea of turning a liability into an asset and expanding the economic potential of their oil wells. And why not, since in the past, wastewater from oilfield production processes was viewed as a nuisance byproduct that needed to be disposed of.”