Geothermal Energy - Digging Deeper

Inga Berre will present the topic "Geothermal Energy Solutions" on Tuesday January 29.

Abstract:

Production of deep geothermal energy for heating and power is steadily increasing worldwide, primarily based on hydrothermal resources. More challenging environments, including fractured reservoirs where flow conditions must be improved for viable production, provide a substantial, but little utilized, resource of energy. Much progress has been made over the last decades in understanding the possibilities and difficulties in the development of these resources. More recently, deeper and hotter geothermal resources are targeted; for example in Iceland, where a well has been drilled to 4700 m, with a bottom-hole temperature of 550 degrees C. The potential to multiply the power output from wells compared to conventional hydrothermal resources is attractive, but much is unknown in the development of superheated and supercritical geothermal systems. The presentation gives an overview of the status and opportunities for deep geothermal energy production. Selected results from University of Bergen research on coupled subsurface processes that are central in understanding capabilities and limitations of geothermal resources are also presented.

The seminar will be held in the Helland-Hansen meeting room at the Geophysical Institute, Allegaten 70, from 12:15 to 13:00 (we open the doors at 12:00).

The seminar is free and open to all interested parties, so bring your lunch and join us for an interesting presentation followed by a Q&A session.