<p>Viability of an oil or gas well for geothermal energy production is dependent upon several factors:<br>
 - Geothermal heat profile with depth near the well 
 - Depth of the exhausted well
 - Volume of fluid acting as a heat exchange around and near the well.</p>

<p>I think it might be possible to use exhausted natural-gas wells will be suitable for re-use as a geothermal energy supply. Likelihood of success would require site investigation and the engineering pilot study.  This idea would be ideal for university engineering / geology research. </p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-11-21T14:23:38.200Z
Presumably the fracking would increase near-well permeability, which would make it better (=higher effective volume) for a heat-exchange system?
winwaed
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-11-21T16:56:05.927Z
Yes.  The fact is almost all oil, gas and water wells are fracked to increase production.
Earth Science Expatriate
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-11-21T12:36:50.170Z
2014-11-21T12:36:50.170Z
Earth Science Expatriate
<p>The UK legislator with primary responsibility for energy has claimed that exhausted fracked natural-gas wells will be suitable for re-use as a geothermal energy supply (not necessarily geothermal for electricity production, but rather for heat distribution, so let's say 80&deg; - 250&deg;C).</p>

<p>Is there much of a co-location of the geo-thermal resource in the UK, with the more easily obtained frackable natural gas; and would an exhausted fracked well be structurally suitable for this?</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-11-20T14:17:16.303Z
Just want to connect with [this related question](http://earthscience.stackexchange.com/questions/2845/is-it-a-good-idea-to-use-depleted-oil-wells-for-geothermal-production).
Matt Hall
<geology><geothermal-heat><economic-geology><fracking>
viable geothermal energy supply from exhausted fracked gas wells?
410 gone
# viable geothermal energy supply from exhausted fracked gas wells?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2014-11-20)

The UK legislator with primary responsibility for energy has claimed that exhausted fracked natural-gas wells will be suitable for re-use as a geothermal energy supply (not necessarily geothermal for electricity production, but rather for heat distribution, so let's say 80° - 250°C).

Is there much of a co-location of the geo-thermal resource in the UK, with the more easily obtained frackable natural gas; and would an exhausted fracked well be structurally suitable for this?

**Tags:** geology, geothermal-heat, economic-geology, fracking

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Just want to connect with [this related question](http://earthscience.stackexchange.com/questions/2845/is-it-a-good-idea-to-use-depleted-oil-wells-for-geothermal-production).  

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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2014-11-21. Score: 4

Viability of an oil or gas well for geothermal energy production is dependent upon several factors:  
- Geothermal heat profile with depth near the well
- Depth of the exhausted well
- Volume of fluid acting as a heat exchange around and near the well.

I think it might be possible to use exhausted natural-gas wells will be suitable for re-use as a geothermal energy supply. Likelihood of success would require site investigation and the engineering pilot study. This idea would be ideal for university engineering / geology research.

> **Comments:**
> **username_3**: Presumably the fracking would increase near-well permeability, which would make it better (=higher effective volume) for a heat-exchange system?  
> **username_2**: Yes.  The fact is almost all oil, gas and water wells are fracked to increase production.  

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