  Drilling deep geothermal wells has proven to be a challenging endeavor,
primarily due to issues such as loss circulation events, material limitations
under high temperatures, and the production of corrosive fluids. Furthermore,
the substantial upfront costs, coupled with geological and technical obstacles
associated with drilling super-hot EGS wells in igneous rocks, hinder the
widespread implementation of geothermal systems. Alternatively, geothermal
energy development in sedimentary basins presents an opportunity for clean
energy production with relatively lower investment costs compared to the
development of super-hot EGS in igneous rocks. Sedimentary basins exhibit
attractive temperatures for geothermal applications, and their wide
distribution enhances the potential for nationwide deployment. Decades of
drilling and development experience in oil and gas wells have yielded a wealth
of data, knowledge, and expertise. Leveraging this experience and data for
geothermal drilling can significantly reduce costs associated with subsurface
data gathering, well drilling, and completion. This paper explores the economic
viability of geothermal energy production systems in sedimentary basins. The
study encompasses an analysis of time-to-hit-temperature (THT) and
cost-to-hit-temperature (CHT) parameters, as well as Favorability maps across
the United States. These maps are based on factors such as well depth, total
drilling time, well cost, and subsurface temperature data. By integrating
sedimentary basin maps and underground temperature maps, the THT and CHT maps
can facilitate the strategic placement of EGS wells and other geothermal system
applications in the most favorable locations across the United States.
