30 AUGUST 2023 WorldWide Drilling Resource® WVU Blazes the Way for the State’s Geothermal Industry Adapted from Information by West Virginia University Drilling has started on the West Virginia University (WVU) geothermal and carbon capture data collection well, marking a significant step forward in clean energy research in West Virginia. This will be a first-of-its-kind geothermal study in West Virginia and will collect core samples and temperature data down to a depth of 15,000 feet, critical to testing the potential of geothermal energy in the region. Data will also be gathered at shallower depths to explore the potential for underground carbon storage in the Appalachian Basin - another scientific first in the state. The project is a collaboration spearheaded by the WVU Energy Institute with WVU faculty and experts at Northeast Natural Energy LLC along with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), with support from the West Virginia Geological and Economic Survey (WVGES) and Hewitt Energy Strategies. The DOE provided approximately $9 million in funding from the Geothermal Technologies Office and the Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management. Northeast Natural Energy, WVGES, and WVU contributed $2.76 million in cost-share funding. “The successful partnership between DOE, industry, and academia to test the potential of both geothermal and carbon sequestration in the state is a significant step towards creating new economic opportunities in clean energy diversification,” said Shikha Sharma, geology professor in the WVU Eberly College of Arts and Sciences and the project’s principal investigator. Drilling for the project is being done at an existing well pad at the Morgantown Industrial Park operated by West Virginia-based Northeast Natural Energy. “It’s exciting for Northeast Natural Energy to be able to use its scientific and operational expertise to help better understand the geothermal energy and carbon capture potential of our great state,” said B.J. Carney, vice president of geoscience and innovation at Northeast Natural Energy. This is the second drilling research for the WVU and Northeast Natural Energy partnership. The first was the Marcellus Shale Energy and Environment Laboratory (MSEEL) in 2015. MSEEL scientists used multiple Northeast Natural Energy wells near Morgantown to research new technologies to improve well production and minimize environmental impacts during unconventional natural gas development projects. “We are also eager to understand the feasibility of capturing and storing CO2 in the subsurface to ensure a sustainable future for our vast natural gas resources already in place. These types of projects fit with Northeast Natural Energy’s focus on providing energy of all types to serve our communities and improve their quality of life,” Carney added. According to Sam Taylor, assistant director of strategic partnerships and technology at the WVU Energy Institute, it’s important to remember instead of producing energy, this well will produce data. “The goal is to gather enough data to decide if geothermal reservoirs in the region can be a cleaner energy source for parts of West Virginia and mid-Appalachia, along with collecting data on possible carbon storage,” Taylor stated. “We’re excited that the test well will provide WVU students with hands-on experience in the field, working with industry professionals while collecting data, providing them with invaluable, real-world experience as a part of their academic studies at WVU,” Sharma said. Another notable first of this research is that no entity had ever requested a deep geothermal science well drilling permit in West Virginia. Drilling for the new WVU Geothermal data collection well is taking place at an existing well pad operated by Northeast Natural Energy in the Morgantown Industrial Park. GEO For more information call: (270) 786-3010 or visit us online: www.geothermalsupply.com All New! Atlantis-Pro Vault • Traffic-Rated Capable • Simple installation • Trouble-free operation FGWA 2023 Dealmakers Ray Newberry Well Drilling of Arcadia, Florida, was pleased to take delivery of this new pump hoist from Horizon Hoist. TDH Manufacturing Send your deals to: michele@worldwidedrillingresource.com Horizon Hoist Serving Central Florida, Water Works, Inc. took delivery of this new pump hoist from TDH Manufacturing.
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