Reuse of Abandoned oil and gas wells for Power generation in Western Dessert and Gulf of Suez fields of Egypt

Abstract

This study investigates the capable outcome of using existing abandoned oil and gas wells as a geothermal energy source in Egypt. Geothermal resources of Egypt are mainly located along the Gulf of Suez and Red Sea in addition to some additional spots with lower potential in the Western Desert of Egypt. In Gulf of Suez the geothermal potential identified data and parameters dignified from oil and gas wells under the regulation of the Egyptian General Petroleum Corporation. Using abandoned oil and gas well which already lost their economic value would save drilling time and cost which would decrease the ROR of the investment. In this paper a simulation model cycle has been made by ASPEN HYSYS software to show the reliability of using the abandoned oil and gas wells outlet fluid as a source geothermal energy in Egypt by mapping the geothermal favorability locations with the oil and gas field area. Mapping shows that in Egypt there is potential of extracting low, medium and high temperature extractions from wells according to the location. Results demonstrates that the output power for the simulation geothermal power plant in different locations of Egypt and at various temperatures. Showing that in western desert the maximum output power that can be generated from the modified binary cycle is 3.063 MW at output temperature of 125 °C. Whereas in the Gulf of Suez proposed maximum output is 44.6 MW that can be produced from modified Flash steam cycle at an output temperature of 300 °C.

Keywords

• Geothermal energy
• Oil and gas
• Abandoned wells
• Egypt
• HYSYS
• Renewable energy