Consortium completes first-of-its-kind offshore geothermal assessment project

Offshore filling rigs in Cromarty Firth, Scotland (source: Michael Elleray / flickr, Creative Commons)

The Aquarius North Sea Geothermal Consortium, led by ZeGen Energy, has completed a geothermal assessment project for TotalEnergies. The 12-month study, which was concluded late last year, fully integrates subsurface, wells and topside elements, and provides guidance on how geothermal energy might be included in an offshore renewable energy portfolio.

Aquarius North Sea Geothermal Consortium, comprising of ZeGen Energy (Aberdeen) & Ross DK A/S (Copenhagen), was established in 2020 with a view to transforming the role of deep geothermal resources in major offshore UK energy projects, specifically through the exploration and development of such resources to generate zero-carbon electricity.

The study was jointly supported by TotalEnergies R&D department in Pau and the UK asset group and made a case study of a producing oil and gas field on the UK Continental Shelf (UKCS). It is believed to be the first of its kind globally.

The assessment applies a technical framework developed in-house by the Aquarius partners to evaluate current, enhanced, and future state geothermal opportunities using existing and anticipated production scenarios. Well and platform co-production and repurposing were considered in addition to the potential for prospective ‘green-field’ geothermal exploration. The project’s multidisciplinary team worked closely with TotalEnergies to complete the assessment.

To date, the industry lacks a structured approach to identify, assess, and compare geothermal development models for enhancing, reusing, or repurposing hydrocarbon assets. The result of this study is a clear picture of near and long-term geothermal power options that could be replicated across global asset portfolios. This allows operators to better understand the role of geothermal as part of a blended renewable energy solution to support the industry’s commitment to eliminate greenhouse gas emissions during hydrocarbon production.

Ms. Kirsten Pasturel, ZeGen Energy CEO, said on behalf of Aquarius, “This project is an important step in advancing geothermal as an integral part of the future blended offshore energy mix. We must find scalable and commercially viable solutions that are based on science and technology innovation.”

Mr. Lars Andersen, Ross DK CEO adds, “We are proud to be a partner in the Aquarius Consortium by lending subsurface and wells expertise to the project. This has provided us the opportunity to highlight how experience from both the oil & gas and geothermal industries can help accelerate the green transition.”

Source: ZeGen Energy via email correspondence