Funding available – U.S. DOE Wells of Opportunity
Wells of Opportunity 2021 announcement (Source: EERE-DOE Linkedin page)
Carlo Cariaga
4 Aug 2021
The US Department of Energy has announced a new funding opportunity for existing well owners and operators to test advanced EGS technologies.
The Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy under the US Department of Energy has announced a new funding opportunity under the Wells of Opportunity (WOO) program. This round of funding will be opened to current owners or operators of geothermal and hydrocarbon wells who are willing to partner with the DOE for in-situ testing of advanced EGS technologies.
Applications are due by August 16, 2021. We have reported on a previous announcement but the deadline has been extended for this round.
Through the FY21 Wells of Opportunity (referred to as WOO going forward) FOA, GTO is soliciting geothermal and hydrocarbon well owners or operators with existing wells that are willing to partner with DOE to advance and test EGS technologies in-situ. These wells could be “idle” or currently used for injection, production, and/or monitoring. Due to the criticality of the technology prototyping and methodology testing phase of research and development in the innovation pipeline, this FOA focuses on active field testing, where the Federal government takes on the associated cost and risks.
Topic Area 1 – Amplify (EGS Near-Field RD&D): This field validation effort will culminate in new power production, adding to the commercial viability of existing geothermal fields. The goal of Amplify is to illustrate that near-field and in-field EGS can be successfully deployed now as a result of recent technology advancements and that low permeability/underproductive wells near and in existing hydrothermal fields can be turned into valuable assets using EGS techniques.
Topic Area 2 – ReAmplify (Geothermal production from hydrocarbon wells): The objective of this initiative is to establish the commercial viability of geothermal energy production from existing hydrocarbon fields. The goal of ReAmplify is to establish a pilot program where the production of geothermal heat from existing hydrocarbon fields can be demonstrated for electricity production or direct use applications.
Source: Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy via Linkedin post
