College of Engineering, University of Utah presents, Graduate Seminar: Energy Transition in Perspective

September 26, 2022

The energy transition driven by climate warming and fossil fuel carbon emissions is on the forefront technically, economically, politically, and even nation-security wise. Engineering and science contributions are essential to reduce emissions in any meaningful manner, with energy facts suggesting the enormity of the problem. The Seminar will review facts and observations of the energy transition underway and suggest broad conclusions that have emerged.

Graduate seminar given by Sidney Green, founder/president of Enhanced Production, Inc. and Research Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Utah. Hosted by University of Utah College of Engineering & the Dept. of Chemical Engineering.

Watch recorded presentation Download slides

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Geothermal Battery Workshop Follow-up - slides, presenter info, and paper

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May 19, 2020

Large-scale Subsurface Seasonal Solar Heat Storage for Future Value virtual workshop

The workshop saw over 210 participants. A big thank you to the Department of Chemical Engineering at the University of Utah for hosting and organizing! We thank everyone for joining and hope it was valuable!

Click below for presenter contact info, slides and their comments:

Concept Overview………………………..Sidney Green….comments John McLennan..comments

Heat and Fluid Flow Calculations …..……..…. Palash Panja & John McLennan…slides..comments

Operational Considerations and Well Layouts ……..…......…. John McLennan….slides

Challenges of Sedimentary Basins …………………………..........…..…. Richard Allis.…slides

Site Potential from an Oil & Gas Industry Perspective ….…. Richard Newhart….slides..comments

Geochemical Considerations …………………………………….....….……. Joe Moore….slides…comments

Surface Facilities …………………………………….…………....………….…...…. Kevin Kitz.…slides

Facilitated Discussion and Summary ………………………....…..…. Sidney Green ….comments

Renewable Energy, published paper available via ScienceDirect (here) or preprint below the abstract:

Published paper:

GEOTHERMAL BATTERY ENERGY STORAGE

Sidney Green^{1 ✉️}, John Mclennan², Palash Panja², Kevin Kitz³, Rick Allis⁴ and Joseph Moore⁵

¹ Enhanced Production, Inc., Research Professor University of Utah
² Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Utah, the Energy & Geoscience Institute – University of Utah
³ KitzWorks, LLC
⁴ Consultant, Retired Director Utah Geological Survey
⁵ Civil & Environmental Engineering, University of Utah, DOE-GTO FORGE Project
✉️ Corresponding author (S. Green)

A B S T R A C T

The Geothermal Battery Energy Storage (“GB”) concept has been proposed as a large-scale renewable energy storage method. This is particularly important as solar and wind power are being introduced into electric grids, and economical utility-scale storage has not yet become available to handle the variable nature of solar and wind.

The Geothermal Battery Energy Storage concept uses solar radiance to heat water on the surface. The heated water is then injected deep into the earth. This hot water creates a high temperature geothermal reservoir acceptable for conventional geothermal electricity production, or for direct heat applications. Storing hot water underground is not a new idea, the unique feature of the GB is its application to sedimentary basins with formations that are water saturated and exhibit high porosity and high permeability. For certain reservoirs like these, calculations suggest that nearly one hundred percent of the stored heat can practically be recovered, and long-term, even seasonal storage is possible.

Several publications have been presented by the authors on the GB that parametrically identified desirable reservoir characteristics. This is a review of those calculations and the inferred conclusions for a viable GB system. Potential GB system well configurations, injection and production scenarios and ultimate heat recovery for economic value are noted. Download preprint publication.

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International Conference on Unconventional Geomechanics & Fall wrap up

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October, 2019. We’ve been busy this fall! Sidney Green attended the US National Academy of Engineering annual meeting, presented a keynote at the 6th International Conference of Unconventional Geomechanics, and met with SINOPEC in Beijing. Bob and Jim spent time on triaxial testing services.

25th anniversary members - Members in attendance elected 25 years to the National Academy of Engineering (NAE).

This year the National Academy of Engineering’s (NAE) annual meeting highlighted 50 years of space travel, from the Apollo days to present, listen here to the NAE human space flight webcast. Sidney currently sits on the NAE Committee of Membership.

Following the early October academy meeting, in mid-October, the China University of Mining and Technology, Beijing, hosted the 6th International Conference on Unconventional Geomechanics (UG6) 更多.

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UG6 Attendees.

The focus of UG6 was on the recovery of minerals from stacked deposits. Sidney Green presented a keynote lecture on the Recovery of Fluids from Layered Reservoirs (you can find the presentation here). A great, informative conference …another of Professor Jishan Liu’s continuously growing symposium series.

While in Beijing, Sidney also presented at SINOPEC Research Institute of Petroleum Engineering (Sripe) on geothermal and deep hard-rock geomechanic strategies and developments. Sripe is an affiliate of Sinopec Group. It is a world leader for wellbore technique research and development - a center for state-of-the-art petroleum engineering techniques. It's always such a pleasure to have time with such an engaged audience. Thank you Sripe and CUMTB for inviting EPI to give timely lectures and for incredible hospitality.

Sidney Green & Baoping Zheng, Senior Engineer, The Research Institute of Petroleum Engineering, SINOPEC. This view from the SINOPEC petroleum offices of the Bird’s Nest stadium and the mountains in the distance -amazing.

A special thank you to Wei Wang for hosting and being a great tour guide in Beijing. Mr. Wang is a Ph.D. candidate at China University of Mining and Technology, Beijing (CUMTB).

Finally, Bob Griffin and Jim Marquardt continue their calibration and certification of in-vessel instruments for geomechanics tests.

A busy season!

Hope everyone is enjoying the end of fall!

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Dr. Sau-Wai Wong at EPI

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June 7, 2017

EPI hosted Dr. Sau-Wai Wong, geomechanics expert and consultant June 6-7, 2017.  Dr. Wong during his EPI visit, spoke at the SPE Salt Lake Section meeting June 7th. His presentation, "Past Achievements and Recent Research Activities in Petroleum Geomechanics" described key achievements in practical petroleum geomechanics over the past few years. The SPE meeting was held at the University of Utah EGI office in Research Park. 

Dinner afterwards. Sau-Wai Wong, Sid Green, John McLennan

Sidney Green keynote speaker at Poland's Future Energy Conference

Sidney Green has been invited as a keynote speaker at the Future Energy Conference at Gdańsk University of Technology in Gdansk, Poland on June 22, 2017.

"Unlocking the Energy Elephant", SedHeat 2017

SedHeat workshop #4, "Unlocking the Energy Elephant" was held at the University of Utah, March 1-4.  The workshop focused on geothermal energy in high-temperature sedimentary basins. 

Closing Comments by Sidney Green

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US sets the pace in reducing electric sector co2 emissions. Wall Street Journal 3-7-2017

John McLennan Co-Organizer of SedHeat Geothermal Workshop

John McLennan is a Co-Organizer of the SedHeat Workshop supported by the National Science Foundation.  The Workshop is on geothermal energy recovery from sedimentary basins, and is the fourth in the SedHeat series.  The Workshop at the University of Utah is an update since the last meeting in 2016 and will provide conclusions regarding the potential for geothermal energy recovery from sedimentary basins.  Sidney Green, also serves on the Organizing Committee. 

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