This course provides an overview of Enhanced Geothermal Systems (EGS). The concept of EGS is to use hydraulic stimulation to improve the flow rate that can be achieved from wells drilled in hot, low permeability formations. The technology has the potential to dramatically increase the amount of geothermal energy produced in North America and worldwide. In recent years, dramatic improvements have been achieved in both well performance and drilling, dramatically reducing cost per kW-hr of electricity from EGS, and leading to surge in interest.Read more...
This course covers: (a) introduction to geothermal energy, (b) calculating flow and power output, (c) mechanisms of stimulation, (d) stimulation design, (e) thermal performance over time, (f) the Utah FORGE project, (g) Project Red and Project Cape from Fervo Energy, (h) EGS design optimization, and (i) induced seismicity.
Who Should Take This Course
• Engineers and geoscientists transitioning from oil & gas into clean energy
• Geothermal project developers and technical specialists
• Subsurface professionals working with fractured reservoirs
• Technical managers evaluating geothermal opportunities
• Graduate students and early-career energy professionals
What You Will Learn
• Fundamentals of enhanced geothermal systems (EGS)
• Key differences between conventional geothermal and EGS
• How heat, fluid flow, and fractures interact in geothermal reservoirs
• Interpretation of injection, circulation, and monitoring data
• Operational challenges such as thermal drawdown and induced seismicity
• How modern EGS projects are designed and evaluated
Why This Course Works
• Taught from a practitioner’s perspective
• Builds on familiar oil & gas subsurface workflows
• Focuses on practical, field-relevant concepts
• Uses real-world geothermal project examples