Closed-loop Deep Borehole Heat Exchanger: Newcastle Science Central Deep Geothermal Borehole

Kolo, I. , Brown, C. S. , Falcone, G. and Banks, D. (2023) Closed-loop Deep Borehole Heat Exchanger: Newcastle Science Central Deep Geothermal Borehole. In: European Geothermal Congress 2022, Berlin, Germany, 17-21 Oct 2022, ISBN 9782960194623

Abstract

In the effort to mitigate climate change, the UK is pursuing a low-carbon economy aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2050. A key strategy in this drive is increasing the share of renewable energy sources. Deep (>500 m) geothermal energy has significant potential to decarbonise heat, but has been largely under-exploited in the country, partially due to perceived risk profile and high initial drilling cost. The latter might be offset by repurposing existing wells, including abandoned hydrocarbon wells (although these are associated with specific risks and challenges). The Newcastle Helix – a hybrid state-of the-art city quarter at the heart of Newcastle – has an existing geothermal exploration borehole of 1.6 km depth, which could be repurposed as a single-well closed-circulation geothermal system. In this paper, numerical modelling of the Newcastle Science Central Deep Geothermal Borehole is presented, aiming to simulate its thermal response in the hypothetical case of its refurbishment as a closed-loop deep borehole heat exchanger. This study is part of the ongoing “NetZero GeoRDIE – Net Zero Geothermal Research for District Infrastructure Engineering” project.

• Item Type: Conference Proceedings
• Additional Information: This work was supported by the UK Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) grant EP/T022825/1.
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Banks, Mr David and Kolo, Dr Isa and Brown, Dr Christopher and Falcone, Professor Gioia
• Authors: Kolo, I., Brown, C. S., Falcone, G., and Banks, D.
• College/School: College of Science and Engineering > School of Engineering > Systems Power and Energy
• ISBN: 9782960194623
• Copyright Holders: Copyright © 2023 The Authors
• First Published: First published in Proceedings EGC 2022
• Publisher Policy: Reproduced in accordance with the publisher copyright policy

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