A geothermal doublet in a single well: application of the recirculation well concept to reuse wells to be abandoned

The depletion of oil and gas reservoirs leaves many deep and expensive wells with no option but to be abandoned. However, these wells could have a second chance to extend their life as a source of geothermal energy, especially if they are located next to urban or industrial areas in need of heating. This article shows a technical analysis of the well recirculation or geothermal doublet in a single well approach as a strategy to reuse wells that cross aquifers. Different aspects of this strategy are highlighted, including the technical conditions required for the application, the well completion, and the geothermal performance. The latest is assessed via numerical reservoir simulations using geological data from an existing well. The results show that vertical petrophysical heterogeneities play an important role in the performance and feasibility of this approach.