Sustainable Well Upcycling for Greenhouse Heating: A Pennsylvania Case Study

Abstract Pennsylvania alone has over 214,000 wells drilled since 1859, many now posing environmental risks, including groundwater contamination, methane emissions, and land degradation. These abandoned wells present both economic and environmental challenges, yet offer an opportunity for sustainable conversion to geothermal greenhouse applications. This repurposing approach enables agricultural production through clean, sustainable heating for crops while addressing abandonment liabilities. This case study examines the technical, economic, and environmental feasibility of transforming end-of-life wells from environmental liabilities into productive assets supporting local agriculture and reducing carbon emissions. The proposed geothermal system utilizes the geologic thermal gradient of a moderately-deep conventional well to extract heat through a closed-loop heat exchange mechanism. Through multiphysics and economic analysis on a prospective farm in western Pennsylvania, the claim of physical and operational feasibility is supported. Preliminary study findings indicate that abandoned wells with sufficient depth and thermal gradients can provide a continuous and reliable heat source, reducing dependency on conventional fossil-fuel-based greenhouse heating systems. Through fluid and heat transfer analyses, a 5,700 ft gas well operating with a bottom hole temperature of around 80°C is capable of producing 120 kW of thermal capacity, resulting in the replacement of fossil-fuel-based heating systems and annual heating cost reduction of over 75% per 10,000 square-foot greenhouse. Additionally, the sustainable well conversion produces a job potential of nearly 15 job-years with a payback period of under 10 years. Unlike traditional plugging and abandonment, this sustainable upcycling creates multiple value streams: environmental remediation, clean energy production, and local economic development. By providing field-validated data from Pennsylvania wells, including thermal performance metrics and economic benefits, this research establishes a blueprint for operators seeking ESG-aligned abandonment alternatives. This foundation enables future advancements in abandoned well geothermal applications, including thermal storage integration and scalable conversion methodologies that could transform industry approaches to well lifecycle management.