Date of Award

May 2026

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department

Energy Engineering

First Advisor

Olusegun s. Tomomewo

Abstract

Transitioning toward global decarbonization of energy resources necessitates the development of dispatchable baseload resources that leverage existing infrastructure to minimize environmental footprints and capital expenditures. This research investigates the technical and economic feasibility of repurposing unplugged and dry oil and gas wells within the Red River Formation of the Williston Basin in North Dakota for conversion into Enhanced Geothermal Systems (EGS). While immense geothermal resources exist, they are often rendered uneconomical by high drilling costs and a lack of holistic subsurface understanding at target depths. To bridge these gaps, this interdisciplinary study employs a workflow ranging from experimental physics and computer modeling to financial risk analysis. Initial laboratory experiments on core samples from McKenzie County provided critical assessments of porosity, permeability, and thermal conductivity. These properties were integrated into Python-based spatially-aware interpolation models to visualize reservoir heterogeneity between injection and production laterals. Furthermore, by coupling fracture mechanics with Mohr–Coulomb failure criteria, the study models subsurface flow characteristics and predicts fracture stability and stimulated reservoir volume transmissivity under varying pressure conditions, followed by a 25-year power production simulation. Finally, a techno-economic analysis utilizing single and multi-objective Monte Carlo simulations identifies break-even levels of energy production and evaluates the impact of federal and state tax credits. The findings highlight that significant capital expenditure reductions achieved through infrastructure repurposing, combined with supportive regulatory mechanisms such as long-term Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) can transform environmental liabilities into highly profitable renewable energy assets.

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