Crude oil to carrots: Geothermal makeover eyed for Alberta’s old wells

Here is a brief synopsis of the recent article written by Reuters in the Globe and Mail on Aug. 09 2016 showcasing the Leduc No.1  Discovery Centre - Living Energy Project:

It could cost the tax payer billions of dollars to clean up the 78,000 disused wells throughout Alberta. However, in the geothermal light these wells can be seen as an asset instead of a liability. The Living Energy Project, plans to incorporate direct use geothermal energy from the Leduc No.1 oil well to heat an 8000 square-foot greenhouse. Provided the government gives the green light, this would be the first time in Canadian history that disused wells have be used as a tool for agriculture.

Abandoning a disused well can cost up to $300,000, so 78,000 disused wells ring in a total cost of $23.4 billion dollars. Converting a disused well to a geothermal greenhouse asset costs less then half the price of abandoning the well. We can save billions of dollars in abandonment costs, put thousands of people back to work, increase Canada's food security whist turning extra profit for farmers. All these benefits highlight the potential of  creative solutions through geothermal energy.  

Check out the full article featured on the Globe and Mail here