10TH Thermal and Fluids Engineering Conference (Hybrid) Partially online virtual and in person at George Washington University, Washington, DC, USA
The transition from a carbon-based to a carbon-free economy has spurred the development of innovative technologies. Simultaneously, decommissioning old energy production plants and processes requires significant effort due to the environmental damage they leave behind. This is particularly true for oil and gas wells, which have been drilled globally for over a century. Today, strict environmental regulations mandate that unprofitable wells comply with technical standards ensuring that no leaks occur after plug and abandonment (P&A) operations. The environmental risks posed by thousands of active wells, combined with the rising costs of P&A, have driven research into more reliable and cost-effective solutions. One promising method involves using a powerful heat source to melt the casing, tubing, and surrounding cap rock, sealing the well as the molten mass cools. This review explores and discusses novel technologies being developed as well as advanced mathematical modeling, numerical simulations, and experiments that address the complex Multiphysics involved in these thermal processes.
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