IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jresou/v14y2025i7p103-d1685520.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Offshore Geothermal Energy Perspectives: Hotspots and Challenges

Author

Listed:
  • Paulo H. Gulelmo Souza

    (Energy Planning Program (PPE), Alberto Luiz Coimbra Institute for Graduate Studies and Research in Engineering (COPPE), Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro 21941-917, Brazil
    Petrobras Exploration and Production Department, Edifício Senado, Street Henrique Valadares, 28, Rio de Janeiro 20231-030, Brazil)

  • Alexandre Szklo

    (Energy Planning Program (PPE), Alberto Luiz Coimbra Institute for Graduate Studies and Research in Engineering (COPPE), Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro 21941-917, Brazil)

Abstract

Geothermal energy is a low-carbon and reliable energy resource capable of generating both heat and electricity from the Earth’s internal thermal energy. While geothermal development has traditionally been focused on onshore sites, offshore geothermal resources are attracting growing interest due to advancements in technology, the search for alternative baseload power, and the opportunity to repurpose decommissioned petroleum infrastructure. Recent efforts include utilizing abandoned oil and gas fields to adapt existing infrastructure for geothermal use, as well as exploring high-temperature geothermal zones such as submarine volcanoes and hotspots. Despite these initiatives, research output, scientific publications and patents remain relatively limited, suggesting that offshore geothermal technology is still in its early stages. Countries like Italy, Indonesia and Turkey are actively investigating geothermal resources in volcanic marine areas, while North Sea countries and the USA are assessing the feasibility of converting mature oil and gas fields into geothermal energy sites. These diverse strategies underscore the regional geological and infrastructure conditions in shaping development approaches. Although expertise from the oil and gas industry can accelerate technological progress in marine geothermal energy, economic challenges remain. Therefore, improving cost competitiveness is crucial for offshore geothermal energy.

Suggested Citation

  • Paulo H. Gulelmo Souza & Alexandre Szklo, 2025. "Offshore Geothermal Energy Perspectives: Hotspots and Challenges," Resources, MDPI, vol. 14(7), pages 1-30, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jresou:v:14:y:2025:i:7:p:103-:d:1685520
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2079-9276/14/7/103/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2079-9276/14/7/103/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Diego Paltrinieri & Paolo Favali & Francesco Italiano & Patrizio Signanini & Carlo Caso & Fabrizio B. Armani, 2022. "The Marsili Seamount Offshore Geothermal Reservoir: A Big Challenge for an Energy Transition Model," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(5), pages 1-16, March.
    2. Cheng, Wen-Long & Liu, Jian & Nian, Yong-Le & Wang, Chang-Long, 2016. "Enhancing geothermal power generation from abandoned oil wells with thermal reservoirs," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 109(C), pages 537-545.
    3. Loschetter, A. & Kervévan, C. & Stead, R. & Le Guénan, T. & Dezayes, C. & Clarke, N., 2025. "Integrating geothermal energy and carbon capture and storage technologies: A review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 210(C).
    4. Graham Alexander Ryan & Eylon Shalev, 2014. "Seismic Velocity/Temperature Correlations and a Possible New Geothermometer: Insights from Exploration of a High-Temperature Geothermal System on Montserrat, West Indies," Energies, MDPI, vol. 7(10), pages 1-32, October.
    5. Francesco Italiano & Angelo De Santis & Paolo Favali & Mario Luigi Rainone & Sergio Rusi & Patrizio Signanini, 2014. "The Marsili Volcanic Seamount (Southern Tyrrhenian Sea): A Potential Offshore Geothermal Resource," Energies, MDPI, vol. 7(7), pages 1-19, June.
    6. Wang, Yuqing & Liu, Yingxin & Dou, Jinyue & Li, Mingzhu & Zeng, Ming, 2020. "Geothermal energy in China: Status, challenges, and policy recommendations," Utilities Policy, Elsevier, vol. 64(C).
    7. Schifflechner, Christopher & Kuhnert, Lara & Irrgang, Ludwig & Dawo, Fabian & Kaufmann, Florian & Wieland, Christoph & Spliethoff, Hartmut, 2023. "Geothermal trigeneration systems with Organic Rankine Cycles: Evaluation of different plant configurations considering part load behaviour," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 207(C), pages 218-233.
    8. Nian, Yong-Le & Cheng, Wen-Long, 2018. "Insights into geothermal utilization of abandoned oil and gas wells," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 87(C), pages 44-60.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Hu, Xincheng & Banks, Jonathan & Wu, Linping & Liu, Wei Victor, 2020. "Numerical modeling of a coaxial borehole heat exchanger to exploit geothermal energy from abandoned petroleum wells in Hinton, Alberta," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 148(C), pages 1110-1123.
    2. Yujiang He & Xianbiao Bu, 2020. "Performance of Hybrid Single Well Enhanced Geothermal System and Solar Energy for Buildings Heating," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(10), pages 1-10, May.
    3. Anna Chmielowska & Anna Sowiżdżał & Barbara Tomaszewska, 2021. "Prospects of Using Hydrocarbon Deposits from the Autochthonous Miocene Formation (Eastern Carpathian Foredeep, Poland) for Geothermal Purposes," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(11), pages 1-28, May.
    4. Reyes-Antonio, Claudio Antonio & Iglesias-Silva, Gustavo Arturo & Rubio-Maya, Carlos & Fuentes-Cortés, Luis Fabián, 2024. "Multi-objective design of off-grid low-enthalpy geothermal generation systems considering partial-load operations," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 294(C).
    5. Yuhao Zhu & Kewen Li & Changwei Liu & Mahlalela Bhekumuzi Mgijimi, 2019. "Geothermal Power Production from Abandoned Oil Reservoirs Using In Situ Combustion Technology," Energies, MDPI, vol. 12(23), pages 1-21, November.
    6. Paul L. Younger, 2015. "Geothermal Energy: Delivering on the Global Potential," Energies, MDPI, vol. 8(10), pages 1-18, October.
    7. Duggal, R. & Rayudu, R. & Hinkley, J. & Burnell, J. & Wieland, C. & Keim, M., 2022. "A comprehensive review of energy extraction from low-temperature geothermal resources in hydrocarbon fields," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 154(C).
    8. Bu, Xianbiao & Ran, Yunmin & Zhang, Dongdong, 2019. "Experimental and simulation studies of geothermal single well for building heating," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 143(C), pages 1902-1909.
    9. Yang, Fujian & Wang, Guiling & Hu, Dawei & Liu, Yanguang & Zhou, Hui & Tan, Xianfeng, 2021. "Calibrations of thermo-hydro-mechanical coupling parameters for heating and water-cooling treated granite," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 168(C), pages 544-558.
    10. Aizhao Zhou & Xianwen Huang & Wei Wang & Pengming Jiang & Xinwei Li, 2021. "Thermo-Hydraulic Performance of U-Tube Borehole Heat Exchanger with Different Cross-Sections," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(6), pages 1-20, March.
    11. Peng Yu & Yufeng Xu & Honghua Liu & Xinyu Liu & Jiani Fu & Meijun Xu & Dankun Zhou, 2024. "Regional-Scale Assessment of the Potential for Shallow Geothermal Energy Development Using Vertical Ground Source Heat Pumps," Energies, MDPI, vol. 17(17), pages 1-17, August.
    12. Aliyu, Musa D. & Chen, Hua-Peng, 2018. "Enhanced geothermal system modelling with multiple pore media: Thermo-hydraulic coupled processes," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 165(PA), pages 931-948.
    13. Yu, Ruyang & Zhang, Kai & Ramasubramanian, Brindha & Jiang, Shu & Ramakrishna, Seeram & Tang, Yuhang, 2024. "Ensemble learning for predicting average thermal extraction load of a hydrothermal geothermal field: A case study in Guanzhong Basin, China," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 296(C).
    14. Changlong Wang & Qiang Fu & Wanyu Sun & Jinli Lu & Yanhong Sun & Wanwan Li, 2023. "Estimation of Layered Ground Thermal Properties for Deep Coaxial Ground Heat Exchanger," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(18), pages 1-19, September.
    15. Zuo, Yinhui & Sun, Yigao & Zhang, Luquan & Zhang, Chao & Wang, Yingchun & Jiang, Guangzheng & Wang, Xiaoguang & Zhang, Tao & Cui, Longqing, 2024. "Geothermal resource evaluation in the Sichuan Basin and suggestions for the development and utilization of abandoned oil and gas wells," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 225(C).
    16. Harshini, R.D.G.F. & Chaudhuri, A. & Ranjith, P.G, 2024. "Harnessing the heat below: Efficacy of closed-loop systems in the cooper basin, Australia," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 312(C).
    17. Nian, Yong-Le & Cheng, Wen-Long, 2018. "Evaluation of geothermal heating from abandoned oil wells," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 142(C), pages 592-607.
    18. Chappidi, Srinivas & Kumar, Ankesh & Singh, Jogender, 2025. "Techno-economic assessment of geothermal energy extraction from abandoned oil and gas fields using hybrid U-shaped closed-loop system," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 321(C).
    19. Nian, Yong-Le & Wang, Xiang-Yang & Xie, Kun & Cheng, Wen-Long, 2020. "Estimation of ground thermal properties for coaxial BHE through distributed thermal response test," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 152(C), pages 1209-1219.
    20. Aliyu, Musa D. & Chen, Hua-Peng, 2017. "Sensitivity analysis of deep geothermal reservoir: Effect of reservoir parameters on production temperature," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 129(C), pages 101-113.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jresou:v:14:y:2025:i:7:p:103-:d:1685520. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.