Heating/Cooling the McNeese State University Campus with Geothermal Energy

Abstract

The potential benefits of using geopressured geothermal hot brine for heating and cooling the building on the campus of McNeese State University have been examined. Large geopressured aquifers exist at depths of 12,000 to 16,000 fee below the campus, and could be tapped to provide the energy. Although drilling and completing water wells at this depth is costly, there appears to be reasonable economic justification to proceed into eh 1995-2005 AD time frame. There are two incentive for proceeding: one is the anticipated increase in the cost of utilities by 2000 MD, and the other is the recently completion of a central heating plant supplying hot or chilled water to the 23 campus buildings. The common piping system would make conversion to geothermal use fairly simple matter.