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According to the International Energy Agency, as much as 80% of the work required to develop a geothermal power project relies on skills and resources that are common in the oil and gas industry. Oil and gas works with many of the technologies, skills, supply chains, and data that are essential to make geothermal power work at scale.  

Given this overlap, pairing the oil and gas industry with the growing geothermal industry is a win-win for both ventures.  

For oil and gas, diversifying into the geothermal space can provide new opportunities in the clean energy sector, which can help hedge against any uncertainty in the fossil fuel industry.  

For geothermal, the oil and gas industry represents an opportunity to tap a well-established knowledge and workforce base to bring about new drilling techniques and projects across the West.  

Oil and gas expertise is particularly critical in enhanced geothermal systems (EGS), which use techniques like hydraulic fracking and directional drilling, which were originally refined for shale gas and oil operations.  

Already, many geothermal workers at leading companies began in the oil and gas industry. Fervo Energy, which operates some of the country’s most advanced geothermal projects in Utah and Nevada, has a staff comprised of up to 60% former oil and gas professionals.  

Eric Williams, who oversees safety at Fervo’s project in Utah, told NPR last year that switching industries from oil and gas didn’t affect his daily tasks very much, and it gave him a sense of pride to use his skills in the growing geothermal business.  

Recently, Fervo leaned into oil and gas resources even further as it picked the oilfield services company Baker Hughes to design and deliver five power-generating units totaling 300MW of capacity for Fervo’s Cape Station project in Utah.  

Other oil and gas companies have invested in western geothermal projects, such as the Eavor-Deep next generation geothermal project in New Mexico, which was supported by BP and OMV.  

At the federal level, the Department of Energy runs the Geothermal Energy from Oil and Gas Engineering (GEODE) initiative to help leverage the extensive knowledge, technology, skill, and expertise from the oil and gas sector to help boost geothermal growth, while supporting the workers and communities that currently rely on fossil fuels.  

Another promising aspect of the nexus between geothermal and oil and gas comes from the potential to repurpose former well sites for geothermal energy. There is no shortage of former oil and gas wells scattered across the West, some of which could be reused as productive geothermal sites. Listen to a WGA podcast on the topic here.  

Additionally, read The Heat Beneath Our Feet initiative report from Colorado Governor Jared Polis’ term as WGA Chair in 2023 to learn more about how Western Governors are advancing geothermal technologies.  

Universal child care: in New Mexico, Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham announced this week that the state will be the first in the nation to offer universal child care to its residents. 

The new initiative will make child care free for all residents starting on November 1, after removing existing income eligibility requirements. Currently, New Mexico offers no-cost child care to families with incomes at or below 400% of the federal poverty line.  

Universal child care will save families an estimated $12,000 per child, annually.  

“Child care is essential to family stability, workforce participation, and New Mexico’s future prosperity,” said Governor Lujan Grisham. “By investing in universal child care, we are giving families financial relief, supporting our economy, and ensuring that every child has the opportunity to grow and thrive.”  

‘Zamboni’ for Rx fire: in California, wildland firefighters are rolling out a new high-tech machine designed to perform precise, safe prescribed burns in all weather conditions.

The machine, dubbed BurnBot, is a remote-controlled vehicle resembling a cross between a Zamboni and a tractor trailer. As it moves, it incinerates the ground beneath it, safely burning away dry, fire-prone vegetation. It’s particularly useful for populated areas where traditional prescribed burns aren’t possible and other fuels management techniques can’t fully remove dry vegetation.  

Early research also shows that after a burn from BurnBot, more fire-resistant native plants tend to return to the area, instead of fire-prone invasive grasses.  

Portable nuclear reactors: in Wyoming, the nuclear manufacturer Black Mesa Advanced Fission is set to build a line of portable nuclear reactors under a contract with the U.S. Army.  

The shipping container-sized reactors are designed to be portable and replace some of the Army’s current fleet of diesel generators. The military will use the reactors to power forward operating bases, communications technologies, and as an emergency power supply.  

To learn more about the rapidly evolving nuclear energy industry, join us via livestream on September 22 & 23 to hear Utah Governor Spencer Cox and Idaho Governor Brad Little discuss the future of nuclear power in the West. Register here. 

Oregon Tuna Classic: late last month, anglers on the Oregon coast kicked off the Oregon Tuna Classic, a fishing tournament that hauls in thousands of pounds of fish for nonprofits and local food banks.

Every summer for the past 20 years, fishing boats have ventured 20 to 50 miles off the coast to fish the run of albacore tuna, which migrate across the Pacific from the waters off Japan around this time of year.  

Heavy rain and winds didn’t stop nearly 50 teams from reeling in 950 fish weighing a total of 14,000 pounds, with the winning tuna weighing in at over 24 pounds.