Abstract

This talk explores the growing potential of geothermal energy in Saudi Arabia as a sustainable resource for district cooling and desalination, contributing the Kingdom’s NDC goals and RDI national priorities. We will explore the global landscape of low- and high-enthalpy geothermal activities, showcasing successful applications from various regions around the globe. Building upon these case studies, the discussion will shift to Saudi Arabia’s unique geological conditions and the opportunities for leveraging its geothermal resources. The talk aims to give insights into the technical, economic, and challenges of implementing geothermal energy, as well as its potential to contribute to the Kingdom’s sustainability goals.

Biography

Dr. Hussein Hoteit is professor of the Earth Systems Science and Engineering (ESSE) Program at KAUST. His work spans reservoir engineering, multiphase fluid flow and reactive transport, with a present focus on energy-transition applications. Before joining KAUST in 2016, he spent about 15 years in the oil and gas industry at Reservoir Engineering Research Institute (RERI), ConocoPhillips (reservoir-simulation development, heavy-oil technology), and Chevron (unconventional resources, IOR/EOR). He has 150+ publications in the field, and has secured multiple external industry projects. He has served as an associate editor for SPE Journal, a focus area editor for JPT, and contributed to Mission Innovation’s Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR) Program and Saudi Arabia’s Circular Carbon Economy National Program. He currently serves as a lead author for Chapter 15, “Potentials, Limits, and Risks of Carbon Dioxide Removal,” in the IPCC Working Group III, in the Seventh Assessment Report (AR7).