Gradient Geothermal Supporting First-in-the-Nation Colorado Initiative to Transform Orphan Oil & Gas Wells into Geothermal and Carbon Storage Assets
DENVER, March 3, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Gradient Geothermal (“Gradient” or “the Company”), a Denver, Colorado-based geothermal company, will be supporting a major technical study led by the Colorado Energy and Carbon Management Commission (ECMC) and the Colorado Energy Office (CEO).
The project will evaluate the potential to repurpose orphaned oil and gas wells across Colorado for geothermal energy production and assess synergies between geothermal development and carbon capture and sequestration (CCS). The study aims to transform state liabilities into clean energy assets while advancing Colorado’s net-zero greenhouse gas goals.
As an expert in geothermal analysis, Gradient Geothermal will conduct engineering evaluations of wells within ECMC’s Orphaned Well Program to determine their suitability for electricity generation or direct-use geothermal applications. The effort will also inform regulatory pathways and policy frameworks to streamline safe, protective permitting for future projects.
“This study represents an important step in turning orphaned wells from environmental liabilities into community assets,” said Benjamin Burke, CEO of Gradient Geothermal. “Repurposing existing infrastructure for geothermal energy can reduce methane emissions, create local jobs, and deliver reliable, low-emission power to Colorado communities.”
“We are excited to collaborate with Gradient Geothermal on this evaluation of repurposing potential across existing orphaned wells in Colorado,” said Julie Murphy, Director of Colorado’s Energy and Carbon Management Commission. “This work will help inform related regulatory process development and help to better understand how existing wells may be safely and effectively repurposed for other beneficial uses.”
The project will culminate in a publicly available dataset of orphaned wells and a final report outlining technical findings, pilot project recommendations, and policy guidance. Through this collaboration, the State of Colorado continues to demonstrate how pragmatic, science-based energy transition strategies can reduce emissions, strengthen energy resilience, and accelerate energy-positive and economic innovation.
About Gradient Geothermal
Gradient Geothermal is a Denver-based energy technology company advancing modular, distributed thermal and geothermal energy solutions across diverse subsurface heat resources — delivering emissions-free power. The company partners with operators and industrial facilities to convert existing wells and produced heat streams into scalable renewable energy, improving asset value while reducing emissions.
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SOURCE Gradient Geothermal Inc.
