The emerging geothermal energy sector is leveraging the expertise of oil and gas workers to advance drilling techniques for renewable heat sources. Professionals like Mike Fleming, with a background in conventional drilling, have transitioned to geothermal projects, highlighting transferable skills in safety and precision. Government support and industry growth signal potential for broader workforce shifts.
Mike Fleming, who has a decade of experience drilling wells in New England, joined Phoenix Foundation Company in late 2024 to oversee geothermal drilling. He noted the similarities to his previous work: “You’re making a hole in the ground, you’re putting some plastic pipe down there, and you’re sealing the hole.”
Conventional geothermal involves drilling 200 to 500 feet deep to access subsurface earth temperatures of 50 to 60 degrees Fahrenheit, used by millions of residential heat pumps for heating and cooling. In 2024, geothermal accounted for 0.36 percent of U.S. energy production. Enhanced geothermal systems go deeper, reaching rocks up to 750 degrees Fahrenheit, capable of powering buildings, factories, and communities.
A 2024 U.S. Department of Energy report estimates that as many as 300,000 people already have the necessary skills for these roles. The domestic geothermal workforce grew to 8,870 people that year, while globally it employs around 145,000. Cindy Taff, CEO of Sage Geosystems, which she co-founded in 2020 after 35 years at Shell, said, “Drilling rig companies recognize this growth.” She emphasized the oil and gas industry's innovative history, from land wells to deep offshore operations.
The Trump administration has supported geothermal through the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, preserving tax credits until 2033, and a recent Department of Energy announcement of $171.5 million for next-generation field tests. Techniques like hydraulic fracturing for geothermal require minimal wastewater re-injection, reducing risks like earthquakes seen in oil and gas disposal in Oklahoma and West Texas, according to geophysicist Jonathan Ajo-Franklin of Rice University.
Jamie Beard of Project InnerSpace hosted the MAGMA event last year, where Energy Secretary Chris Wright expressed support. Brock Yordy, founder of the Geothermal Drillers Association and a third-generation driller, compared the skills' transferability to hanging a painting on different walls, adding, “It’s like being Indiana Jones. It’s exciting to think about.” While major oil companies have not yet invested heavily, experts see significant overlap in drilling expertise for extracting heat versus oil.
