Geothermal Drilling and Completion Technology Development Program Annual Progress Report
The high cost of drilling and completing geothermal wells is an impediment to the timely development of geothermal resources in the US. The Division of Geothermal Energy (DGE) of the Department of Energy (DOE) has initiated a development program aimed at reducing well costs through improvements in the technology used to drill and complete geothermal wells. Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) has been selected to manage this program for DOE/DGE. Based on analyses of existing well costs, cost reduction goals have been set for the program. These are to develop the technology required to reduce well costs by 25% by 1983 and by 50% by 1987. To meet these goals, technology development in a wide range of areas is required. The near-term goal will be approached by improvements in conventional, rotary drilling technology. The long-term goal will require the development of an advanced drilling and completion system. Currently, the program is emphasizing activities directed at the near-term cost reduction goal, but increased emphasis on advanced system development is anticipated as time progresses. The program is structured into six sub-elements: Drilling Hardware, Drilling Fluids, Completion Technology, Lost Circulation Control Methods, Advanced Drilling Systems, and Supporting Technology. Technology development in each of these areas is conducted primarily through contracts with private industries and universities. Some projects are conducted internally by Sandia. This report describes the program, status, and results of ongoing R and D within the program for the 1980 fiscal year.
- Research Organization:
- Brown Univ., Providence, RI (USA). Div. of Engineering
- DOE Contract Number:
- AS02-76ET28320
- OSTI ID:
- 888912
- Report Number(s):
- DOE/ET/28320-47-1; CONF-810254-; TRN: US200619%%152
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: 10. Meeting of the Centers for the Analysis of Thermal/mechanical Energy Conversion Concepts, Salt Lake City, UT, USA, 24 Feb 1981
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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