High Temperature 300°C Measurement While Drilling System
- Baker Hughes Oilfield Operations, Houston, TX (United States); Baker Hughes, a GE Company
Many countries around the world, including the USA, have untapped geothermal energy potential. Enhanced Geothermal Systems (EGS) technology is needed to economically utilize this resource. Temperatures in some EGS reservoirs can exceed 300°C. To effectively utilize EGS resources, an array of injection and production wells must be accurately placed in the formation fracture network. Therefore, EGS can greatly benefit from a high temperature directional drilling system. Most commercial services for directional drilling systems are rated for 175°C while geothermal wells require operation at much higher temperatures. Two U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Geothermal Technologies Office (GTO) projects have been initiated to develop a 300°C capable directional drilling system, the first developing a drill bit, directional motor, and drilling fluid (award number DE-EE0002782), and the second adding navigation and telemetry systems. This report is for the second project, “High Temperature 300°C Measurement While Drilling System”, award number DE-EE0005505. The “High Temperature 300°C Measurement While Drilling (MWD)” system complements the already developed drilling system with real time navigation capability. It is comprised of 175°C directional measurement electronics including the required sensors for measuring inclination and azimuth in 3 axes. It is embedded in a cooling and temperature isolation system to protect the electronics and sensors from the higher temperature outside the system, which can reach 300°C. Building the cooling and isolation system from non-magnetic materials and keeping a required distance to any magnetic component, such as alternator parts, ensures a high quality measurement of the earth’s magnetic field. This is required to achieve the specified navigation accuracy. The MWD system has a turbine driven alternator that is capable of delivering the required electrical energy to the electronic system at a 300°C borehole temperature. Measured data will be communicated to the surface by mud-pulse-telemetry. For this purpose the tool has a mud-pulse-valve that is controlled by the measurement electronics to establish a serial data communication via the mud stream. The mud-pulse-valve is also built to operate under 300°C borehole conditions. Three prototypes of the 300°C MWD were built and tested. These systems are available for a joint application with the previously developed 300°C drilling system, in a geothermal well.
- Research Organization:
- Baker Hughes Oilfield Operations, Houston, TX (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), Geothermal Technologies Office (EE-4G)
- DOE Contract Number:
- EE0005505
- OSTI ID:
- 1496969
- Report Number(s):
- DOE-BHGE--0005505-1
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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