Directional drilling equipment and techniques for deep hot granite wells

Conference · Tue Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1980

OSTI ID:5319903

Brittenham, T L; Sursen, G; Neudecker, J W; Rowley, J C; Williams, R E

Conventional directional drilling technology has been extended and modified to drill the first well of a subsurface geothermal energy extraction system at the Fenton Hill, New Mexico, Hot dry Rock (HDR) experimental site. Completing the first of a two-wellbore HDR system has resulted in the definition of operational limitations of many conventional directional drilling tools, instrumentation and techniques. The successful completion of the first wellbore, Energy Extraction Well No. 2 (EE-2), to a measured depth of 15,300 ft (4.7 km) in granite reservoir rock with a bottomhole temperature of 530/sup 0/F (275/sup 0/C) required the development of a new high temperature downhole motor and modification of existing wireline-conveyed steering tool systems. Conventional rotary-driven directional assemblies were successfully modified to accommodate the very hard and abrasive rock encountered while drilling nearly 8500 ft (2.6 km) of directional hole to a final inclination of 35/sup 0/ from the vertical at a controlled azimuthal orientation.

• Research Organization: Grace, Sursen, Moore and Associates, Amarillo, TX (USA); Los Alamos Scientific Lab., NM (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-36
• OSTI ID: 5319903
• Report Number(s): LA-UR-80-2086; CONF-800931-3
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

15 GEOTHERMAL ENERGY
150901* -- Geothermal Engineering-- Drilling Technology & Well Hardware
BOREHOLES
CAVITIES
DIRECTIONAL DRILLING
DRILLING
DRILLING EQUIPMENT
DRILLING RIGS
EQUIPMENT
GEOTHERMAL GRADIENTS
GEOTHERMAL SYSTEMS
GEOTHERMAL WELLS
GRANITES
Geothermal Legacy
HEAT EXTRACTION
HOT-DRY-ROCK SYSTEMS
IGNEOUS ROCKS
NEW MEXICO
NORTH AMERICA
PLUTONIC ROCKS
POROSITY
ROCKS
SOUTHWEST REGION
TEMPERATURE GRADIENTS
USA
WELLS