Directional drilling operations Hot Dry Rock well EE-2
Directional drilling of deviated geothermal wells in hot granite poses several severe equipment and instrumentation problems. The Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory (LASL) Hot Dry Rock (HDR) geothermal reservoir analyses indicate that boreholes with a significant inclination provide access to hydraulic fracturing of a large volume of reservoir rock. The first well (Energy Extraction No. 2; EE-2) of a pair of wells planned to test this concept was successfully directionally drilled at the Fenton Hill, NM, experimental site. The well was deviated by 180/sup 0/ in azimuth and the bottom part was drilled at 35/sup 0/ to the vertical. The downhole directional drilling equipment, steering tools, and operational procedures used are presented. Problems encountered were directly related to the rough drilling in the hard granite and high temperature, 275/sup 0/C (530/sup 0/F), at the total depth of 4.661 km (15,292 ft). Results of the EE-2 directional program were used to optimize the directional drilling of the second well EE-3.
- Research Organization:
- Grace, Shursen, Moore and Associates, Amarillo, TX
- OSTI ID:
- 6297188
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-800920-
- Journal Information:
- Trans. - Geotherm. Resour. Counc.; (United States), Vol. 4; Conference: Geothermal Resource Council annual meeting, Salt Lake City, UT, USA, 9 Sep 1980
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Directional Drilling and Equipment for Hot Granite Wells
Planning and drilling geothermal energy extraction hole EE-2: a precisely oriented and deviated hole in hot granitic rock
Related Subjects
HOT-DRY-ROCK SYSTEMS
DIRECTIONAL DRILLING
BOREHOLES
DRILLING EQUIPMENT
GEOTHERMAL WELLS
GRANITES
HIGH TEMPERATURE
HYDRAULIC FRACTURING
OPTIMIZATION
CAVITIES
COMMINUTION
DRILLING
ENERGY SYSTEMS
EQUIPMENT
FRACTURING
GEOTHERMAL SYSTEMS
IGNEOUS ROCKS
PLUTONIC ROCKS
ROCKS
WELLS
150901* - Geothermal Engineering- Drilling Technology & Well Hardware