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U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Geothermal Well Technology Program

Conference ·
OSTI ID:6700590

The high cost of drilling and completing geothermal wells is an impediment to the development of geothermal energy resources. Technological deficiencies in rotary drilling techniques are evidenced when drilling geothermal wells. The Division of Geothermal Energy (DGE) of the U.S. Department of Energy has initiated a program aimed at developing new drilling and completion techniques for geothermal wells. The goals of this program are to reduce well costs by 25% by 1982 and by 50% by 1986. An overview of the program is presented. Program justification which relates well cost to busbar energy cost and to DGE power-on-line goals is presented. Technological deficiencies encountered when current rotary drilling techniques are used for geothermal wells are discussed. A program for correcting these deficiencies is described.

Research Organization:
Sandia Labs., Albuquerque, NM (USA)
DOE Contract Number:
EY-76-C-04-0789
OSTI ID:
6700590
Report Number(s):
SAND-78-1063C; CONF-780580-1
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English