Advanced Geothermal Turbodrill
- Maurer Engineering Inc.
Approximately 50% of the cost of a new geothermal power plant is in the wells that must be drilled. Compared to the majority of oil and gas wells, geothermal wells are more difficult and costly to drill for several reasons. First, most U.S. geothermal resources consist of hot, hard crystalline rock formations which drill much slower than the relatively soft sedimentary formations associated with most oil and gas production. Second, high downhole temperatures can greatly shorten equipment life or preclude the use of some technologies altogether. Third, producing viable levels of electricity from geothermal fields requires the use of large diameter bores and a high degree of fluid communication, both of which increase drilling and completion costs. Optimizing fluid communication often requires creation of a directional well to intersect the best and largest number of fracture capable of producing hot geothermal fluids. Moineau motor stators made with elastomers cannot operate at geothermal temperatures, so they are limited to the upper portion of the hole. To overcome these limitations, Maurer Engineering Inc. (MEI) has developed a turbodrill that does not use elastomers and therefore can operate at geothermal temperatures. This new turbodrill uses a special gear assembly to reduce the output speed, thus allowing a larger range of bit types, especially tri-cone roller bits, which are the bits of choice for drilling hard crystalline formations. The Advanced Geothermal Turbodrill (AGT) represents a significant improvement for drilling geothermal wells and has the potential to significantly reduce drilling costs while increasing production, thereby making geothermal energy less expensive and better able to compete with fossil fuels. The final field test of the AGT will prepare the tool for successful commercialization.
- Research Organization:
- USDOE Idaho Operations Office, Idaho Falls, ID; Maurer Engineering, Inc., Houston, TX (US)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE Office of Geothermal Technologies (EE-12) (US)
- DOE Contract Number:
- FG07-98ID13680
- OSTI ID:
- 765115
- Report Number(s):
- DOE/ID/13680
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
15 GEOTHERMAL ENERGY
CRYSTALLINE ROCK FORMATIONS
DIRECTIONAL WELL
DOWNHOLE TEMPERATURE
ELASTOMERS
FLUID COMMUNICATION
FRACTURES
GEOTHERMAL ENERGY
GEOTHERMAL FIELDS
GEOTHERMAL FLUIDS
GEOTHERMAL POWER PLANTS
GEOTHERMAL RESOURCES
GEOTHERMAL WELLS
Geothermal Legacy
HOT GEOTHERMAL FLUIDS
IGNEOUS ROCKS
METAMORPHIC ROCKS
NATURAL GAS WELLS
POWER PLANT
TURBODRILL
TURBODRILLS