DeepPower - Breakthrough Geothermal Drilling Technology
We are developing a suite of breakthrough drilling technologies, based on existing oil & gas drilling techniques, to boldly go where no oil rig has gone before. Unlike new and unproven geothermal drilling technologies such as plasma or lasers, our drilling technologies will be based on the tried and true mechanical rotary drill. However, our drill, wellbore and casing technology will be designed from the ground up and optimized for the physics of superhot rock geothermal.
DeepPower Drill
We start with the tried and true concept of an oil and gas exploration drill. Then, we change the method and geometry of drilling in such a way that we reduce the stress around the wellbore – in effect weakening the rock. By requiring less mechanical energy, we believe we will be able to drill faster, deeper and at a lower cost.
DeepPower Case
We intend to use traditional oil and gas casing down several miles, then switch to our special single mono-bore casing to go all the way to superhot rock. This reduces “trip time” thereby further reducing the total drilling cost.
DeepPower Coating
At about 5 to 6 miles down, the superhot rock is approximately 400°C. Injected water at this temperature becomes supercritical – a phase of water that is neither liquid nor gas. This supercritical water can hold 10 times more heat energy than lower temperature water. This “holy grail” of geothermal energy is not without challenges. At this temperature, the supercritical water is very corrosive. The world’s first superhot rock geothermal wells in Iceland failed due to corrosion. Therefore, we are developing breakthrough anti-corrosion coatings that can be used in well casings, valves, heat exchangers, and other surface equipment.
While everyone wants one, there are currently no commercially viable superhot rock geothermal plants due to the challenges we are attempting to overcome. The DeepPower Platform is being developed with 4 targets in mind:
- Higher rate of penetration (ROP) by making rocks weaker
- Less trip time to lower drilling cost
- Bigger wellbore diameter which lowers levelized cost of electricity (LCOE)
- Avoiding the cost of casing workover and repairs by using better casing connections and anti-corrosion coatings
The research and development of the DeepPower Platform is led by Professor Saeed Salehi at the University of Oklahoma through a sponsored research program funded by DeepPower. Dr. Salehi, Associate Professor, Mewbourne Professorship in Petroleum Engineering, has an extensive background in geological engineering. He previously worked as drilling and well engineer in the oil & gas industry and has more than ten year’s academic experience teaching and delivering university and industry customized courses.