{"id":18703,"date":"2024-05-11T03:03:04","date_gmt":"2024-05-11T03:03:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/energybuzz.ph\/staging\/6915\/iadc-geothermal-committee-working-to-create-geothermal-well-standards\/"},"modified":"2024-05-11T03:03:04","modified_gmt":"2024-05-11T03:03:04","slug":"iadc-geothermal-committee-working-to-create-geothermal-well-standards","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/energybuzz.ph\/staging\/6915\/iadc-geothermal-committee-working-to-create-geothermal-well-standards\/","title":{"rendered":"IADC Geothermal Committee working to create geothermal well standards"},"content":{"rendered":"
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The International Association of Drilling Contractors<\/a> (IADC) Geothermal Committee is working to develop a much needed set of standardized industry guidelines for drilling geothermal wells that will help to advance the geothermal sector. One of the goals is to create a well classification system that accounts for factors like reservoir dependency, well purpose, design and operation, rig requirements, well control, and environmental impact.<\/p>\n

Interest from the industry<\/strong><\/h4>\n

The idea to create a Geothermal Committee stemmed from the 2022 IADC World Drilling Conference in Paris, where the idea of a forum for drilling contractors who are interested in geothermal was discussed. This led to the formation of an IADC geothermal workgroup that worked to worked to formally assess member interest and evaluate the objectives and deliverables of a Geothermal Committee as recounted by Lars Nydahl Jorgensen, Regional Director Europe at IADC.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe sent out e-mails to drilling contractors and service companies that are engaged in geothermal, and very soon we had several companies saying we needed to do something,\u201d<\/em> Mr Jorgensen said.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe value proposition for geothermal is definitely there,\u201d<\/em> said Scott Farmer, Well Engineering Manager at Helmerich & Payne (H&P) and Chairman of the Geothermal Committee. \u201cWhile it\u2019s not exactly like traditional oil and gas, we have a lot of people in this industry who are very passionate about geothermal. There are a lot of companies waiting in the wings, keeping an eye on what\u2019s going on.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

A geothermal well classification system<\/strong><\/h4>\n

One of the first gaps the workgroup identified was the lack of industry guidelines around the drilling of geothermal wells<\/a>. The lack of an international standard governing geothermal drilling has slowed the industry\u2019s development. \u201cWe need to have some kind of standardized, international guidelines that we can point to that show \u2013 both to the industry and policymakers \u2013 that this is how we should drill these types of wells. We need to cut that red tape when it comes to rig specifications and equipment,\u201d\u00a0<\/em>commented Farmer.<\/p>\n

Since the Geothermal Committee was established in November, members have been working on a well classification system that \u201creflects the practicalities of putting a hole in the ground,\u201d<\/em> as well as the risk and difficulty associated with the initial construction and long-term operation of a geothermal well. This classification is a precursor to a dedicated guideline on geothermal wells.<\/p>\n

An initial draft hierarchy of seven classes has been outlined:<\/p>\n