| Title | Future of Geothermal Wells in Superhot Context |
|---|---|
| Authors | Benediktsdottir, A., Friðriksson, Þ., Palsdottir, A., Tryggvadottir, L., Markusson, S., Thorhallsson, A., Haraldsdottir, H. |
| Year | 2026 |
| Conference | World Geothermal Congress |
| Keywords | |
| Abstract | Geothermal well technology comes mainly from the oil and gas industry. This technology transfer has generally been very beneficial for the geothermal sector. There are, however, issues, specific to geothermal, that have not been addressed properly that have led to incidents resulting in casing failures, especially in hot, powerful wells. The conditions when producing from superhot formations are challenging; the temperatures are higher, the casings longer, and the fluid chemistry can be corrosive. Thus, it is foreseeable that conventional geothermal well technology, with its origins in oil and gas technology, will not suffice as the geothermal sector pushes the border towards higher temperatures. To enable successful harnessing of energy from superhot resources new technology must be developed that addresses these issues specific to geothermal. The aim of the COMPASS project is to address technical issues regarding drilling into and producing energy from superhot formations with special focus on well design. Within the COMPASS project a basis of key lessons learned from previous deep drilling projects was established. The challenges were analyzed and solutions presented. This paper comprises the results of this investigation and aspires to be a piece in the puzzle to form a useful basis for discussion of further solutions for deep well drilling into superhot conditions. |