| Title | Accelerating Closed-Loop Geothermal Well Construction: Cost and Time Reductions via Active Magnetic Ranging Technology |
|---|---|
| Authors | Alex Vetsak, Daniel Ayala Rivas, Eddy Arida |
| Year | 2026 |
| Conference | World Geothermal Congress |
| Keywords | |
| Abstract | Closed-loop geothermal systems demand precise lateral well connections to ensure efficient heat exchange and system integrity. Traditional wireline Active Magnetic Ranging (AMR) surveys, while accurate, can impose significant operational delays and costs due to repeated pump-and-reposition cycles. In this study, we introduce a novel non-wireline AMR technology - designed in collaboration with cross-functional drilling and engineering teams - and compare its performance against conventional wireline AMR during parallel drilling of lateral well pairs. We deployed both wireline and non-wireline AMR tools on a closed-loop geothermal well campaign, drilling multiple lateral pairs in tandem. Each lateral was drilled to target depth, with the AMR tools confirming sub-meter wellbore convergence to enable safe and reliable lateral tie-ins. Data acquisition and processing workflows were optimized to run in real time, eliminating the need for repetitive pump-and-reposition stages. The non-wireline AMR delivered a reduction of five operational days per lateral pair and achieved a drilling cost savings of approximately €500,000 per pair. Workflow simplification enabled survey execution in less than 10% of the time of wireline methods. The accuracy of the novel AMR met or exceeded wireline benchmarks, with positional uncertainty below 2% at 65-meter wellbore separation. These results demonstrate that integrating non-wireline AMR into closed-loop geothermal well construction can substantially shorten project schedules and lower capital expenditure. By fostering multidisciplinary collaboration, this technology paves the way for accelerated learning curves and underpins the Geothermal Anywhere vision - unlocking scalable, cost-effective geothermal energy deployment worldwide. |