| Title | Challenges in Providing a Reliable Water Distribution System for Geothermal Drilling Operation in Indonesia |
|---|---|
| Authors | D.W. Adityatama, D. Purba, V. Agustino, A. Rachmadani, H. Wiharlan and K.K. Pasmeputra |
| Year | 2020 |
| Conference | New Zealand Geothermal Workshop |
| Keywords | geothermal, drilling, Indonesia, exploration, water supply, water transfer, infrastructure, local community |
| Abstract | Geothermal drilling activities, both in the exploration and development stage, require a significant amount of fresh water supply. The water consumption generally increases during drilling into the reservoir zone, which consists of fractures and faults allowing higher chance of lost circulation event. Continuous water supply with sufficient flow rate, to be circulated into the hole, is very critical during drilling because it serves many purposes. When the water distribution into the well is interrupted or stopped completely, drilling activity must be ceased to avoid any potential downhole problem due to lack of water or mud circulation. Unfortunately, in Indonesia, providing fresh water for drilling operation is often not an easy task. Most geothermal prospects in Indonesia are located in fertile mountainous areas that have low rainfall and are inhabited by people, thus the available sources of fresh water are often used for irrigating rice fields. This condition forces geothermal developers to use other water sources with low (acidic) pH that often located far from the existing road. Additionally, the surface contour from the water source to the drilling pad is often extremely uneven. This paper discusses various potential challenges, both technical and non-technical, in securing fresh water supply for geothermal drilling operations in Indonesia. Several solutions or mitigations based on literature studies and authors experience are also summarized in this study. |