The University of Texas at has received a US$4.9mn grant from the US Department of Energy (DOE) to conduct research on two potential climate change solutions around the Earth’s subsurface: the storage of carbon dioxide and the generation of energy.
A team of UTEP researchers will lead a multi-institutional team in accelerating climate change solutions. Other contributors will come from Florida State University, the University of Utah, Sandia National Laboratories and Alma Energy LLC. Together, they will target solutions for two DOE objectives, reducing carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and enhancing the effectiveness of geothermal energy capture.
Son-Young Yi, Ph.D., an Associate Professor in the Department of Mathematical Sciences, is the grant’s Principal Investigator and forms the UTEP contingency of the team alongside Co-PIs James Kubicki, Ph.D., a Professor in the Department of Earth, Environmental and Resource Sciences and Zhengtao Gan, Ph.D., an Assistant Professor in the Department of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering.
The researchers will create computational models, using machine learning algorithms, that can help the clean energy industry reduce carbon dioxide in the Earth’s atmosphere and create a reliable means of accessing geothermal energy.
“There is a bevy of interactions taking place underground which influence the amount of energy that can be extracted from a particular location and the rate of production that a particular location will offer over time,” Gan said. “Our team will work with an industry partner to create computational models that can mitigate the exploration risks and help players in this industry identify the best areas for geothermal energy extraction.”
According to the team, the increased efficiency may result in greater quantities of energy extracted and sustained rates of production, which will hopefully translate to a more accessible and affordable way for Americans to power their homes.
“This is an exciting opportunity because crossing scales and putting together a picture of geochemical processes is a grand challenge in subsurface applications,” Kubicki said. “The potential to bring geothermal energy to the El Paso region and to help address carbon dioxide removal from the atmosphere is a dream come true.”
One method being researched for storing excess carbon dioxide is geologic carbon sequestration, which is the injection of the gas in underground geologic formations, such as saline aquifers – reservoirs of salt water that are located deep beneath layers of rock. A drawback to this approach is the possibility for the gas to seep, or leak, back to the surface and re-enter the atmosphere, Yi said.
“Our computational models will analyze the behavior of carbon dioxide across different scales, from the microscale to the macro scale, so that we can simulate and predict how long carbon dioxide will stay in the underground rock formations,” Yi said. “The work is ambitious as no model exists yet that has been able to link data about carbon dioxide’s behavior across scales, but if we’re successful, our models will help the clean energy industry understand the long-term evolution of the injected carbon dioxide and better identify optimal locations for carbon dioxide injection with respect to minimizing leakage.”
Energy services provider Expro has completed a well cement placement project for a prominent operator from the US, Gulf of Mexico, delivering an inner-string cementing on a subsea well's 22" surface casing in a water depth of approximately 2,000 m in the Mississippi Canyon area
When integrated with Expro’s other well construction technologies, the company’s innovative Cure technology range, including SeaCure, QuikCure, and CoreCure, offers a comprehensive package for ultimate cement placement and provides a complete 'head-to-shoe' solution.
Expro's Cure technologies allowed the operator to overcome ongoing offset well challenges. These included prolonged wait on cement (WOC) periods when transitioning directly from the jet string to the 22" surface casing, and tasks associated with drilling out a 22" shoetrack.
Jeremy Angelle, Expro’s Vice President of Well Construction, commented, “Our integrated cementing solution helped save approximately 18 hours of cement related drill-out, clean-out, and WOC time when compared to offset wells. By using our Cure technologies, we removed the requirement for a shoetrack to be left in the casing string, helping to avoid previously experienced cement sheath-related challenges. In addition, the QuickCure solution reduced WOC time. This latest project highlights Expro’s commitment to provide solutions that empower our clients to overcome operational challenges and achieve excellent results.”
The Cure technology range was added to Expro’s portfolio of cost-effective, innovative solutions within the company’s well construction product line as part of the Company’s acquisition of DeltaTek in February. The DeltaTek range of low-risk open water cementing solutions help increases clients’ operational efficiency, delivers rig time and cost savings, and improves the quality of cementing operations.
Subterra Renewables, one of the leading geothermal utility providers in North America, has announced its expansion into Western Canada and the US following its affiliate companies’ recent acquisition of Earth Drilling Co. Ltd.
One of the west coast’s leading drilling suppliers, the transaction includes the acquisition of Nevada-based Harris Exploration, a high-profile source of drilling and installation services in Nevada, California and Arizona. Earth Drilling and Harris are now part of Subterra’s group of companies that provide coast-to-coast access to geothermal drilling for geo-exchange system installations.
Matthew Tokarik, President of Subterra Renewables, said, “We are thrilled to officially welcome our valued collegaues from Earth Drilling and Harris Explorations to our growing network of experienced talent as we scale up our operations and ramp-up assets to meet the rapidly growing demand for community developments powered by renewable energy.
“Aligning ourselves with seasoned leaders that bring a combined 115 years of geo-drilling and exploration experience across North America provides is with immediate access to best-in-class services as we build out our coast-to-coast business. An opportune time as electrification and renewables take their place in a net-zero world.”
John Paul Wegleitner, CEO of Earth Drilling, commented, “We are excited and proud to be combining our visionary teams and resources as we diversify our geo-drilling operational opportunities to support a rapidly growing renewables industry under the Subterra group of companies.”
Subterra Renewables’ Chief Revenue Officer, Kareem Mirza, concluded, “This is a strategic move to ensure our renewable energy sector’s supply chain is adequately equipped with nation-wide access to expeditious and precision-tested talent and services. We are establishing ourselves as a vertically integrated geothermal utility provider whose reach spans across North America – best suited to meet the fast-growing renewable energy movement as district communities transition to electrification, powered by geothermal exchange systems.”
Federal economic development agency, Pacific Economic Development Canada (PacifiCan), announced last week that it would provide CAD$3.6mn in funding to Kitselas Geothermal harness geothermal energy in British Columbia for commercial use.
Kitselas Geothermal aims to decarbonise local industry to provide social, environmental and economic benefits to the traditional territory of Kitselas First Nation. In the first phase of its geothermal project, the ‘Fuel of Recognition’ at the M’Deek Reservoir, it is designed to replace 270,000 gigajoules per year of natural gas, reducing greenhouse gas emissions by more than 13,000 tonnes per year.
With the funding from PacifiCan’s Jobs and Growth Fund, Kitselas Geothermal will drill production wells to harness geothermal energy, with the project expecting to generate 170 jobs for Indigenous workers and furthering the economic benefits for the region. This funding will help Indigenous communities across British Columbia seize new opportunities that power a net-zero future.
The Honourable Harjit S. Sajjan, Minister of Emergency Preparedness and Minister responsible for PacifiCan, said, “This announcement on World Geothermal Energy Day reflects the Government of Canada’s commitment to building a net-zero future. By harnessing the power of geothermal energy in Northern B.C., Kitselas Geothermal brings us one step closer to that future. PacifiCan will continue working with Indigenous communities in B.C. to create lasting economic development that advances reconciliation.”
Alison Thompson, Director of Kitselas Geothermal, added, “Development of the ‘Fuel for Reconciliation’ geothermal energy project is a significant step towards Kitselas First Nation’s economic independence. The project also contributes to B.C.’s and Canada’s transition towards clean energy by demonstrating technology, training highly qualified professionals, and providing a proving ground for regulatory reform that will benefit both future project phases and other geothermal projects elsewhere in the country.”
Ormat Technologies has broken new ground as it has partnered with DEEP Earth Energy to launch Canada’s first 5MW conventional geothermal power plant.
The two companies have signed a Notice to Proceed Agreement, marking the first step in redefining the region’s energy landscape by bringing the green energy source online. The project marks a significant milestone in Canada’s commitment to sustainable energy as the region has long since been established as having vast geothermal potential.
DEEP Earth Energy’s President and CEO, Kirsten Marcia, said, “We are grateful to have such a strong and committed partner as DEEP prepared to become Canada’s first commercial conventional geothermal power producer. Together, we will revolutionise the geothermal power industry, incorporating DEEP’s first-in-the-world horizontal well design and Ormat’s ORC power generation equipment.”
Ran Reshef, Vice President of International Sales for Ormat Technologies, commented, “It is with great honour that we find ourselves at the forefront of this pivotal transformation in the Canadian energy landscape. As we move forward, let it be known that this is just the beginning.”
Seequent, a Bentley Subsurface company, has agreed to acquire Flow State Solutions, a leader in geothermal simulation software, in a bid to cement its position as a comprehensive subsurface provider for the geothermal sector.
Graham Grant, CEO, Seequent, remarked, “Geothermal has the potential to help solve the world’s biggest energy challenges. With this acquisition, Seequent’s best-in-class subsurface analysis software enables a full understanding of geothermal asset performance.”
The geothermal reservoir, wellbore and surface network simulation software of Flow State Solutions helps customers better understand geothermal resources for development and optimisation. As per the agreement, the company’s Volsung portfolio will be combined with Seequent’s capabilities to create a robust end-to-end solution for reservoir analysis. Detailed models of the subsurface built in Leapfrog Energy can be utilised in Flow State Solutions’ simulation environment to build a full picture of a geothermal asset.
Flow State Solutions co-founder, Jonathon Clearwater, who will join Seequent as Technical Domain Expert, Reservoir Engineering, commented, “We are excited to join Seequent’s energy team. By combining Seequent’s expertise and our technical capability in geothermal modeling, we are looking forward to making a significant contribution to the renewable energy transition through improved management of natural resources.”
Simon Webbison, Vice President, Exploration and Resource Management, Ormat Technologies, said, “Ormat Technologies is one of the largest and most active geothermal companies globally, and we are delighted to see the combination of Seequent and Flow State Solutions software capabilities through this acquisition. We already use both companies’ software to better understand our geothermal assets and predict performance, and we are looking forward to working with the joint team to continue driving our success.”
Fervo Energy, a leader in geothermal technology, has marked the start of exploration drilling at its Cape Station, US, with a groundbreaking ceremony.
The next-generation geothermal energy project is expected to deliver 400MW of 24/7 electricity after it reaches full scale production in 2028.
Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Land and Minerals Management, Laura Daniel Davis, commented, “At the Interior Department, we have been moving quickly to meet President Biden’s goal of achieving a carbon pollution-free power sector by 2035. The Cape Station geothermal energy project we are celebrating today is an important milestone in our effort to make that goal a reality.”
The project will likely be the first of many designed to exploit the vast geothermal potential Utah is home to. It is estimated that just the southwest portion of the state contains more than 10GW of high-quality geothermal reserves.
Utah Governor, Spencer Cox, remarked, “Geothermal innovations like those pioneered by Fervo will play a critical role in extending Utah’s energy leadership for generations to come.”
The developer of ocean robots for autonomous services, Nauticus Robotics, Inc., has announced its entry into a service contract with Shell plc for inspection services on a Shell subsea field development in the Gulf of Mexico.
Aquanaut, Nauticus’ flagship autonomous robot, will serve as the project’s main machine and perform noncontact and contact inspections across the subsea complex. This project will feature Nauticus’ first-to-market method of autonomous subsea manipulation on live subsea assets in water depths exceeding 1,000 m.
The project will also feature a ‘force multiplier’ solution, boasting multiple scopes of work to be executed simultaneously from a smaller class service vessel that would not normally engage in IMR services. This agreement will see both Nautiucs and Shell take a major step in maturing a novel joint approach to underwater operations that could lead to a significant change in technology and service delivery for the offshore sector.
Nicolaus Radford, CEO of Nauticus, said, “I am incredibly pleased with the progress the team has made in our collaboration with Shell and to embark on this new project with one of the world’s leading energy companies. Nauticus now has visibility long term IMR services work for Shell and the opportunity to become the preferred supplier for this advanced work.
“We recognise the significance of this opportunity with Shell and look forward to the execution of this project work.”
The global offshore well intervention market is set for a period of extended growth in light of stable oil prices forecast in the short-term, maintained oil demand in the medium- and possibly long-term, and ever-increasing environmental pressures.
Globally, spending on well intervention is on the rise with Rystad Energy predicting an increase by almost 20% in 2023 to take the total tally to US$58bn. This is just the start of a forthcoming surge with 17% of wells predicted to go through the intervention process by 2027.
North America accounts for 64% of the total wells ready for intervention by 2027, according to Rystad, giving rise to the dramatic potential of the market in the Gulf of Mexico. According to BSEE, there are approximately 1,885 active production platforms on the OCS with more than 60% older than 25 years.
This is leaving operators grappling with the need to maintain production rates while also dealing with ever-ageing infrastructure, with mounting regulatory pressure increasing the need to address decommissioning obligations. In facing this conundrum, an increasing amount of well intervention activity is highlighting the importance of this service as a means to address both sides.
As new technological innovations become more viable and the understanding around methods such as light well intervention build, the market will only advance in stature, suggesting it will finally meet the potential it has promised for so long, creating a tantalising future for the crowd of service and equipment providers offering their assistance.
Fervo Energy, one of the leaders in next-generation geothermal technology, has announced the successful completion of its well test at its full-scale commercial pilot project, Project Red, in Nevada.
The successful test confirmed the commercial viability of Fervo’s drilling technology and further established Project Red as one of the most productive enhanced geothermal systems (ESG) to date. The 30-day well test achieved a flow rate of 63 litres per second at high temperature, which enabled 3.5MW of electric production, setting new records for both flow and power output from an EGS.
Fervo is the first company to successfully drill a horizontal well pair for commercial geothermal production, achieving lateral lengths of 3,250 ft, and reaching temperatures of 191°C. Data collected through the course of this pilot prohject will enable rapid advancement in geothermal deployment, with Fervo’s next horizontal well pair planned to achieve more than double the power output of the pilot design.
Tim Latimer, Fervo Energy CEO and Co-Founder, said, “By applying drilling technology from the oil and gas industry, we have proven that we can produce 24/7 carbon-free energy resources in new geographies across the world. The incredible results we share today are the product of many years of dedicated work and commitment from Fervo employees and industry partners, especially Google.”
Fervo and Google signed the world’s first corporate agreement in 2021 to develop next-generation geothermal power. The end goal for the partnership is to power Google’s Cloud region in Las Vegas with an ‘always-on’, carbon-free resource that will reduce the company’s hourly reliance on fossil fuels.
Results from Project Red indicate that geothermal energy could supply more than 20% of US power needs and compliment wind and solar in order to reach a fully decarbonised grid.
Trendsetter Engineering, a provider of specialised subsea hardware and offshore service solutions from exploration drilling through to abandonment, has announced the recent completion of two deepwater well stimulation campaigns for major operators in the Gulf of Mexico.
The two campaigns resulted in the successful acid treatments of a combined six wells. The campaigns arrived on the heels of a contract agreement to deliver hydraulic intervention and technical services via the Subsea Tree Injection Manifold (STIM) for a Hydrate Remediation and Flowline Flush Project in the Gulf of Mexico.
The Trendsetter STIM offers a 15,000psi rated subsea safety system designed to provide hydraulic well access for both vertical and horizontal tree types. In addition to hydraulic well stimulation, the STIM unit has been used and is capable of supporting various other hydraulic intervention operations including hydrate remediation, bull heading of kill weight fluid and cement as well flowline flushing and testing operations for both pre and decommissioning.
Valaris has secured new contracts and contract extensions to leave its associated contract backlog at approximately US$150mn.
The new scope includes:
• A two-well contract with Anadarko Petroleum Corporation in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico for semisubmersible VALARIS DPS-5. The contract is expected to commence in July 2023 and has a minimum duration of 60 days.
• A nine-well contract for a plug and abandonment campaign with Apache in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico for semisubmersible VALARIS DPS-5. The contract is expected to commence in September 2023 and has a minimum duration of 110 days.
• A minimum duration 180-day contract with an undisclosed operator offshore Australia for heavy duty modern jackup VALARIS 107. The contract is expected to commence in first quarter 2024.
• A one-year contract with an undisclosed operator offshore Australia for heavy duty modern jackup VALARIS 107. The contract is expected to commence in October 2024.
• A two-well contract with a major Australian operator for heavy duty ultra-harsh environment jackup VALARIS 247. The contract is expected to commence in early to mid-2024 and has an estimated duration of 100 days.
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