Aberdeen based Churchill Drilling Tools was selected to provide equipment for the world’s deepest and hottest geothermal borehole.
The oilfield service firm’s flagship DAV MX™ CircSub drill the 5km borehole in the Iceland Deep Drilling Project (IDDP) on the Reykjanes Peninsula.
The well is earmarked to become an integral part of Iceland’s geothermal energy production – providing clean, renewable energy by using “supercritical” steam heated by the earth’s magma.
Drilling took 176 days and involved the deepening of an existing geothermal borehole to a depth of 5km.
The IDDP team encountered temperatures of 427°C at a depth of 4,659m – simultaneously creating the deepest and hottest ever geothermal borehole and encountering supercritical conditions at a shallower depth than anticipated.
Samples were taken to surface to ascertain fluid chemistry and the drill presented an unprecedented look into the depths of the earth’s crust.
The DAV MX™ CircSub was selected on the recommendation of a major operator and partner in the IDDP product due to its robust temperature resistance and experience in high pressure/high temperature (HPHT) conventional wells.
Churchill said the bottom hole assembly (BHA) components would be “literally cooked” if circulation was lost using conventional equipment.
Mike Churchill, chief executive officer and commercial director said: “Churchill was delighted to secure two world firsts’ on this well.
“The IDDP well is both the deepest and hottest geothermal well on record and it is a reflection on the DAV MX™ that it was selected to be run in this string. The tool has a significant case history in HPHT wells and can withstand a good deal of punishment – both of which suited the client in this unconventional case.
“Geothermal wells are a new area for Churchill and it is a market we are looking to expand as our competition in the segment simply cannot match the resilience of the CircSub.”