Experience Sharing Between the Petroleum and Geothermal industry: a Service Company's Perspective

Abstract

The oil and gas industry has accumulated decades of experience characterizing and accessing deep and ultra-deep formations, including in challenging conditions which are commonly found in geothermal sites (high temperature, pressure, salinity, corrosion…). Oilfield service companies, in particular, have been developing innovative and efficient solutions to explore, map and produce these resources. Geophysical surveying, notably with electromagnetic methods, and integrated subsurface modeling in multi-disciplinary software platforms allow the characterization and quantification of the resource prior to drilling. Dedicated technologies for high pressure, high temperature drilling, including muds and bits, are used to realize highly deviated wellbores. Wellbore logging, either wireline or while drilling, provides the data to characterize the properties of the reservoir rock (porosity, permeability, presence of fractures) and to analyse well integrity. Production can be enhanced by stimulation treatments and by the installation of surface or downhole pumps. The combination of these services under a single provider may optimize the efficiency of well construction and resource characterization.