Enhanced Geothermal Systems (EGS)

Welltec solution

The Welltec Magma Packer (WMP) facilitates the development of multistage zonal isolation for EGS. It reduces risk in development of new hydrothermal projects, as well as those aiming to rejuvenate existing wells.

A robust, all-metal packer, the WMP is capable of enduring temperatures above 300°C.

As a standalone, it can also be used to isolate troublesome cold or loss zones in conventional hydrothermal systems, also be applied in relining operations, or function as cement assurance.

WMP withstands thermal stress and provides a solid barrier to the highest industry standards, providing zonal isolation to take control of the formation.

Decarbonizing the energy industry

Geothermal energy offers unique advantages to the renewable power grids of the future: it provides a reliable and abundant source of renewable energy all year round, which can be utilized in multiple ways.

The key to unlocking the world’s full geothermal potential lies within EGS. Conventional geothermal systems – known as hydrothermal systems – rely upon shallow resources with water or steam build up inside a hot permeable formation.

This limits geothermal application geographically, but with EGS geothermal energy can be accessed more widely throughout the world. It can be established in deeper formations without the reliance on close to surface heated abnormalities.

Geothermal Association of Kenya (GAK)

Welltec officially joined the Geothermal Association of Kenya in January 2022, participating in a community of geothermal sector stakeholders from more than 90 different countries. Together, we aim to collaborate, research, and find innovative ways to develop and grow the geothermal sector in Kenya, and indeed across the globe.

U.S. DOE FORGE program

The US Department of Energy (DOE) Frontier Observatory for Research in Geothermal Energy (FORGE) is a dedicated test site to support cutting-edge technology and accelerate the development of EGS. Located in Milford (Utah), the area is already home to geothermal power plants. The test site formation exhibits proven temperature of around 230° Celsius and is fitted with multiple wells and seismic data monitoring equipment.

As of early 2021, the FORGE site is home to a first of its kind 65-degree deviated well, drilled into crystalline granite. FORGE is one of a series of EGS projects throughout the world to be committed to developing EGS.

FORGE Funding

Welltec was selected as one of three entities for the funding of technology development under Topic 1 of the initiative – Devices suitable for sectional (zonal) isolation along both cased and open-hole wellbores under geothermal conditions.

Working in partnership with the University of Oklahoma, the main goal of this project is to develop multistage isolation systems capable of withstanding geothermal downhole conditions.

Project milestones are divided by three main phases:

Small-scale experiments will be performed together with detailed numerical modeling of the isolation systems and rock mechanics
A system prototype will be built and tested to meet the required 225 Deg C and 6,000 psi; the system will also be tested to 250 Deg C to explore the system limits
The isolation system will be deployed and tested in a Forge test well

We are honored to be part of such an important development and will apply our innovative technology to achieve the goals of the project and make a significant contribution to future power generation.

ZoDrEx: Contribute to developing robust isolation for deep geothermal wells in Europe

With the support of Geothermica and the Danish Energy Agency, Welltec has joined forces with nine European partners to demonstrate drilling, completion, and production technologies to increase the technical and economic success of deep geothermal projects.

The consortium’s ambition is to improve technologies for establishment of deep geothermal wells through improving drilling techniques, improving corrosion protection and monitoring.

Welltec’s completion contribution to ZoDrEx will be the demonstration of completions equipment in a crystalline granite formation in a rock lab. The development of a high expansion metal packer will manage large-scale ovalization sections of the borehole, and control propagation when establishing EGS.