Iceland: New Geothermal Deep Drilling Project Will Tap Into 500°C Reservoir

HS Orka and Jardboranir sign a contract on deep drilling at Iceland’s Reykjanes geothermal field (News Release)

Drilling Rig, "Thor" (Courtesy Jardboranir)

HS Orka and Jardboranir have signed a contract for drilling of a 5 km deep, high temperature well at the Reykjanes geothermal field. Jardboranir’s biggest drilling rig, "Thor" will be used for the project. The well is intended to be the country’s deepest and hottest geothermal well, with temperatures up to 500°C. Drilling operations are scheduled in the second half of 2016.

HS Orka’s existing 2.5 km well at Reykjanes, well 15, will be deepened to around 5 km.

The contract realizes the next step of the Icelandic Deep Drilling Project (IDDP), but earlier drilling into superheated steam was conducted in the Krafla field. The purpose of the project is to demonstrate the possibility of harnessing deep hydrothermal high enthalpy reservoirs in order to augment the current conventional geothermal fields.

If the chemistry of the superheated steam can be dealt with, the well will be used directly for power production, potentially increasing the output of the Reykjanes plant.  If not, the well may be used as an injection well, increasing the output of the existing shallower production wells. New technology will be introduced for the drilling, testing and harnessing the deep well, in collaboration with domestic and international partners.

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