WorldWide Drilling Resource

20 AUGUST 2019 WorldWide Drilling Resource ® Game-Changing Technology for Geothermal Drilling? Adapted from Information by Texas A&M University and the Geothermal Energy Association People have been using geothermal energy for thousands of years. The indigenous people of New Zealand, the Maoris, as well as Native Americans, used geothermal energy for cooking food, washing, bathing, warmth, preserving, ceremonial rit- uals, and healing. Ancient Greeks and Romans enjoyed geothermal-heated spas. Prior to Mount Vesuvius erupting and de- stroying Pompeii, people tapped the hot water from the volcano and used it to heat their buildings. We continue to tap into the heat radiating from our planet today. Modern technology allows us to drill deep into the ground and transform the heat underground into electricity. One of the challenges with drilling geothermal wells is the presence of hard rocks, such as granite, which slows down the drilling process and wears down drill bits. This ultimately leads to increased drilling time and expenses. Scientists with Texas A&M University are working on a way to resolve this issue. A team of researchers from the J. Mike Walker '66 Department of Mechanical Engineering at Texas A&M University is cur- rently developing new drilling technology to make drilling geothermal wells more efficient. It’s called Shockwave and Plasma Accelerated Rock Cracking (SPARC). Leading the SPARC project is Dr. David Staack, associate professor, Sallie and Don Davis ’61 Career Development Professor, and College of Engineering director of laboratory instruction re- spectively. His team includes Dr. Dion Antao, assistant professor; Dr. Alan Palazzolo; James J. Cain, Professor I; and Dr. Bruce Tai, assistant professor. “The drilling technology that we are working on has the potential to increase drilling rates (rate of penetration) and reduce the wear and tear of traditional drill bits. This is achieved by locally pre- stressing or precracking the rock being drilled prior to the cutting action of the drill bit,” said Antao. The team’s SPARC technology places high-voltage electrodes to the tip of traditional drill bits. These electrodes emit a microscopic plasma discharge to shock the rock and crack it. By creating these small fractures and weakening the rock, the drill head, using conventional diamond cutters, is able to break through the material easier, increasing the rate of penetration (ROP). Along with setting the stage for further development of geothermal energy, using electric plasma bursts to increase the ROP will also streamline the drilling process, making it more cost effective. “It’s very exciting to be able to apply my expertise in machining research to study rock drilling with a real-world application,” said Tai. “This is truly a novel, interdisciplinary idea that will be a game changer.” A game changer U.S. Secretary of Energy Rick Perry summed up in his related press release by saying, “Geothermal energy is a clean and efficient baseload energy resource, making it an important part of our nation’s diverse energy portfolio. Developing new, efficient drilling technologies will reduce these costs and increase the availability of this domestic renewable energy resource.” Dr. David Staack. GEO