WorldWide Drilling Resource®

30 APRIL 2020 WorldWide Drilling Resource ® Adding Value to Geothermal Boreholes Adapted from Information by Agreenability Across the globe, geothermal drilling has surged in response to the demand for a cleaner alternative to heating and cooling buildings. Although the increased market for geothermal drilling is great news for drilling professionals, it’s also bringing more competition from drill operators wanting a piece of the business. Derek Stewart from Catskills Geothermal and Well Drilling, a third generation well drilling professional, has been drilling geothermal wells for several years. Recently, he began searching for a solution to a number of problems. Increased competition has brought the price of geothermal drilling down. Derek is well versed in technological improvements such as high-conductivity grout and the more recent intro- duction of graphite-enhanced grout, to help improve heat transfer. So, when he came across the TWISTER™ high-efficiency, multiloop geoexchange pipe from Agreenability, he was excited to discover such an effective solution. Knowing each foot is expensive to drill, but also being limited in what he could charge per foot, TWISTER™ offered a way to increase the value of a borehole without having to drill deeper. TWISTER™ increases the rate of heat exchange between the heat transfer fluid and ground so effectively, it can increase the capacity of a 300-foot bore from two tons (with standard 1¼-inch pipe) to three tons, representing a 50% increase in value of the borehole. The increased value means drill operators can charge more per foot. Although TWISTER™ costs more than standard pipe, the additional cost is easily recovered by the increased value of the borehole. While it’s a drastic improvement over standard technology, it’s constructed with the same reliable HDPE (high density polyethylene) materials and meets requirements of IGSHPA (International Ground Source Heat Pump Association), as well as most state geothermal well specifications. Best of all, it’s installed the exact same way as a standard loop, so you don’t have to change the installation process. Please see the ad for TWISTER on page 17. GEO The twisted eight-pipe assembly is delivered on a continuous coil up to 500-feet long and fits into a 5½- to 6-inch bore.