Imagine trying to drink through a straw that melts or rusts because the liquid is too hot. This project creates a 'super-straw' for the earth using special foam cement and laser-treated metal to stop leaks and corrosion. By digging deeper into superhot areas, we can get way more energy from a single hole instead of drilling dozens of shallower ones.
Conventional geothermal wells often suffer from casing failures and corrosion due to extreme heat and chemistry. This forces operators to drill more wells to meet energy targets, increasing capital expenditure and risk.
A set of high-temperature well integrity solutions including flexible foam cements, nickel laser-cladding for pipes, and integrated simulation models for well design.
If you are a plant operator dealing with high costs of drilling multiple wells — this project developed new casing and cement technologies that yield 5-10 times more energy per well. This allows you to increase power output without expanding your surface footprint.
If you are a drilling firm dealing with frequent casing failures in superhot formations — this project developed laser-cladding and flexible foam cement that protect pipes from corrosion and heat stress. This reduces the risk of well collapse and costly repairs.
If you are a materials supplier dealing with the lack of heat-resistant cements for extreme depths — this project developed a novel foam cement and nickel laser-cladding process. This opens a new market for high-temperature geothermal infrastructure components.
The project focuses on reducing the levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) by improving well design and reducing project risks. This is achieved by increasing the energy yield per well, which lowers the total number of wells needed.
Yes, the new well concept is designed to enable cost-effective geothermal developments in new types of geological settings and new regions.
Based on available project data, the project focuses on developing these technologies within a consortium of 10 partners; specific licensing terms are not provided.
The project period runs from 2022-11-01 to 2025-10-31, suggesting that final validations are ongoing through late 2025.
The project explicitly notes that current concepts adapted from oil and gas are barely sufficient for geothermal use, so it provides improved alternatives like flexible couplings and foam cements to replace them.
The consortium is highly industry-driven with a 60% industry ratio, comprising 6 industrial partners (including 2 SMEs) and 3 research institutes across 6 countries. This heavy industrial presence suggests a strong focus on practical application and a direct path to market for the developed casing and cement technologies.
Contact ON POWER OHF in Iceland
Contact us to connect with the COMPASS consortium for licensing and implementation of superhot well technologies.
