Base Technologies and Tools for Supercritical Reservoirs
This is a summary of a project funded on a cost-shared basis by the U.S. Department of Energy through its Geothermal Technologies Program (GTP). This work is one of several projects funded by GTP under its mission to conduct research, development, and demonstration to advance geothermal energy technologies. This summary was prepared as part of the application process by the subsequent recipient of a funding opportunity grant and is offered only as a general overview of the project's scope and direction at the time of the award.
| Project Technology Type | EGS Component R&D › High-Temperature Downhole Tools |
|---|---|
| Awardee | Sandia National Laboratories |
| Location | Albuquerque, NM |
| Objectives | Develop robust downhole tools that can operate in supercritical environments. |
| Funding Opportunity Announcement | DE-PS36-09GO99017: Laboratory Call for Submission of Applications for Research, Development and Analysis of Geothermal Technologies (PDF 117 KB) Download Adobe Reader. |
| Funding Source | American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 |
| DOE Funding Level* | Total Award: $941,000 |
| Total Project Cost | $941,000 |
| Principal Investigator(s) | Joseph Henfling |
| Description | Development of downhole tools capable of reliable operation in supercritical environments is a significant challenge with a number of technical and operational hurdles related to both the hardware and electronics design. Hardware designs require the elimination of all elastomer seals and the use of advanced materials. Electronics must be hardened to the extent practicable since no electronics system can survive supercritical temperatures. To develop systems capable of logging in these environments will require a number of developments. More robust packaging of electronics is needed. Sandia will design and develop innovated, highly integrated, high-temperature (HT) data loggers. These data loggers will be designed and developed using silicon-on-insulator/silicon carbide (SOI/SiC) technologies integrated into a MultiChip Module (MCM); greatly increasing the reliability of the overall system (eliminating hundreds of board-level innerconnects) and decreasing the size of the electronics package. Tools employing these electronics will be capable of operating continuously at temperatures up to 240°C and by using advanced Dewar flasks, will operate in a supercritical reservoir with temperatures over 450°C and pressures above 70 MPa. Dewar flasks are needed to protect the electronic components, but those currently available are only reliable in temperature regimes in the range of 350°C; promising advances in materials will be investigated to improve Dewar technologies. HT wireline currently used for logging operations is compromised at temperatures above 300 °C; along with exploring the development of a HT wireline for logging purposes, alternative approaches that employ HT batteries (e.g., those awarded a recent R&D 100) will also be investigated, and if available will enable deployment using slickline, which is not subject to the same temperature limitations as wireline. To demonstrate the capability provided by these improvements, tools will be developed and fielded. The developed base technologies and working tool designs will be available to industry throughout the project period. The developed techniques and subsystems will help to further the advancement of HT tools needed in the geothermal industry. |
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*DOE Funding Level is up to the amount stated and is subject to negotiation.