PROMETHEUS
Harnessing The Earth's Continuous Renewable
Challenges - Well Integrity & Isolation
Recent improvements in drilling and extraction technologies have enabled the construction of geothermal power plants in areas where the thermal resources lie in the deep subsurface. This presents several serious challenges due to the extreme conditions encountered at these depths.
Geothermal energy can be harnessed using extremely hot water and steam generated by contact with high temperature underground zones. These high temperature zones pose a serious challenge when trying to achieve safe and reliable well integrity. Cement cannot be relied upon to provide full integrity and isolation, thus a secondary sealing element, known as a packer, is required to ensure that well integrity is maintained.
Another important challenge is the isolation of any fault to ensure that the fluid stays in the desired part of the formation. A packer can also provide zonal isolation and facilitate the remediation of wells that are shut-in due to casing collapse, bulge, or crack when the temperature rises rapidly causing a cycling process.
Current Technology - All Metal Expandable Packer
An all metal expandable packer is currently offered to assist operators in various stages of drilling and completion in geothermal energy.
An all metal expandable packer is proposed in solving the challenges presented because they are much stronger than a packer with elastomeric seals. Additionally, metals with a much higher thermal stability compared to the best polymer do not lose their mechanical properties as rapidly at the elevated temperatures often associated with geothermal activity.
However a metal packer does not provide the best seal when set against a rolled and corroded casing. Under high differential pressure, this can often lead to jetting erosion of hostile fluids through the extrusion gap between the metal element and the compromised casing, and opening up further leak paths and resulting in a subsequent failure. By contrast, a polymer energized seal will offer a better sealing solution provided it can withstand the temperature.
Our Innovation - 750 F / 15K psi Packer
DAMORPHE is developing an elastomer energized HPHT packer rated to 750 F and capable of withstanding 15K psi differential pressure for helping utilizing the earth’s full geothermal potential.
The DAMORPHE team’s decades of oil & gas industry experience includes assisting the successful completion of extended reach deviated and horizontal wells. With this we can play a pivotal role in solving challenges associated with geothermal systems, fully taking advantage of formation heat conductivity.
Here we present a unique concept for an elastomer energized HPHT packer rated to 750 F and capable of withstanding 15K psi differential pressure, having multi-stack sealing elements, completely encased by a flexible gel insulation of extremely low thermal conductivity, further enveloped in a flexible nanometallic skin.
Advancements in design of novel thermally stable and corrosion resistant nanomaterials complemented by return of experience and intelligent engineering will enable enhanced and more economical harnessing of geothermal energy.
