Breakthrough Rotary Steerable System (RSS) to reduce geothermal well construction cost

Summary

A French engineering SME specialized in drilling technologies has developed an innovative rotary steerable system (RSS) allowing dynamic and accurate drilling of vertical, curved and horizontal sections of a well in one run. In addition, this RSS is simple and compact with lower costs and therefore very suitable for geothermal drilling. An early adopter to finalise the prototype and field-test under technical agreement and then start producting under licence agreement is sought.

Description

Oil & gas as well as geothermal industries perform directional drilling with longer and longer horizontal section(s) to maximize reservoir or formation contact. Based on this fact, a French oil and gas engineer has developed a breakthrough rotary steerable system (RSS).
Based on proven technologies, this unique concept combines the best of existing tools commonly found in the oil & gas drilling industry such as :
• Leading « Autotrak » type rotary steerable tool proven robustness and reliability of short and slick non-rotating sleeve type RSS.
• Leading so-called "PowerDrive X6 / Orbit" rotary steerable tool with low operational expanditure - thanks to maintenance near the drilling site just with hand tools.
• « PowerDrive Archer » type rotary steerable tool proven high build rate capacity of "double tilt" / "hybrid" geometry with low steerability polydiamond crystaline cuts (PDC) or tricone drill bits
On top of that, the present technology build-rate is continuously adjustable and independent from the so-called weight on bit (WOB) - thanks to one-piece drive shaft buckling load higher than max. weight on bit.

Maintainable near the drilling site, it has a low total cost of ownership (TCO) as well as a high utilisation rate.
In addition to oil and gas, this system now finds relevant application in geothermal drilling where the same hot pocket spread out distribution occurs.

Geothermal industry offers better marketing and development perspective than oil and gas where drilling equipment is trusted by large multinationals
The company is therefore looking for partners in the geothermal industry, either drilling equipment manufacturer, directional drilling service company or energy stakeholders to finalize the R&D through a technical cooperation agreement first and later to produce eventually the system under license agreement.

The finalisation consists in making two prototypes ready for field test
Production under licence would concern only patented part of the equipment,

Stage of Development

Available for demonstration

Requested Partner

Type : Industrial company of all sizes active such as
- Drilling equipment manufacturer or directional drilling service company active in geothermal industry
- Geothermal energy stakeholders

Role :
1° help finalizing and funding the R&D under technical cooperation agreement to make two prototypes "field test ready"
2° then start producing the equipment under licence