DESCRAMBLE (EU project)
Drilling in dEep, Super-CRitical AMBient of continentaL Europe
Project type:

Research / Development & Innovation

Project Location:

Italy

Project Leader:
ENEL Green Power
Non GEE Partners:

National Research Council (IT), RWTH Aachen University (DE), Freiberg Tech University (DE), Sintef Petroleum (NO), Stiftelsen Sintef (NO)

Background & context:

The test site is an existing dry well in Larderello, Italy, already drilled to a depth of 2.2 km and temperature of 350 °C, which was deepened to 2.9 km depth reaching supercritical conditions.

Project Summary:

The DESCRAMBLE project proposes to drill in continental-crust, super-critical geothermal conditions, and to test and demonstrate novel drilling techniques to control gas emissions, the aggressive environment and the high temperature/pressure expected from the deep fluids. An existing well in Larderello (Tuscany, Italy), Venelle_2, will be deepened from its present depth of 2.2 km down to 3-3.5 km.

Project achievements & innovative aspects:

Materials: Bottom hole assembly components, Cementing process, Drilling fluids, Well materials. Well design and control: the research will optimize new procedures, explicitly utilizing synergies with oil and gas industry. Predicting and controlling super-critical conditions: Existing simulators will be extended to the super-critical regime. Development of a new logging tool: suitable for measurement of pressure and temperature at supercritical conditions. Scientific research aspects: Seismic characterization of the supercritical region, Petrophysics and log interpretation, Geochemical monitoring and Petrology.

Project Funding:
EU H2020
Period:
2015-2018
Project Budget:
15 687 222,50 €
Website / Further Information: