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Geothermal Drilling

Before we answer the question of what geothermal drilling is, it’s necessary to discuss geothermal energy. Geothermal energy is the power that is harvested from the Earth. This power is created in one of two ways. The first requires the digging of shallow wells and is also known as ground source heat (GSH). This is where water is heated well in the ground, using the sun’s energy. This type of geothermal energy is most often used in heating systems.

While the second wish is known as true geothermal energy because it is created by superheating water with thermal energy from the Earth’s core, volcanoes, or by tapping pre-established hydrothermal systems. The steam created by this process is then used to drive turbines that create electricity. Although some sources are suitable for both power and heat use.

Now you know a little more about geothermal energy, we can discuss how drilling comes in. After all, to be able to access this type of energy you also need a safe way of reaching it and bringing it up to the surface. This is precisely where geothermal drilling comes in, as it’s a specialised field, focusing on creating conduits in the Earth that allow safe access to this heat/ power.

Indeed, it is because the drilling process needs to be so precise to ensure safe and efficient harvesting of energy, working with companies more used to oil and gas can be a mistake. Instead, be sure to choose a geothermal drilling specialist like Adams Drillers to avoid issues including unwanted high pressure and superheated water spouts!

There are many benefits to using geothermal energy and that is what makes it such an attractive proposition. The first is that it is much more environmentally friendly than using fossil fuels, because no fuel is burned in the energy-creating process, meaning the carbon emissions associated with geothermal energy are much lower.

Then there is the fact that geothermal energy is a constantly renewable source. Indeed, as long as we have water and heat we can continue to create it, and happily, there is no shortage of these resources now or expected in the future.

Another great thing about geothermal energy is that it is one of the more predictable sources. This means it’s easy to forecast how much energy you can expect from a source. Lastly, there is a great deal of effort going into refining the tech around geothermal energy right now, which means we can expect even more efficient ways of harvesting it in the future.

Geothermal energy will become more important as Australia’s 2030 Emissions Reduction Target gets closer.

Several factors impact the cost of Geothermal Drilling. One of these is the depth involved, and currently, wells tend to reach down from around 3-5km. However, factors such as the type of well, the kind of terrain encountered will also have a significant impact.