The Aerated Drilling Experience of Icelandic Geothermal Wells

Abstract

There are several accepted methods of drilling a geothermal well, each with a set of distinct advantages and disadvantages. Aerated drilling is a method borrowed from the oil and gas industry and has been used to drill geothermal wells in Iceland since 2006. The highly fractured crust found in the areas where the technology has been tested in Iceland has brought its own specific set of issues and therefore increased the current understanding of aerated drilling issues and advantages. The rate of penetration has proven to be increased significantly and is similar to a conventional mud motor drilling in the hydrothermal basaltic region of Iceland. The method has brought geological information in intervals that has been made available where only indirect information (geophysics) has been available, adding valuable information to geological and reservoir models.