The testing facility is a project of the Wells2Watts Geothermal Energy Consortium, led by Baker Hughes and supported by technology providers, including Vallourec and GreenFire Energy. The Wells2Watts consortium is a group of energy industry partners that aims to demonstrate the transformation of non-productive oil and gas wells into geothermal wells capable of generating renewable electrical power. GreenFire Energy is providing its Advanced Geothermal System (AGS), called GreenFire’s GreenLoop™ (GreenLoop) to be demonstrated in the first-ever closed-loop geothermal test facility in the world.
The advanced closed-loop geothermal testing will bring a new level of science and comprehensive testing to GreenFire’s GreenLoop. GreenLoop includes a Downbore Heat Exchanger (DBHX) which circulates a working fluid through a sealed tube to absorb heat and return the heat to the surface. Insulated tubulars are an essential part of the DBHX. Vallourec is providing its Vacuum Insulated Tubing (VIT) solution for GreenFire Energy’s demonstration but also offers a range of other insulated tubulars for geothermal.
Gabriel Roussie, Vallourec, demonstrates the THERMOCASE VIT assembly process on production Range 3 products. (source: GreenFire Energy)
“The delivery of Vallourec’s tubular solutions to our testing facility marks a significant milestone for the Wells2Watts consortium’s advanced closed-loop geothermal testing initiative,” said Robert Klenner, advanced geothermal leader, Baker Hughes and executive director of the Wells2Watts consortium. “With the comprehensive testing and technology that GreenFire Energy’s GreenLoop and Vallourec’s Vacuum Insulated Tubing solutions bring to the project, we are confident that we can successfully demonstrate the transformation of non-productive oil and gas wells into reliable and sustainable geothermal wells capable of generating renewable electrical power.”
“The opportunity to demonstrate and test GreenFire’s GreenLoop™ technology with our strategic partners Baker Hughes, Vallourec, and Helmerich & Payne plus other oil and gas companies that are members of the Wells2Watts consortium, opens a massive market for our technology worldwide,” said Joseph Scherer, chief executive officer, GreenFire Energy Inc.
“Vallourec’s participation in Wells2Watts in both engineering and state of the art technology like THERMOCASE® VIT demonstrates our commitment to advancing AGS. We are confident that this consortium, and the results we will produce, will validate GreenFire’s GreenLoop™ viability for retrofitted wells,” said Joe Hill Jr., senior director, New Energies, Vallourec.
