BDA Technical & Standards Sub-committee – Precis of September 2024 Meeting

September 19, 2024

At the recent BDA Technical & Standards Sub-committee meeting, beyond the usual technical discussions, a few interesting points were raised, which we’d like to share.

Geothermal Energy Extraction

The British Drilling Association (BDA) Technical & Standards Sub-committee recently received an intriguing enquiry which sought advice on drilling into the Earth’s crust to extract heat in the form of superheated steam. This steam could then drive a turbine to produce power. While this enquiry was outside our usual scope, it required minimal research to address.

The UK’s geothermal gradient, which is the temperature increase with depth, typically ranges between 20-30°C per kilometre. To achieve temperatures around 550°C, drilling to a depth of approximately 10-15 kilometres (6-9 miles) would be necessary. Richard also raised concerns about thermal loss prevention and the potential contamination of steam with sand particles, which could damage surface turbines.

Although this was a highly academic enquiry, we were pleased to respond. Unfortunately, our current capabilities do not extend to assisting with such deep drilling projects and directed the enquiry to other regions where geothermal energy extraction might be more feasible due to shallower required depths.

Green Efficiencies

In a bid to reduce fuel consumption, costs, and carbon emissions, the T&S Sub-committee has transitioned to holding its quarterly meetings via Microsoft Teams. This change has significantly improved our green efficiencies.

Audit Distribution

The T&S Sub-committee also discussed the challenges of auditing drillers in remote areas of the UK. The audit programme for this year has been quite extensive, showcasing the impressive distances our auditors have travelled.