The Pandora210 high-temperature drilling system (supply: Hephae Power Know-how)
Hephae Power Know-how is within the technique of creating the Pandora instrument that may allow dependable directional drilling in high-temperature geothermal programs.
Hephae Power Know-how has just lately introduced the forthcoming launch of Pandora210, a mixed measurement whereas drilling (MWD) and rotary steerable (RSS) instrument – which is able to work reliably at circulating temperatures as much as 210°C.
This instrument is designed to fulfill the quickly rising necessities of the unconventional geothermal business and to permit correct directional wells to be drilled deeper and at larger temperatures. It’s the primary providing from Hephae, and the corporate has a roadmap that may enable them to ship Pandora 300, a 300°C-capable instrument, by 2030.
Hephae has printed a wonderful explainer video on the inside workings of the Pandora instrument, which will be considered on their official web site.
From the skin, it appears to be like very very similar to a traditional RSS instrument. As seen within the video, issues are a bit totally different on the within.
As a substitute of constructing separate electronics and management for the RSS and MWD parts, they’ve been mixed in single Navigation and Management Electronics module. This eliminates duplication of sensors, processors, reminiscence, and energy provides, amongst different parts. This already poses a number of benefits – it makes the instrument shorter, reduces potential value, and reduces growth threat because it simplifies the electronics design that can be wanted to make the instrument appropriate for larger temperatures.
Within the Pandora 210, the facility provide for the electronics will seemingly be provided by a battery. For the upper temperature fashions, the meeting could have a turbine and generator module to provide the facility that the instrument wants.
There may be quite a lot of new expertise contained in the instrument. The staff is at present making the electronics work at circulating temperature of 210°C, however an essential trick is ensuring that the temperature of the parts on the boards is as shut as attainable to the temperature of the cooling drilling mud. This requires the boards to be designed in a very totally different configuration to traditional MWD or RSS instruments. The mounting of the boards is fastidiously designed and modelled to optimise warmth movement to make it possible for at most the distinction between the parts on the board and the exterior mud is only a handful of °C.
A prime mounted mud pulser is pushed by a pilot valve which itself is pushed by a newly designed brushless DC motor. The motor is designed in such a manner that the windings aren’t uncovered to hydrostatic strain, which takes away potential failure modes related to compensation, for instance.
Warmth testing of boards is underway with glorious outcomes so far. Hephae expects that Pandora 210, the 210°C model of the instrument, can be obtainable for prototype testing in Q1 of 2025.
Hephae had just lately introduced partnerships with directional drilling providers supplier Nicely Steering, in addition to geothermal developer GMK Enerji. These strategic partnership will facilitate the commercialization and deployment of Hephae’s high-temperature drilling expertise.
Supply: Hephae Know-how by way of e-mail correspondence
