To mine heat anywhere in the world economically, we will need to drill wells to reach ever higher temperatures, in some locations deep into hard rock formations. Aside from the associated temperature challenges, drilling into basement rock poses significant technological challenges. Many in oil and gas are looking to existing contemporary drilling technologies, like PDC drill bits, to help solve geothermal drilling challenges. But there new ways of approaching the challenge of drilling in extreme conditions in development, and these largely non-mechanical methods of drilling may provide a step change in the way we approach drilling for geothermal in the future. So what are these new drilling methods, where are they in their testing and development, and how could we integrate these new technologies into existing oil and gas operations? Let's explore.
