Energy

Geothermal energy systems rely on components that handle hot, chemically aggressive brines at high pressure. The drilling requirements are closer to chemical process equipment than standard oil and gas work because the materials are nearly all corrosion-resistant alloys. I have worked on geothermal projects where the tube sheets, valve bodies, and piping components all needed BTA or gun drilled holes in duplex stainless steel and titanium. This is a different challenge from oil and gas wellhead work, where carbon steel is the norm and corrosion resistance is less critical. ...

Oil and gas deep hole drilling is a world of big parts and tough materials. Drill collars two meters long with a 50mm bore through the center. Valve bodies the size of a washing machine. Heat exchangers with tube sheets that need hundreds of holes drilled in a precise pattern. I’ve worked on oilfield components on and off for years. The work has its own pace and its own set of problems. ...