DESCRAMBLE (Drilling in dEep, Super-Critical AMBient of continentaL Europe)
DESCRAMBLE is a European project co-funded for three years (May 1, 2015 – April 30, 2018) by the European Commission under Horizon 2020, the Framework Programme for Research and Technological Development 2014-2020. The project involves seven partners from three different countries, including research institutions, universities, and industries active in the geothermal and oil sectors in Europe.
The aim of DESCRAMBLE is to develop innovative drilling technologies to enable the exploitation of deep geothermal reservoirs and contribute to a low-carbon European society. The project aims to drill in the continental crust, under supercritical geothermal conditions, and to test and demonstrate innovative drilling techniques to control gas emissions, the aggressive environment, and the high temperature and pressure conditions expected in deep fluids. An existing, non-productive well in Larderello (Tuscany, Italy) was chosen as the test site. The well will be drilled to a depth of 3.5 km to reach supercritical conditions. The main expected results are: improved drilling concepts in deep crustal conditions; new drilling materials, equipment, and tools; and physicochemical characterization of deep crustal fluids and rocks.
CNR Unit Coordinator: Adele Manzella, CNR-IGG