DESCRAMBLE

DESCRAMBLE Project

DESCRAMBLE (Drilling in dEep, Super-Critical AMBient of continentaL Europe), is a European project, co-funded for three years (2015/05/01 – 2018/04/30) by the European Commission within Horizon 2020, the Framework Programme for Research and Technological Development 2014-2020. The Project involves 7 partners from 3 different countries, including Research Institutions, Universities and Industries active in geothermal energy and petroleum in Europe. The aim of the DESCRAMBLE project is to develop novel drilling technologies for a proof-of-concept test of reaching deep geothermal resources and to contribute to a low carbon European society.

DESCRAMBLE proposes to drill in continental-crust, super-critical geothermal conditions, and to test and demonstrate novel drilling techniques to control gas emissions, the aggressive environment and the high temperature/pressure expected from the deep fluids. The test site is an existing dry well in Larderello (Tuscany, Italy), already drilled to a depth of 2.2 km and temperature of 350 °C, which will be further drilled to 3-3.5 km to reach super-critical conditions. Main expected outcomes: improved drilling concepts in deep crustal conditions; new drilling materials, equipment and tools; physical and chemical characterization of deep crustal fluids and rocks.

CNR coordination: Adele Manzella, CNR-IGG

Web site: http://www.descramble-h2020.eu/