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Geothermal

Drilling Problems
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Did you know that typical

geothermal in Indonesia

has a unique environment

compared to the petroleum

environment?

Dominated by

High CO_2 and H_S

2
Faults and Fractures

Hard and Abrasive

High Temperature
Formation

Typically in a
Heterogenous /

Sub-normal

Pressure Zones Complex Formation

Project Site Located in High

Relief Terrain / Mountainous Area

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Potential

Problems

during Drilling

in Geothermal
Geothermal drilling generally utilizes
current petroleum drilling technology and
equipment. However, based on the
mentioned geothermal characteristics,
several problems may arise that
significantly increase the required time
and cost required (Carson, 2009).

However, it can be mitigated by

understanding potential problems during
geothermal drilling, which are:
Loss Circulation.
Stuck Pipe.
Difficult Cement Job.
Equipment and Downhole Failure.
Well Control Issue.

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Loss Circulation
Loss circulation is a common problem during geothermal drilling.
It naturally occurs when the drilling penetrates a high
permeability zone. In the geothermal environment, the fault
fracture zone and highly altered rocks act as high permeability
section (Purba et al, 2022).

According to Nugroho (2017),

loss circulation may lead to

several conditions:
Stuck pipe.
Well stability issue (decreasing

mud column).
Well control issue (lead to

steam/formation fluid influx to

the wellbore).
Formation damage (most of

loss zone in production zone).

Lead to poor cementing result. Figure 1. Illustration of lost circulation (Purba et al. 2022)

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Stuck Pipe
It is a condition where the
drill string or drill pipes,
entirely or partly stick/hang
and can not be freed from
the hole without damaging
the pipes, and without
exceeding the drilling rigs
maximum allowed hook load
or maximum overpull
(Purba, 2020). This eventually
makes the drilling activity
stop and stuck.

The potential factor of stuck

pipe in the geothermal
system can be seen here.

Figure 2. Possible Stuck Pipe Mechanism in

Geothermal Drilling (Purba, 2021)

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Difficult

Cement Jobs
Geothermal casings are usually installed
to the surface and must be cemented
back to the surface. However,
geothermal’s unique environment such as
fault/fractured zone and high
temperature creates a challenge in the
cementing process.

High Temperature Fault / fractured

zone

Cement slurry

temperature may

Loss circulation

increase and change the

during cementing
properties

May lead to poor

May prevent

cement bond and

cement slurry to

water trap between

reach the surface

cement and casing or falls back after

reaching the

surface
Possible collapse casing

as the wellbore goes

through its

temperature cycle
(Finger and Blankeship, 2010)

Figure 3. Casing collapse (Torres A, 2014)

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Equipment and

Downhole Tool Failure

Geothermal drilling has different criteria of equipment and
downhole tool compared to oil and gas drilling.

High CO2 and H2S, high temperature, hard and abrasive formation
may significantly contribute to equipment and downhole tool failure.

The gases from the formation may be dissolved in

High CO_2 and H_S
2 the circulating mud which may corrode the
equipment and downhole tool.

Increase the temperature of circulating mud and

High Temperature create heat transfer to rig equipment and
downhole tools.

Hard and Abrasive

This condition may cause the drill string to wash
Formation out and the drilling string twisted off.

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Kick / Blowout
A situation when the formation
fluid flows into the wellbore
during the drilling operation. This
mainly occurs due to a lack of
sufficient hydrostatic pressure
from the wellbore against the
formation pressure (Purba, 2021).
Kick flow must be controlled, if
the control is lost then a “blow
out” may happen.

Figure 4. Geothermal Blowout (punapono.com)

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Summary
The unique environment of the geothermal system
makes for different “monsters” and different ways to
overcome it as opposed to the petroleum
environment.

The common problem during geothermal drilling is

loss circulation, stuck pipe, the difficulty or challenges
during cementing, equipment and downhole tool
failure, and kick / blowout.

Geothermal drilling problems must be overcome by

understanding the geothermal system characteristics.

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References
Carson, C. C. (2009). Geothermal Drilling Problems and Their
Impact on Cost. New Mexico: Sandia National Laboratories.
Dorman Purba, D. W. (2020). Integrated Stuck-Pipe-Prevention
Campaign in Geothermal Drilling Project in Indonesia: A Proactive
Approach. World Geothermal Congress. Reykjavik, Iceland.
Dorman Purba, D. W. (2022). A Discussion on Oil & Gas and
Geothermal Drilling Environment Differences and Their Impacts to
Well Control Methods. 47th Workshop on Geothermal Reservoir
Engineering. Stanford, California.
Finger, J., & Blankeship, D. (2010). Handbook of Best Practices for
Geothermal Driling. Mexico and California: Sandia National
Laboratories.
Makuk, I. K. (2013). Reducing Geothermal Drilling Problems to
Improve Performance in Menengai. Geothermal Training
Programme. Reykjavik, Iceland.
Saleh, K. F., Teodoriu, C., Ezeakacha, P. C., & Salehi, S. (2014).
Geothermal Drilling: A Review of Drilling Challenges with Mud
Design and Lost Circuilation Problem. 45th Workshop on
Geothermal Reservoir Engineering. Stanford, California.
Torres A. (2014). Challenges of Casing Design in Geothermal Wells.
IADC/SPE Asia Pasific Drilling Technology Conference. Thailand
Wisnu, N. A., & Satria Hermawan, B. H. (2017). Problem Mitigation in
Geothermal Drilling, Case Studies of Stuck Pipe and Lost
Circulation. 42nd Workshop on Geothermal Reservoir Engineering.
Stanford, California.

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