Reported in Australia by Adelaide Now, the electricity generation “at Geodynamics’ geothermal project in far north South Australia has been delayed indefinitely, while the company examines what caused a well to blow out a month ago.

Geodynamics said it had brought the Habanero-3 well under control, 28 days after an incident which led to steam and water escaping from the 4.2km deep well.

The company had been hoping to start “hot-commissioning” of a one megawatt (MW) power plant at the site near Innnamincka around the start of this month.

Habanero-3 was to be the production well, which would supply hot brine to the pilot plant to produce electricity.

Geodynamics managing director Gerry Grove-White said in a statement it had controlled the well using weighted mud and secured it with two cement plugs in the well bore.

“An investigation into the causes of the incident and future implications for Habanero-3 is in progress,” he said.

“A program of work has been developed to carry out the investigation and will require the removal of the well head and damaged sections of the well casing for metallurgical and structural integrity analyses.

“The investigation will take at least six weeks. Pending the outcomes of the investigation, drilling activities are in abeyance.”

Geodynamics lost a 245m-long drill section in its earlier well, Habanero-1, in late 2004.
The loss of the drill section caused the company to drill a side track at the time.

Geodynamics owns 70 per cent of the project, with Origin Energy Geothermal owning the remainder. The joint venture partners aim to have a commercial-scale 50MW power plant up and running by 2011.”

Source: Adelaide Now