IADC Geothermal Drilling & Conference to kick off first edition on 25-26 March in Vienna
The first IADC Geothermal Drilling Conference & Exhibition in Vienna, Austria will highlight challenges and opportunities in the upstream aspect of geothermal.
More than 150 professionals from the geothermal and oil & gas sectors, representing 20+ countries, are set to attend the highly anticipated International Association of Drilling Contractors (IADC) Geothermal Drilling Conference & Exhibition, taking place on 25-26 March 2025 at the Hilton Vienna Park Hotel in Vienna, Austria.
Registration for the event is still open – click here to register. ThinkGeoEnergy is proud to be a media partner for this event and will be providing on-site coverage.
Geothermal taps into underground thermal reservoirs, providing a reliable source of heat and/or power. At present, the number of geothermal wells drilled globally is of the order of 600-800 per year. Predictions, however, suggest that this number will increase at least five-fold within the next couple of decades.
The vast majority of these wells will be drilled by IADC member companies.
Hosted in partnership with OMV, this inaugural IADC conference will focus on Geothermal Upstream, including a market outlook, subsurface, drilling, production, completions, regulatory environment, and associated topics. The participants will gain insights into relevant business and ownership models, contracting and procurement strategies, and supply chains.
Several eminent industry leaders to give keynote and opening presentations at the conference, including:
- Angelika Zartl-Klik, Senior Vice President Low Carbon Business and Renewable Energy & Bernhard Novotny, Project Director Geothermal, OMV
- Marit Brommer, Chief Executive Officer, International Geothermal Association • Courtney Turich, Energy Analyst, International Energy Agency
- Bruce Gatherer, Business Development and Drilling Advisor, Iceland Drilling
The conference will showcase groundbreaking technologies with the potential to revolutionize the geothermal industry and the entire energy sector. IADC’s expertise in providing definitions and guidelines for the Petroleum Upstream ideally positions it to establish a vocabulary, terms, and standards within the geothermal industry.
Geothermal energy regulatory regimes are inconsistent, and immature compared to those of the oil and gas industry, which creates obstacles and extends the lead time for geothermal projects. The conference will analyze differences in regulatory regimes and provide valuable insights for businesses and regulators.
Leading companies taking part include OMV, Boston Consulting Group, Eavor Technologies, ENI SpA, European Geothermal Energy Council, Geothermal Rising, Halliburton, H&P, Herrenknecht Vertical, Huisman, Iceland Drilling, International Energy Agency, International Geothermal Association, Nabors, NOV, Parker Wellbore, Rystad Energy, TNO, Weatherford, and more.
Three panel sessions will be held throughout the two-day conference discussing “A Rapid Growth in Geothermal Energy: What Will It Take to Happen?”, “Traditional Drilling & New Technologies,” and “People Versus Robots.”
The conference further includes five technical sessions covering “Urban Drilling,” “Well Design,” “How Do We Address Supply Chain Capacity & Scale Issues?”, “Wellbore Placement & Ranging,” and “Well Control.”
Examples of other important presentations to be made include “Geothermal Market Outlook,” “IADC’s Geothermal Well Drilling Guideline,” and “IEA Report: “The Future of Geothermal.”
Join the IADC Geothermal Drilling Conference & Exhibition to discuss the exciting developments happening in the upstream aspects of geothermal energy production and the issues to be addressed. Be a part of the transformation that the geothermal industry has the potential to bring to the entire energy sector.
About IADC
The International Association of Drilling Contractors (IADC) is a leading global non-profit trade association dedicated to advancing and promoting innovative technology and safe practices in the drilling industry. With over 800 member companies worldwide, IADC
member companies collectively accounts for nearly 80% of all wells drilled globally. Its key focus areas include hosting industry conferences and enhancing workforce competence, with more than 125,000 students participating annually in IADC-accredited training programs.
IADC’s engagement in geothermal drilling
Other trade organizations do an excellent job supporting the industry. However, when IADC’s Geothermal Committee started its work in 2022, it soon became clear that there were areas where IADC’s engagement would be welcomed. Not least has the association’s experience and expertise in creating definitions and guidelines turned out to be particularly helpful in establishing a common language across the industry.
In that regard, intense work is going on in the IADC Geothermal Committee to write a Geothermal Well Drilling Guideline. The publication of the first part of this guideline is imminent.
