Confirmation drilling started for geothermal project on Nevis, Caribbean
Drilling rig on site, Nevis/ Carbbean (source: Clean Power Nevis)
Alexander Richter
23 Nov 2017
The drilling rig for confirmation drilling activities for the Nevis geothermal project in the Caribbean has been set up and has started to drill.
Nevis commences it’s Geothermal Development with Geothermal confirmation “Test-Well” drilling, during today’s ribbon-cutting ceremony. To begin drilling operations, Deputy Premier, Mark Brantley and President of NREI/TEP, Daniel Pfeffer were both onsite to kick-off test well operations. This well is to confirm geothermal reservoir properties including flow rate, temperature and sustainability.
Other officials who attended were Dr. Ernie Stapleton, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Communications along with Mr. Jervan Swanston, Acting General Manager of the Nevis Electricity Company Limited (NEVLEC), Mackie Tross, NREI’s Nevis Representative, Spencer Brand, Nevis Businessman and Bruce Cutright, CEO of NREI/TEP.
It is estimated that Nevis has up to 300 MW of geothermal power and some estimates calculate as many as 650 MW. As Nevis becomes energy self sufficient, its renewable resources could benefit nearby island nations through the construction of a submarine cable. After recent Hurricanes Irma and Maria damaged parts of the Caribbean, it is the goal of the eastern Caribbean nations to implement more resilient renewable energy and geothermal can provide 24/7 power to support these efforts.
With an established a goal to eliminate CO2 emissions from power generation, Nevis is committed to leverage its proven geothermal resources and become the greenest island on the planet. Nevis will be the first Caribbean island to utilize Binary Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) geothermal power generation that utilizes a closed-loop system with zero carbon emissions.
As of today, the drilling rig has been set and drilling will officially begin momentarily. This well is to confirm geothermal reservoir properties including flow rate, temperature and sustainability.
Acting Premier of Nevis the Honourable Mark Brantley says the significance of the start of drilling operations at the Hamilton site cannot be overstated because it is an exercise that has occupied the minds of governments on Nevis since 2004.
“If we can achieve what we intend to achieve here, it means that Nevis becomes fossil-fuel free for its generation of electricity,” he said. “It puts us really, in a category of our own in the Caribbean and perhaps in the world, in terms of being completely sustainable for our electricity supply… This is a resource given to us by God. It is a resource made available to us and it is for us now to harness that for the benefit of the people of Nevis.”
