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Geothermal drilling rig simulator by GDC in Kenya

Geothermal drilling rig simulator by GDC in Kenya Drilling rig simulator at GDC (source: GDC)
Alexander Richter 14 Feb 2020

As part of its Geothermal Center of Excellence, GDC in Kenya operates a drilling rig simulator for virtual training on drilling geothermal wells.

Kenya’s Geothermal Development Company (GDC) has set up geothermal drilling rig simulators to help train stuff on drilling geothermal wells. The simulator is used for training not only staff by GDC, but also technicians from other companies in Eastern Africa as part of the Geothermal Center of Excellence.

“By simulating actual drilling conditions and procedures, our rig operators gain more experience in handling different drilling conditions,” the company said in an update.

The highly specialized simulator as a virtual rig, provides a complete and detailed immersive simulation experience of the start to finish drilling operations on a virtual rig including pipe-handling, tripping in, tripping out, drilling, mud system operation, cementing operations and well control training.

GDC was set up to drill geothermal wells in Kenya to derisk projects on behalf of investors, when GDC will sell the steam to independent power producers that than actually build and operate geothermal power plants.

GDC currently earns the bulk of its revenues from geothermal steam sales in Olkaria, Naivasha to power producer KenGen who converts the steam to electricity.

Source: Africa Sustainability Matters