Halliburton to provide well design services for Texas geothermal and lithium project
Areal extent of the Smackover Formation (source: Dyman, T.S., and Condon, S.M., Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons)
Carlo Cariaga
25 Jun 2025
Halliburton will be working with GeoFrame Energy for a geothermal power and lithium project within the area of the Smackover Formation in East Texas.
Halliburton has been awarded the contract for planning and design of the first demonstration wells for the geothermal and direct lithium extraction (DLE) project of GeoFrame Energy in the Smackover Formation in East Texas. The work is expected to start in late 2025.
First announced in April 2025, the project by GeoFrame Energy targets production of approximately 83,500 metric tons of battery-grade lithium carbonate annually. The DLE process will utilize advanced solvent extraction methods developed by Ekosolve Inc. and the University of Melbourne. The technology is claimed to provide 92 to 95% lithium recovery rate at a considerably lower capital and production cost and a small operational footprint.
According to GeoFrame Energy, the project will be the first to extract lithium carbonate from the Smackover Formation, which is an extensive and permeable limestone aquifer that hosts a large volume of mineral-rich brine. By establishing a reliable, homegrown supply, the project offers significant economic and strategic benefits. The project will initially utilize the geothermal fluids to generate electricity via binary cycle generators, fully powering its DLE lithium extraction and lithium carbonate production plants. Any excess electricity will be sold to the grid.
“GeoFrame Energy’s East Texas Project will lead the United States’ domestic lithium production and will be the first to deliver battery-grade lithium carbonate from the Smackover Formation,” said Bruce Cutright, CEO, GeoFrame Energy. “Halliburton, as a critical member of our team, will support the drilling phase of our project through the construction, design, and operation of the demonstration wells and the expansion into full field development.”
RELATED: CTR geothermal lithium project recognized by US federal permitting program
Source: Halliburton and North American Clean Energy
