US researchers unveil new drilling rig to tap into geothermal energy reserves

A drilling rig for geothermal vents

Orkhan Khankishiyev, a master's student at the university, conceptualized a rig that is 17 feet (5.18 m) tall which could be used to reach the depths necessary to tap into geothermal energy.

For comparison, oil and gas exploration technologies currently dig up to a depth of 10,000 feet (3,048 m), but for tapping into geothermal heat, one needs to dig to twice this depth to about 20,000 feet (6,096 m). The increased temperatures at this depth, which could range between 600-700 degrees Fahrenheit (315-371 degrees Celsius), further complicate the task.

The digging will also need to be done in pairs, one for the upcoming vent and another for water. Once dug, one of the vents will be used to send in water, while the heat of the Earth will turn it into steam and send it up the other vent. The steam can then be used to power a turbine and generate electricity.

The researchers predict that a single pair of vents can produce enough energy to power 2,000 homes per day. Since the circumference of the vent is not wider than nine inches (~23 cm), multiple vents can be dug at the same site, which could theoretically even be in an individual's backyard and generate power.

The team has moved from concept to prototype quite quickly but needs to extensively test its performance, which could take a few years. However, the potential of technology in the energy sector is tremendous.

The researchers compare it to fracking, which went from an unknown concept to one that everybody was using in just a decade. Geothermal energy could be the next big thing in the power sector if the drilling rig works out.