Technological, Engineering, and Geological Advances in Super-Hot Geothermal

Superhot rock energy can be produced from natural or engineered reservoirs that maintain supercritical conditions in the subsurface (i.e., >374°C and >22.1 MPa for pure water). In superhot geothermal energy extraction, superheated steam and/or supercritical fluids are produced from hydrothermal or petrothermal resources.  Proposed completion methods and technologies that could unlock hydrothermal or petrothermal superhot geothermal plays are conventional (e.g. Larderello, Nesjavellir), engineered (e.g., the “Beyond Brittle” Engineered Geothermal System project in Japan), closed loop geothermal (e.g., the GreenLoop Advanced Geothermal System demonstration at The Geysers), and hybrid.  These technologies each play to different strengths, and, with adequate global investment, they offer innovative ways to extract high-energy-density, low-carbon, always available energy. By driving down costs and making large-scale geothermal power available nearly anywhere, Superhot Rock energy has the potential to disrupt and revolutionize the energy system.  Globally, there are many locations around the world where super hot geothermal could be explored.  We welcome studies from a range of earth science, drilling and engineering disciplines to build a multi-disciplined session which track technological, engineering and geological advances in the following areas: 

(i) exploration, characterization, mapping and modelling of superhot resources 
(ii) drilling and completion of wells in high pressure and temperature regimes
(iii) novel materials and tools for high-temperature and high-pressure conditions 
(iv) reservoir creation and management 
(v) topsides and power creation 
(vi) novel and hybrid power conversion systems for Superhot rock energy
(vii) geochemistry and corrosion