After successful presentations at Geo! Demo Day, two teams were named winners of the Geothermal Manufacturing Prize—and awarded $500,000 cash—during the plenary session of the Geothermal Rising Conference on August 29. Congratulations to the winners—Downhole Emerging Technologies and Ultra-High Temperature Logging Tool!
During this final Geo! Contest, competing teams were required to present their manufactured functional prototype, with all additive manufacturing components incorporated and tested, to a panel of expert reviewers. The winning concepts expertly used additive manufacturing to tackle some of the biggest challenges faced in the geothermal extraction process. Here’s more about the winning teams—both based in Houston, TX—and their concepts:
- Downhole Emerging Technologies developed a zonal isolation packer specifically designed for the high temperatures, pressures, and corrosion experienced in geothermal wells. This all-metal, retrievable packer system uses additively manufactured alloy components to anchor the packer downhole for up to one year in a geothermal environment. Learn more about their technology.
- Team Ultra-High Temperature Logging Tool developed an additively manufactured labyrinthine heat sink technology that reduces thermal exposure by limiting thermal conductivity pathways and radiative heat transfer. The goal is to extend the downhole time of temperature sensitive off the shelf electronic components during logging operations in high temperature geothermal wells. Learn more about their technology.
Congratulations to the two teams, as well as all finalist teams that made it through the Geothermal Manufacturing Prize. We look forward to seeing continued success with your innovations!
