Geothermal Manufacturing Prize

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! 

If you’re attending the Geothermal Rising Conference, don’t miss the Geothermal Manufacturing Prize Geo! Demo Day on Sunday! Five finalist teams will present their ideas for using additive manufacturing to address the biggest challenges around capturing geothermal energy. Two teams will then be crowned winners and awarded $500,000 each during the conference’s plenary session on Monday, Aug. 29.

If you can’t see the teams present their technologies in person, read up on their impressive innovations and get ready to congratulate the winners on Monday morning! Check back here for the full announcement. 

We can’t wait to see the final presentations from all these extraordinary competitors!   

Get ready for Geo! Demo Day by getting to know the five finalist teams vying for winner status—and a $500,000 cash prize and up to $200,000 in reimbursed field-testing costs—during the conclusion of the Geothermal Manufacturing Prize!

The following teams will be presenting their technologies during the Geothermal Rising Conference in Reno, NV, on August 28. Read up and cheer them on! 

• Team Baker Hughes (Houston, TX): This team is developing high expansion packers with additively manufactured backup rings. With an inventive, interlocking petal design, these backup rings will improve the zonal isolation in both open and cased hole geothermal wells. Learn more about their technology. 
• Downhole Emerging Technologies (Houston, TX): This team is developing an innovative alternative to traditional packer systems. The retrievable, all-metal packer system is designed specifically for high temperatures, extreme pressures, and corrosion experienced in geothermal wells. Learn more about their technology. 
• Team PLUGS (Morgantown, WV): This team is developing a sparger system that uses high-pressure air for artificial lift, which replaces the traditional electric pumps. The technology addresses maintenance issues experienced by existing pump technologies due to harsh geothermal conditions. Learn more about their technology.
• The Bit Guys (Morgantown, WV): This team is developing an air-hammer drill bit with carbide cutter retention technology that tackles drilling-related challenges in geothermal environments. Basement rock is notoriously difficult to drill through and this bit technology addresses both the strength and temperature requirements for geothermal drilling. Learn more about their technology.
• Ultra-High Temperature Logging Tool (Houston, TX): This team is developing a technology that uses a labyrinthian heat sink to reduce thermal emissivity and increase the exposure time of temperature sensitive electronic components. The technology solves limitations around maximum temperature rating and lifetime of electronics in logging and measurement tools. Learn more about their technology. 

Two winners of the prize will be chosen from among these finalists and announced on Aug. 29 during the conference’s plenary session. Check back here for the complete winner announcement!   

We’re looking forward to the conclusion of the Geothermal Manufacturing Prize, taking place at the Geothermal Rising Conference on Sunday, Aug. 28. The five finalists will present their additively manufactured innovations at Geo! Demo Day, and two winners will be announced the following morning during the conference’s plenary session. 

Coming to the conference? Come hear first-hand about the technologies these five finalist teams are bringing to Demo Day. And check back here to learn more about the two teams taking home winner status, $500,000, and other incentives to further their research and set them on the path to success. 

Good luck to all of the finalists! 

The five Geothermal Manufacturing Prize finalist teams are finishing the competition by presenting their technologies at Geo! Demo Day on Sunday, Aug. 28, at the Geothermal Rising Conference in Reno, NV! Anyone attending the conference should stop by to hear all about the finalists’ innovations and their potential for helping grow this burgeoning renewable energy field. 

The two winning teams—who will take home $500,000 each—will be announced Monday, Aug. 29, at the conference’s plenary session. Check back here to read all about the winners after the announcement has been made!

Read more about the finalists’ technologies and get ready to cheer on your favorite team.