A drilling rig unveiled by researchers at the University of Oklahoma could dramatically change how the world sources its energy. The research team at the University's Mewbourne School of Petroleum and Geological Engineering plans to use the rig to tap into geothermal vents below the Earth's surface for an unlimited energy supply, aWith countries worldwide looking for ways to address their energy needs without emitting carbon, wind, solar, and even nuclear power are getting a boost.
, on the other hand, has neither of these issues and is a reliable source of power without any carbon emissions. The hurdle, however, is to tap into the source far below the depths we have dug into before.Orkhan Khankishiyev, a master's student at the university, conceptualized a rig that is 17 feet 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 , but for tapping into geothermal heat, one needs to dig to twice this depth to about 20,000 feet . The increased temperatures at this depth, which could range between 600-700 degrees Fahrenheit , further complicate the task.The digging will also need to be done in pairs, one for the upcoming vent and another for water.
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.