Skip to main content

Just In

BLM Utah 2026 Geothermal Lease Sale Opens New Energy Opportunities

BLM Utah 2026 Geothermal Lease Sale: What It Means for U.S. Geothermal Development The Bureau of Land Management’s Utah 2026 Geothermal Lease Sale is a significant signal for the next phase of U.S. geothermal development. As federal agencies continue to prioritize renewable energy on public lands, this project highlights both the practical mechanics of geothermal leasing and the broader policy direction supporting domestic clean energy expansion. For developers, investors, land managers, and energy analysts, the sale offers an important case study in how geothermal projects move from planning into commercial opportunity. Geothermal energy has long been one of the most promising yet underutilized renewable resources in the United States. Unlike solar and wind, geothermal can provide steady baseload power regardless of weather or time of day. That makes it especially valuable in power systems that need reliability, grid stability, and long-duration decarbonization. A lease sale like the ...

"Equinor Uncovers Seventh Treasure in the North Sea: An Oil and Gas Discovery"

Equinor Strikes Again! The energy giant has made a remarkable discovery in the North Sea, marking the seventh find since autumn of 2019. The latest addition to its list of achievements, the Røver Sør discovery, is said to hold an estimated 17 to 47 MMboe, with a majority of it being oil.

Jan Arne Wold and Elisabeth Sahl / ©Equinor
Partnered with DNO, Wellesley Petroleum and Petoro, Equinor operates the production license and continues to make waves in the oil and gas industry with its string of successful discoveries, including Echino Sør (2019), Swisher (2020), Røver Nord (2021), Blasto (2021), Toppand (2022), and Kveikje (2022).

Geir Sørtveit, Equinor's Senior Vice President for Exploration and Production West Operations, says that discoveries close to existing infrastructure are vital to maintain oil and gas production on the Norwegian continental shelf, as they are more profitable and can be brought to production with minimal carbon emissions. With Røver Sør being in close proximity to the Troll field and other discoveries, it's already deemed to be a commercial success.

Although the exact size of the discovery is yet to be determined, the estimated average volume is around 350 million barrels of oil equivalent, making it a medium-sized Norwegian oil or gas field, similar to the size of the Aasta Hansteen field in the Norwegian sea. Equinor has already started field development projects to coordinate the development of its previous discoveries, and Røver Sør will be part of this work.

The next exploration well in the area, Heisenberg, is set to provide results in March, with more planned for later in the year. Keep an eye on Equinor as it continues to conquer the oil and gas industry with each new discovery.

The steps involved in making an oil discovery are:

Exploration: This involves the use of geological, geophysical and geochemical techniques to identify areas with potential oil deposits. Seismic surveys, drilling and well log analysis are commonly used exploration methods.

Lease Acquisition: If a potential oil deposit is identified, a lease agreement must be secured to explore and drill for oil on the property.

Drilling: The next step is to drill a well to determine if oil is present in commercial quantities. This typically involves drilling to a depth of several kilometers into the earth.

Testing: After drilling, the well is tested to determine the rate at which oil can be produced and the quality of the oil. The results of these tests are used to make a decision on whether to continue with further development.

Appraisal: If the test results are positive, the next step is to conduct a more detailed appraisal to determine the size of the reservoir and the feasibility of commercial production. This may involve additional drilling and testing.

Development: If the appraisal is positive, the next step is to develop the field to bring the oil to production. This may involve the construction of production facilities, pipelines and other infrastructure.

Production: Once the field is developed, oil production can begin. The oil is typically transported to a processing facility for treatment and storage.

Maintenance and Monitoring: Ongoing maintenance and monitoring is required to ensure the safe and efficient production of oil from the field. This may involve the replacement of equipment and the management of environmental impact.

Kindly should you need to read about the current trends in oil and gas discovery this article is splendid! https://alphaxioms.blogspot.com/2023/01/saudi-aramco-and-terra-drone-partner.html

Source:(https://worldoil.com/news/2023/2/9/equinor-makes-seventh-oil-and-gas-discovery-in-north-sea/)

#Equinox #Northsea #Discovery

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Plum IV and CTR’s Geothermal Critical Minerals Deal Takes Shape

Plum Acquisition Corp. IV and  Controlled Thermal Resources Outline a Large-Scale Geothermal and Critical Minerals Platform Plum Acquisition Corp. IV (“Plum IV”) and Controlled Thermal Resources Holdings Inc. (“CTR”) are moving toward a proposed business combination that would create a public company focused on one of the most ambitious geothermal and critical minerals developments in the United States. The combined entity is expected to trade on Nasdaq under the pro forma ticker CTRH, reflecting a platform built around clean baseload power, lithium recovery, and broader critical minerals production. The investor presentation dated August 2026 frames the transaction around CTR’s Hell’s Kitchen project in Imperial County, California, which is presented as a strategically positioned resource opportunity with energy, minerals, infrastructure, and permitting advantages.   At the center of the presentation is a clear message: this is not just a power project, and it is not j...

SECI Invites Geothermal Agencies for Resource Assessment and Power Development in Andaman & Nicobar Islands

SECI’s Geothermal EOI for Andaman & Nicobar Islands: What It Means for India’s Next Frontier in Clean Power The Solar Energy Corporation of India’s EOI for geothermal resource assessment and development in the Andaman & Nicobar Islands is a notable signal that India is widening its renewable-energy playbook beyond solar and wind. For developers, consultants, and investors, this tender is less about a single procurement and more about a strategic entry point into one of India’s most technically intriguing clean-energy frontiers. Why This EOI Matters SECI has published Tender ID SECI000268 under reference SECI/C&P/EOI/17/0003/26-27 for the “Identification and Capability Assessment of Agencies for Geothermal Resource Assessment, Exploration, Development, and Utilization of Geothermal Power Plant in UT of A&N Islands.” The document indicates that the initiative is meant to identify agencies with capability across geothermal resource assessment, exploration, development, and...

Iceland Drilling, Pertamina Strengthen Geothermal Super Hot Rock Collaboration

Iceland Drilling and Pertamina Drilling Strengthen Geothermal Collaboration: A New Platform for Super Hot Rock Development The global geothermal industry is entering a period in which drilling capability, resource knowledge and international collaboration are becoming increasingly important. As countries look for reliable, low-carbon sources of electricity and heat, geothermal energy is moving beyond conventional developments toward more technically challenging resources, including deeper reservoirs and Super Hot Rock (SHR). A new collaboration between Iceland Drilling Company Ltd and Pertamina Drilling Services Indonesia (PDSI) highlights this transition. In August 2026, Iceland Drilling and Pertamina Drilling Services Indonesia officially signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at strengthening cooperation in geothermal drilling services. The agreement brings together two organisations from countries with exceptionally strong geothermal credentials: Iceland, with decade...

EGS Market Size and Investment Outlook

Enhanced Geothermal Systems (EGS) Market Size and Investment Outlook to 2034 Enhanced Geothermal Systems are at an inflection point. For years, EGS sat in the “promising but pre‑commercial” category of clean technologies, constrained by drilling cost, subsurface risk, and limited policy attention. That picture is now changing as next‑generation geothermal developers raise larger rounds, sign serious offtake agreements, and move projects from concept to execution.   At the same time, global demand for firm, low‑carbon power is rising faster than conventional geothermal can supply. Thermal plants are retiring, grids need 24/7 clean electricity, and policymakers are discovering that weather‑dependent renewables cannot carry the entire load alone. EGS is emerging as one of the few technologies capable of delivering baseload clean power using a resource available almost everywhere: deep, hot rock. Current EGS Market Size – Small but Strategic In absolute terms, the EGS market is s...

Deep Geothermal Drilling Preparation for Renewable District Heating

Deep Drilling Preparation for Geothermal Energy: The Erdwärme Breisgau Project The Erdwärme Breisgau geothermal project has received approval for its next phase, allowing Badenova and Herrenknecht to begin preparing a deep-drilling site near Hartheim in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. The partners plan to invest approximately €60 million to explore a geothermal reservoir located around 3,200 metres underground and develop a heating plant for regional district heating.  Why Deep Drilling Matters for Geothermal Heating Deep geothermal energy can provide a stable, renewable source of heat for district-heating networks. Unlike solar and wind power, which depend on weather conditions, geothermal heating can operate continuously when the underground reservoir and surface infrastructure are technically and economically viable. The Erdwärme Breisgau project is designed to investigate a hot-water reservoir beneath the Hartheim area. The plan involves drilling two directional wells: one producti...

AFK Geothermie launches €65M dublette drilling to heat 1,200 homes

AFK Geothermie launches second dublette drilling in Aschheim , pathway to 1,200 geothermal heat connections Summary AFK Geothermie has begun preparing the drill site for a second deep geothermal dublette near Aschheim. Drilling is scheduled to start in November at depths up to 2,600 meters. The project aims to supply up to 1,200 residential connections in Aschheim, Feldkirchen and Kirchheim with district heating from January 2028, expanding an established field first tapped in 2008. Total investment is around €65 million, combining public grants, municipal contributions, company equity and long-term loans. Why this matters now The AFK project is a practical example of how municipal-scale geothermal systems move from demonstration to scale-up. As European policymakers push for decarbonized heating, replicable, well-financed geothermal projects that integrate with existing district heating networks are becoming critical. The Aschheim dublette highlights common technical, financial and ...

If You Had $1 Billion for Geothermal, Where Should You Invest?

If You Had $1 Billion for Geothermal in 2026, Where Wouldn’t You Invest? Image: A thematic image of a drilling rig on a geothermal, well pad Geothermal is becoming one of the most interesting corners of clean energy, but that does not mean every market deserves your capital. In 2026, the smartest geothermal investors are not asking where the hottest rocks are, they are asking where geology, contracts, policy, and execution line up well enough to justify real money. The real investment test If you had $1 billion to deploy in geothermal, you would not start with hype. You would start with bankability, because geothermal is a business of drilled wells, long timelines, heavy upfront costs, and a very unforgiving path from theory to cash flow. A project can look excellent on a resource map and still underperform badly if permitting drags, community consent is weak, tariffs are mispriced, or the grid cannot absorb the power. That is why this article focuses on where you would not put capita...

Geothermal heat pumps for universities: campus decarbonization, industrial heat pumps, and state grant funding

Massachusetts’ $23M Push: How Geothermal, Industrial Heat Pumps and Efficiency Grants Can Transform Campus Decarbonization Image: MIT, Cambridge  Massachusetts’ recent award of approximately $23 million in decarbonization implementation grants to public universities and state facilities is more than a set of individual projects — it’s a practical blueprint for how public-sector institutions can accelerate fossil-fuel retirement, reduce operating costs, and scale up low-carbon heating technologies. The grant round, made through the Department of Energy Resources’ Leading by Example (LBE) Decarbonization Implementation Grant (DIG) program, funds a range of measures from campus-scale geothermal systems to industrial heat pumps, air-source heat pumps, building envelope upgrades, and rooftop solar. Together the projects demonstrate how targeted public investments can unlock larger capital programs, yield sizeable greenhouse gas (GHG) reductions, and create replicable models for universi...

Geothermal Drilling Cost Per Well: U.S. and Global Benchmarks by Country

Geothermal Drilling Cost Per Well: U.S. and Global Benchmarks by Country Geothermal drilling cost per well varies widely because no two projects face the same depth, geology, reservoir temperature, or drilling risk. In the United States and other major geothermal markets, costs can range from modest amounts for shallow residential boreholes to several million dollars for deep power-generation wells. A single “average” price is therefore misleading. The most useful way to understand geothermal drilling cost is to look at project type, depth, and country together, then compare those figures against the conditions that drive them. What A Geothermal Well Includes A geothermal well is more than a hole in the ground. It is a highly engineered underground asset that must be drilled, cased, cemented, tested, and often completed under demanding temperature and pressure conditions. For residential systems, the well or borehole is part of a ground-source heat pump loop field. For power projects, ...

Texas Geothermal Energy Growth: RRC Permits, Geopressured Storage, and Shallow Well Expansion in 2026

Geothermal Energy Gains Ground in Texas Under RRC Leadership Texas is better known for oil and gas, but over the last three years the state has rapidly expanded its geothermal footprint under the regulatory oversight of the  Railroad Commission of Texas (RRC) . From permitting deep geopressured wells for long-duration energy storage to a surge in shallow closed-loop ground-source systems used for heating and cooling, geothermal technologies are moving from pilot projects into commercial-scale development. The RRC’s transfer of geothermal jurisdiction from the  Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) in September 2023, combined with carefully calibrated rules and a permissive permitting pathway, have helped accelerate deployment while preserving environmental and safety safeguards. This article examines the technical and regulatory developments that underpin the growth of geothermal energy in Texas, assesses commercial opportunities and constraints, and outlines the o...