KenGen Risks Losing Olkaria Wells Over 18-Year Licence Blunder Kenya Electricity Generating Company (KenGen) faces a serious legal and operational risk at Olkaria after an error in the coordinates of its geothermal licence left part of the company’s wells, steam infrastructure and other assets outside its legally recognised area. The licensing mistake, made nearly two decades ago, remains unresolved despite the Ministry of Energy and Petroleum acknowledging the problem in 2017. The dispute has raised questions about the security of KenGen’s investments, the government’s management of geothermal resources and the potential consequences for Kenya’s electricity supply. Olkaria is the country’s most important geothermal centre and accounts for the overwhelming majority of Kenya’s installed geothermal generation capacity. Licence Error Exposes Strategic Assets The problem dates back to September 19, 2008, when the Ministry of Energy and Petroleum issued KenGen a licence covering ...
Advancing Geothermal Development: SLB and Star energy Geothermal Join Forces
By: Robert Buluma
The geothermal energy sector is set to take a major leap forward with the recent announcement of a collaboration agreement between SLB and Star energy Geothermal, a subsidiary of Indonesia’s Barito Renewables. This partnership aims to leverage cutting-edge technologies to revolutionize geothermal asset development, enhancing efficiency and economics in an industry critical to the global energy transition .
A Collaboration Rooted in Expertise
Star energy Geothermal, known for managing 886 MW of installed geothermal electricity capacity, brings decades of expertise in geothermal resource development and operations. Partnering with SLB, a global leader in technology solutions for the energy sector, this collaboration is expected to tackle longstanding challenges in geothermal development, such as high project risks and costs.
Irlan Amir, vice president of Renewables and Energy Efficiency at SLB, highlighted the significance of the partnership:
"In developing technologies for the geothermal industry, collaborating with customers is critical for focusing on the use cases with the most significant economic impact. We look forward to delivering groundbreaking technologies that lower project risks and improve the overall project economics of this clean, firm, and flexible energy source.
Technological Innovations for Geothermal Advancement
The collaboration will focus on several key areas, including subsurface characterization, drilling, and production technologies. Building on past projects where SLB optimized well placement and utilized artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance geothermal drilling, this agreement aims to further integrate advanced solutions to shift the economics of conventional geothermal projects. Some of the artistic projects which SLB has placed hands on is the Eavor's Geothermal Technology
Hendra Soetjipto Tan, president director of Barito Renewables and CEO of Star energy Geothermal, emphasized the strategic importance of this partnership:
"Aligned with our strategic expansion to support energy transition, our goal will be enabled by leveraging advanced technologies to enhance the efficiency and economics of our current and future assets."
Implications for the Global Geothermal Sector
This collaboration comes at a time when geothermal energy is gaining traction as a reliable, clean, and flexible energy source. By addressing technical and economic challenges, SLB and Star energy Geothermal aim to unlock the broader potential of geothermal projects worldwide. This partnership not only strengthens Indonesia’s leadership in renewable energy but also sets a benchmark for innovation and collaboration in the global geothermal industry.
The Future of Geothermal Energy
With SLB's technological prowess and Star energy Geothermal’s operational expertise, this partnership is poised to deliver transformative solutions for the geothermal sector. As the world accelerates its shift to clean energy, such collaborations will play a pivotal role in overcoming barriers to geothermal development, paving the way for a sustainable energy future.
Stay tuned for updates as this groundbreaking collaboration unfolds, promising to reshape the geothermal landscape and redefine the economics of clean energy projects globally.
Source: SLB

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