Desafíos de la perforación de pozos geotérmicos en la cordillera Occidental de los Andes ecuatorianos.

Abstract

In Ecuador, as part of the alternative energies search, geothermal energy has been considered as an option to contribute to the change of the country's energy matrix. In 2007, a government policy was promoted driving the use of this important resource. The development of a geothermal project involves risks in its exploration, exploitation, production and drilling phases. This last phase is one of the most representatives from the investment point of view and requires a detailed analysis for its execution. This work based on a descriptive methodology analyzes and define the challenges of drilling geothermal wells in the Western Cordillera of the Ecuadorian Andes. As a result of the investigation, technical challenges were identified as: rig selection and execution of drilling operations with total loss of circulation; in the physical-environmental aspect, relevant challenges were identified, such as temperature conditions and water use; in the social part, were distinguished, the personnel selection, work at high altitude and remote areas as well as the relationship with the community. The drilling challenges can be adequately managed with an appropriate planning, based on the technical, environmental and social project requirements, taking into account oil and gas drilling experience and technology available in the country.