Logging tool wins 2nd stage in American-Made Geothermal Prize

Cut away view of logging tool (source: Rapid Prototypes)

One of the 10 teams to win the U.S. Department of Energy’s SET! Phase is led by Rapid Prototypes with team members from GeoTex Design Solutions, DNV and Veizades & Associates. Rapid Prototypes wins the 2nd stage of the American-Made Geothermal Manufacturing Prize with the design for a 3d-printed ultra high temperature logging tool.

The Geothermal Prize provides additional funding to enter the MAKE! stage as incentives to further product development. The last stage is GO! and provides funding to test the tool in a geothermal reservoir.

This demonstration tool will set the stage for a future suite of logging instruments which will be deployable in geothermal wells. By optimizing geometry and materials properties for low thermal conductivity pathways and reduced thermal emissivity, the team plans to extend the exposure time of logging tools in geothermal wells for enhanced data gathering. This will greatly increase understanding of geothermal well during drilling operations and well performance over time.

The Team was supported by guidance from Oak Ridge National Laboratory and Sandia National Laboratory and received funding to work with them during the MAKE! phase.

Rapid Prototypes was founded by Jeffrey Johnston with the aim to reduce both the time to market and development cost of high-performance electronic systems. Serving the Aerospace, Oil & Gas, Medical and Renewables industries. Rapid Prototypes uses the Fail Fast approach to reduce capital investment in high quality designs.

Source: Company release by email