Three Bits
Geothermal heats up in China, a 21 year old Superfund cleanup and more
A daily look at the news that's affecting the industry and the people involved in all of it, brought to you by the Driller
Each day, running Monday-Friday, the Driller will take a look at the news that's affecting the industry and the people involved in all of it. From geothermal to water to the latest in equipment and the innovation that powers it, scouring news sites from across the globe.
Here’s a look at a few top stories for Thursday, Sept. 3.
Promising early data from geothermal exploration in China
As the Chinese government continues to view geothermal as a stable source of electricity, rather than traditional power, CPC Corp. geothermal company noted that it received strong data from a second deep exploration well. According to a report from the Taipei Times, this second drill site reached a little over 11,000 feet and recorded temperatures of 392 degrees fahrenheit. Next up, CPC wants to drill a pair of additional wells to gauge the size of the heat reservoir and determine if it could, in fact, support commercial power generation.
Remediation efforts, 21 years in the making
On Thursday, EPA officials were on hand in DuPage County, Ill. to announce the deletion of the Kerr-McGee Kress Superfund site from the National Priorities List. The contamination, which stretched across a 6.7 mile stretch of land in the country was due to a former factory which produced gas lantern mantles and radioactive materials for over 40 years. Runoff from the facility ran into a nearby creek, spilling into floodplains and the west part of the DuPage River.
Cleanup for the project, which began in 2005 was completed in 2014, but restoring the site according to an EPA release took another 11 years.
““Cleaning up a site like this takes persistence, science, and partnership—and today’s milestone shows the payoff of that work,” said EPA Region 5 Administrator Anne Vogel. “The result is a safer community, a healthier environment, and new opportunities to support families, recreation, and economic growth for years to come.”
Trump-backed oil company ramps up drilling in Venezuela
Finally, while this leans into oil and gas, there is news that a Venezuelan oil company backed by the Trump Administration is preparing to dispatch 50 rigs over the coming years, and potentially as much as 52 to support and boost crude production in the country.
According to a Wall Street Journal report, it will start with 12 new drilling rigs and increase to two additional rigs a month starting in 2028.
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