Digging 10 miles underground could yield enough geothermal energy to power Earth

[wag123]

This is interesting. Many of you know that I have been espousing the use of geothermal energy for quite some time.

Digging 10 miles underground could yield enough geothermal energy to power Earth

The total energy content of the heat stored underground exceeds our annual energy demand as a planet by a factor of a billion. Could geothermal energy provide all the energy we need?

interestingengineering.com

 

[Pew]

Don't do it! It's just outer space on the other side

 

[mrsilv04]

How many miles down did the Soviets get before they gave up and capped it?

 

[aquariuscsm]

I remember when I was a little kid people would say if you dig deep enough, you’ll end up in China.

 

[wag123]

How many miles down did the Soviets get before they gave up and capped it?

That would be the Kola borehole. 7.6 miles

 

[Passport1]

Wait until the caldera under Yellowstone decides to come to the surface from ~5 miles down. We'll have enough geothermal energy to power the earth for eternity.

 

[Cujet]

I'm always fascinated by these deep wells. The Deepwater Horizon rig drilled an epic exploratory well in the Tiber oil field some time before the Macando site fiery disaster.

The well in the Tiber field had a true vertical depth of 35,050 ft (10,683 m) and a measured depth of 35,055 ft (10,685 m), below 4,132 ft (1,259 m) of water. The well was the deepest oil well in the world, and more than 5,000 feet (1,500 m) farther below the seabed than the rig's official drilling specification stated on the company's fleet list.

 

[aquariuscsm]

Honestly, I would be afraid that this would happen!

 

[Passport1]

if you dig deep enough, you’ll end up in China

Actually the only non-ocean antipodes to any point in the US are a couple of unihabited islands in the southern Indian Ocean. China is nowhere near that.

 

[JohnnyG]

That would be the Kola borehole. 7.6 miles

Dam, almost made it!

 

[earlyre]

That would be the Kola borehole. 7.6 miles

Kola Superdeep Borehole - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[Jimmy_Russells]

Actually the only non-ocean antipodes to any point in the US are a couple of unihabited islands in the southern Indian Ocean. China is nowhere near that.

View attachment 127563

So if you drilled through you would flood North America?

 

[Wrenchturner44]

The U.S. tried something similar. I remember this from "weekly reader" days in elementary school.....LOL

Project Mohole

Project Mohole

www.nasonline.org

 

[Pablo]

You know how many times I thought this since I was like 5?

 

[RDMgr]

Honestly, I would be afraid that this would happen!

Now I'm afraid!

 

[aquariuscsm]

The U.S. tried something similar. I remember this from "weekly reader" days in elementary school.....LOL

Project Mohole

Project Mohole

www.nasonline.org

I loved the Weekly Readers when I was in elementary school!!

 

[Vern_in_IL]

After drilling down 7.5 miles, why not let nukes do the rest? That would be some serious "fracking" but it would make the hole deeper.

I used to listen to the old Art Bell radio show and this recording was featured one night. It was reportedly taken from the bottom of the Russian deep drill hole , it was around two in the morning and although I don’t believe there is a Hell , I will admit , at two in the AM with the lights off , it was disturbing and I never forgot it.

 

[4WD]

no matter how they break through the rock - this will take many casing strings starting with very large sizes that will exceed current rig derrick capacities. Thinking titanium drill pipe - extreme circulation pressure - massive fluid cooling systems during drilling - high temperature cementing products - so many things designed and built for this alone …
Oh, and 100’s of millions USD …

 

[Al]

If, if, if,..................................

 

[wag123]

no matter how they break through the rock - this will take many casing strings starting with very large sizes that will exceed current rig derrick capacities. Thinking titanium drill pipe - extreme circulation pressure - massive fluid cooling systems during drilling - high temperature cementing products - so many things designed and built for this alone …
Oh, and 100’s of millions USD …

You are massively underestimating how much this would cost. I suspect that we are talking tens of billions of dollars.
Now, to put this into perspective, do you know how much it costs to build one nuclear power plant now days? A two-reactor nuclear power plant being built in Georgia (the ONLY one currently being built in the US) is now projected to cost its owners more than $30 billion. The South Texas Nuclear Project was approved to move forward on constructing two additional reactors, but when they started looking at the numbers they decided to scrap the plan indefinitely.
Having said all of that, and looking closely at all of the alternatives, IMO geothermal energy production is worthy of serious consideration and research.