How to make PDC Drill Bits to work for Geothermal Industry

In this edition of Industrial Process News, we are pleased to announce that ZerdaLab Ltd has been chosen as our PDC Drill Bits Engineering Company of the Year.

At Industrial Process News, we have previously featured ZerdaLab as our Drill Bits Engineering Company of the Month. As we approach the end of 2023, we have been deeply impressed by the remarkable growth of this relatively new Scottish startup over the past twelve months.

ZerdaLab was founded in Aberdeen in 2022, the commercial hub of Scotland, a thriving seaport and home to the UK’s North Sea Energy Industry. This drill bit engineering and drilling data analytics company boasts an expert in-house team with extensive industry experience and ambitious growth plans for 2024.

In the ever-evolving energy industry, with the geothermal sector gaining prominence by the day, ZerdaLab stands out as the company to watch.

Geothermal energy, derived from the Greek words ‘geo’ for Earth and ‘thermal’ for heat, is an exciting development in renewable energy. It can be harnessed to provide both heat and electricity, but accessing this energy source requires drilling deep wells through challenging and resilient rock lithologies. The energy is subsequently converted into steam, which powers turbines for electricity generation or heating.

As things stand, the USA leads the way in geothermal electricity generation, producing over 3.7 gigawatts, enough to power millions of American homes. While the geothermal energy market in the UK is currently relatively conservative, there is a future project in Seaham, County Durham, which aims to utilise water from mineshafts to heat local homes. The University of Durham has identified areas with significant geothermal potential, including Northumberland, Middlesbrough, North East Derbyshire, and Nottingham. Academics have even predicted that the UK possesses enough underground geothermal energy to heat every home for the next century.

Europe has already made substantial progress in the geothermal sector, with countries like France and Germany leading the way. Many homes in Paris use geothermal heating, and Iceland, with its natural geology, is fully exploiting this renewable energy source.

ZerdaLab is at the forefront of geothermal industry innovation and was recently the only British company nominated for Innovation of the Year by the European Geothermal Energy Council in Germany.

In collaboration with the University of Bath, this Aberdeen startup has undertaken an R&D project on bit construction, funded by the InnovateUK grant, and is a member of the Scale-Up Programme, designed to expedite startup development.

Historically, conventional designs like the Roller Cone have lacked the durability and efficiency required for drilling in high-temperature, hard rock environments beneath the Earth’s surface. High operational costs have also been a hindrance, with nearly a quarter of geothermal project budgets allocated to drilling alone. ZerdaLab’s PDC drill bit technology and unique business model aim to change this landscape through an automated approach to drill bit selection, localised manufacturing, and performance assessment.

ZerdaLab’s application employs an in-house developed physics-based model to determine the optimal cutting structure for each application, maximising the bit’s performance. Furthermore, a state-of-the-art Computer Vision AI application is used to assess the bit’s condition after use, calibrating the selection algorithms. This objective bit performance assessment ultimately leads to improved drilling efficiency and reductions in the cost and energy input of geothermal wells.

We had the opportunity to speak with company Director, Vasiliy Zbaraskiy to learn more about this ground-breaking company.

“Although we were only established in 2022, our achievements have far exceeded our initial expectations. I’ve just returned from the industryleading Geothermal Rising Conference in Nevada, where I had the pleasure of meeting many like-minded professionals from across the industry, particularly in the USA, the global leader in geothermal energy. We specialise in designing bespoke, high-spec drill bits that are manufactured locally, significantly reducing costs, improving lead times and drilling performance, and also mitigating shipping-related CO2 emissions. This approach also supports local manufacturers and communities. Our developing physics-based automated bit selection application will enhance the quality and speed of selecting the right bit for each application, maximising drilling performance.”

The geothermal energy market is thriving not only in the USA but also in Europe, including Germany, the Netherlands, France, Italy, Iceland, Turkey, Indonesia, Australia, New Zealand, and the Asian Pacific’s Ring of Fire/Circum-Pacific Belt. ZerdaLab has secured trial tests for its bespoke-designed bits in New Zealand and recently supplied drill bits for a project in Germany.

Looking ahead, the company aims to become the go-to choice for drill bits and engineering in the global geothermal space. Their current focus is on optimising drill bit performance and reducing costs for customers, with a vision of making drill bits as close to drilling sites as possible through a network of global manufacturing partners. ZerdaLab will soon be launching both its AI Dull Grading app and its MLenabled Drill Bit Selection tool.

As the geothermal energy sector gains momentum worldwide, including in the UK, we eagerly anticipate ZerdaLab’s future endeavours.

“We are delighted to receive a second award from Industrial Process News this year. It is unexpected but greatly appreciated. We are skilled design innovators, and our expert team enjoys collaborating with companies worldwide. Our team is composed of dedicated individuals who thrive under fast-paced pressure. With clear objectives in place, we all know the direction each project is heading in. We are highly motivated and look forward to hearing from new and existing customers in the coming months,” concluded Vasiliy.

To learn more about ZerdaLab and its services, please visit: www.zerdalab.com or contact
the company at: info@zerdalab.com or
+44 (0)7549 980407.