Consulting
Project Overview
We completed a geomechanical pre-feasibility study to de-risk an Advanced Geothermal System (AGS) concept
targeting a horizontal well in granitic basement. The objective was to move the project from “promising concept”
to a decision-ready view of subsurface risks, operational constraints, and the key measurements required to
progress into final well design.
This type of work is critical in AGS development because the technical challenge is rarely just temperature it’s
whether the subsurface conditions allow stable drilling, controllable pressure management, and low fault
reactivation sensitivity across the target depth interval.
The Challenge
At pre-feasibility stage, AGS projects often have limited local
calibration data, yet major design decisions still need to be made
early (well direction, casing strategy, mud weight philosophy, and risk
contingencies).
The key uncertainties typically include:
- Stress regime and stress magnitude (and how they vary with depth)
- Wellbore stability margins for a horizontal basement well
- Sensitivity to well direction and inclination
- Fault reactivation potential under baseline conditions
- What data will most efficiently reduce uncertainty before committing to final design
Outcome
- Clear identification of preferred well orientations
- Quantified understanding of stability margins and sensitivities
- Early screening of fault reactivation propensity
- A targeted plan for high-value measurements to collapse uncertainty
The Look Up Solution
We delivered a structured Technical Review and Recommendations (TRR) programme, designed to rapidly
improve decision confidence and enable next-stage drilling planning.
Our work included:
- A thorough due diligence review of available geoscientific and drilling datasets
- Identification of key gaps, uncertainties, and interpretation risks impacting well success
- An updated geothermal conceptual model integrating subsurface evidence and operational learnings
- Prioritised recommendations for the next wells, including targets, trajectory intent, and risk considerations
- Clear communication of assumptions and sensitivities to support stakeholder alignment
Where relevant, we also provided guidance on optional next-step activities such as further geoscientific
studies, reservoir modelling readiness, and ongoing advisory support through drilling.