Above: the geothermal drill in Montserrat

By the Caribbean Journal staff

Drilling has reached the “desired depth” for completion on Montserrat’s first geothermal well, the government announced this week.

In four weeks, the drilling team will test to determine the capacity of the well to generate geothermal energy.

The bottom of the well is located 2,298 metres below ground.

“The well is now fully secured,” said Ron Beardsley, director of Montserrat’s Public Works Department. “All the time that drilling was taking place we have been pumping cold water down the well to keep things cool and stable.”

While initial signs were “encouraging,” he said, it will take four weeks for temperatures to stabilize.

“It will be on completion of these flow tests when we can estimate the capacity of the well to generate geothermal energy,” he said.
Iceland Drilling Company has been performing the drilling work since February. Work on the second will is set to begin soon.