St. Kitts and Nevis: NEVLEC team heads to Iceland for geothermal rig inspection

St. Kitts and Nevis: Nevis Geothermal Drilling Project is moving towards the drilling phase as a NEVLEC team has departed to Iceland for inspecting the Drillmec HH-300 “Týr” rig. At the Iceland Drilling Company Facility, the team will inspect the rig from August 24 to 28. They will check if the rig is safe and ready to be used. After the rig passes the examination, it will then be sent to Nevis and it will be used to drill five geothermal wells at the Hamilton site.

NEVLEC General Manager Nelson Stapleton and Project Coordinator Naftalie Errar will lead the NEVLEC team. They will oversee the inspection in Iceland and will also meet the drilling, engineering and geothermal experts over there.

After the last major safety and quality check, the rig would then be sent to Nevis by sea. The hook load capacity of the rig is about 272 metric tonnes and it will be transported by sea if it passes the inspection and receives certification.

A UK-based company, Scotia Drilling Consultants specialises in drilling-rig inspections and technical checks. It is the company that is in charge of carrying out the inspection. Its team will examine the rig’s structure, mechanical systems and safety equipment, while also checking the operational capability of the rig.

If the rig passes the inspection then it will be transported to Nevis by sea. It will be used for drilling at the Hamilton geothermal site.

The drill is expected to drill five geothermal wells which will help in assessing and developing Nevis’ geothermal resource.

Stapleton said that it is important for NEVLEC to be directly involved in the inspection process. This will help the team in understanding the functioning of the rig before it arrives in Nevis. It will also give local workers valuable knowledge and experience.

NEVLEC (Nevis Electricity Company Limited) which operates under Nevis Island Administration is responsible for carrying out the project. The Caribbean Development Bank, Inter-American Development Bank and Green Climate Fund are also supporting the project.

The aim of the project is to make better use of Nevis’ natural geothermal resource. It could help the island reduce its use of imported fossil fuels and become independent in terms of electricity generation. It will also strengthen energy security and help in supporting cleaner energy in the future.