DEEP Earth Energy Production pioneers sustainable geothermal power technology with global potential 

Founded in 2010, DEEP Earth Energy Production (DEEP) specializes in geothermal energy production. A privately held corporation, DEEP is leading the way on renewable geothermal energy development by introducing renewable baseload power generation to the SaskPower grid. 

After more than a decade of preliminary work and preparatory engineering, DEEP is positioned to be the first producer of large-scale geothermal power in Canada. DEEP has the geothermal rights within 39,120 hectares with the potential for more than 200 megawatts of geothermal power. This could offset approximately 780,000 tons of CO₂ emissions per year; the equivalent of taking 170,000 cars off the road annually.

Kirsten Marcia, Director, President and CEO, shares more details: “We’re based in Saskatchewan and have been working on the project for over ten years now. In December of 2018, we drilled our first exploratory well. We have now drilled a total of seven wells, and this has allowed us to production and injection test the resource, produce high volumes of fluid, inject it back into the ground, and ensure that we understand what the resource can do, and even more importantly, to learn what it can’t do as well. 

“This has enabled us to reach the point where SLB (formerly known as Schlumberger), has certified that our first 30 megawatts of geothermal power production will be sustainable for at least the next 40 years. In turn, this has also allowed us to go into construction financing. 

“Typically,” Kirsten continues, “when you think of geothermal energy, you think of geysers and volcanoes. Here in the province of Saskatchewan, though, we have bald, flat prairie, mostly farmland! What makes it special is the Williston Sedimentary Basin, which extends all the way to North Dakota. The geology here gives us the ability to drill very deep into the ground while remaining in sediment, and we can intersect a hot aquifer, allowing us to produce at high volumes. Generally, the deeper you go into the ground, the harder it gets but we can drill three and a half kilometers down and don’t hit hard crystalline rock, which is a rare situation. 

Predictable resource 

“When we drill a large production well, we produce fluids at 120°C, which then go through a power generator using Organic Rankine Cycle technology. It works by passing hot brine through a heat exchanger; we harvest the heat, which is introduced to a working fluid, in our case, butane. The butane vaporizes and drives a turbine. We then cool the butane back into a liquid, creating a constant repeating cycle of the butane going in and out of liquid and vapor phases. That’s what generates the power. We then put the brine back into the ground to reload with heat again. 

“One of the other unique aspects of our global story is that typically geothermal wells are drilled vertically into the ground. We learned early on that this limited the amount of fluid we could produce. So, we switched to a horizontal well design, which is very common in oil and gas country, where we are located. Unbeknownst to us, we were the first company in the world to drill a horizontal geothermal well.” 

“The power that we generate is sold to the only power utility we have here in Saskatchewan: SaskPower. Because geothermal provides baseload power, we are competing with carbon-intensive alternatives like coal. We have a wonderful opportunity to produce power without also producing emissions. 

“The land we control already has the potential to support at least 200 megawatts of power generation. We are doing this in phases, because to go to market, we must conduct a little more exploratory drilling. However, it’s a very stable and predictable resource, so we’re not expecting any big surprises.” 

Significant partners 

Alongside the company’s collaboration with SLB, there have been several partnerships that have contributed to DEEP’s success, as Kirsten explains: “SLB has traditionally been associated with the oil and gas industry but has been increasingly transitioning towards renewables. Geothermal is often the easiest adaptation for companies that have historically been involved with oil and gas, especially given that it’s the largest industry in the local area. 

“We also have a strong partnership with Ormat, the world’s biggest producer of Organic Rankine Cycle technology. Other than Ormat, all of our other partners have historically been associated with oil and gas, and they’re seeing this as a valuable redeployment of their skills. For many of them, this is the first time they have worked with renewables. This, in turn, serves as a great example of how their technologies can be utilized for other green energy projects elsewhere. 

“Another key partnership that is very important to us is with Saskatchewan First Nations Natural Resource Centre of Excellence. This relationship will facilitate investment in the project, as well as training and employment opportunities for First Nation communities in the province.” 

This year will see a major milestone for the company as years of labor and investment come to fruition. “We will launch construction this year,” Kirsten shares. “We are still in the process of completing the construction financing; as soon as this is in place, we will begin our two-phase construction. It will generate over 100 megawatts of a blended hybrid power supply, launching Canada’s geothermal industry for the first time ever.” 

The area in which DEEP operates is not only rich in natural resources but also in human resources. “Skills from the oil and gas sector are completely transferable,” Kirsten explains, “and locally we have three coal-powered stations that are set to retire in 2030. This will free up a huge amount of capacity and expertise from which we can benefit.” 

Looking to the future, DEEP will harness high-quality geothermal resources with existing drilling and power generation technologies to establish a long-term renewable baseload power supply, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. The company’s long-term goal is to develop 200 megawatts of geothermal power achieved in multiple facilities in Southeast Saskatchewan. 

“Within Saskatchewan alone, we have huge potential, but with this process, we believe sedimentary basins all over the world could be ripe for generation. With proper reservoir management, geothermal resources can maintain a consistent heat source, ensuring generations of renewable power production. The Permian Basin in Texas, for example, would be a great candidate,” she concludes.  

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