Well technology for 
a sustainable world

The Rijswijk Centre for Sustainable Geo-energy (RCSG) is a unique open innovation lab for improving geo-energy technologies to accelerate the energy transition. There is a particular focus on geothermal energy, an increasingly important renewable energy source, and subsurface storage of heat, hydrogen and CO2. The facilities are available for full-scale testing and demonstration of new drilling techniques, flow, and materials under high pressure and temperature.

Well technology for 
a sustainable world

The Rijswijk Centre for Sustainable Geo energy (RCSG) is a unique open innovation lab for improving geo-energy technologies to accelerate the energy transition. There is a particular focus on geothermal energy, an increasingly important renewable energy source, and subsurface storage of heat, hydrogen and CO2. The facilities are available for full-scale testing and demonstration of new drilling techniques, flow, and materials under high pressure and temperature.

Our core qualities and expertise

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Knowledge

RCSG is operated by TNO, the largest independent R&D organization of the Netherlands. A dedicated and experienced well technology team is in charge of setting-up and execution the experiments.

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Facilities

RCSG has a unique collection of state-of-the-art facilities for various well technology tests at full-scale and at downhole conditions.​

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Innovation

RCSG cooperates with multiple partners from industry and academia to develop and mature well technology innovations before application in the field.

Wide selection of advanced equipment

The facilities are impressive. Installations built on solid foundations cover the entire spectrum of subsurface drilling. Like a huge drilling installation above a well that is almost 400 metres deep where new materials and methods can be tested.

There are overhead cranes everywhere, hydraulic presses of 300 and 400 tonnes, pressure vessels of up to 1,000 bar, piping systems for pumping and testing liquids. Almost all underground conditions can be realistically simulated to determine the behavior of materials and tools under high pressure at depths of kilometres.

Walk through the RCSG in the virtual tour and see the facilities.

Facts & Figures

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RCSG has taken over the facilities from Shell in the beginning of 2019 but is officially in operation since its officially opening on the 5th of March 2020.
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The high internal pressure equipment (HIPE) vessel is used for burst and collapse tests of tubing/pipes made of steel or other material. It has an operating pressure of 1000 bar, comparable to the pressure at the bottom of the Mariana Trench, the deepest (11.000m) point of the oceans.
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The existing well at the facilities has a depth of 387m. There is a 360m long 20” casing installed, Grade X-56 with a burst pressure of 211 bar and a collapse pressure of 100 bar. This well is used for various experiments, usually through an installed casing (work string) up to 18” diameter (16.38” ID)
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Currently, there are more than 10 public-private innovation projects running . This means that industry and RCSG are developing new technology with financial support from the government to accelerate the introduction of these innovations in support of the energy transition.  
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More than 30 organizations are connected to RCSG from industry, academia, or research industries through research consortia, internships, B2B assignments or knowledge exchange programs. This number is rapidly expanding since the opening of RCSG.

 

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The indoor research well (18”) is 12 meters deep, which enables the placement of a full casing into the well for experiments. A wellhead can be placed on the well to perform experiments under pressure or with flow.

Open for business

The center is open to companies that want to derisk their new well technology (drilling) tools and materials for geo-energy applications by testing them in a controlled laboratory environment. The RCSG offers companies access to modern and unique facilities that are otherwise difficult to access and use. The major advantage of cooperating with RCSG is that companies (large and small) do not have to make upfront investments in expensive test facilities themselves. Early stage testing of innovations will accelerate their development and help to fast-track these inventions for market introduction.
Interested? Get in touch

Opportunities for businesses

The center is open to companies that want to derisk their new well technology (drilling) tools and materials for geo-energy applications by testing them in a controlled laboratory environment The RCSG offers companies access to modern and unique facilities that are otherwise difficult to access and use The major advantage of cooperating with RCSG is that companies (large and small) do not have to make upfront investments in expensive test facilities themselves. Early stage testing of innovations will accelerate their development and help to fast-track these inventions for market introduction.
Interested? Get in touch

Get in touch with us

Send us a message with your question, proposal or suggestion. We will get back to you as soon as possible.

Frequently asked questions

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Testimonials

"The sustainable use of the subsurface has been on TNO's research agenda for many years. This concerns the extraction of low and high temperature heat from the subsurface, the temporary storage of energy in the subsurface and the storage of CO2 during the phasing out of the fossil energy system. The RCSG makes it possible for companies and knowledge institutions to work closely together through the development of new technology to take major steps in the transition to a sustainable energy system."

Ton de Jong, Director TNO Energy Transition on the RCSG

"The future of our sustainable energy supply above ground rests for an important part on the value and knowledge of our Dutch subsurface. The center helps to develop technology that is directly applicable to the social and economic development of the Dutch subsurface. EBN wants to help accelerate the energy transition with knowledge, technology and innovation. The center can play an important role in this as well as in developing and strengthening growth markets such as geothermal energy and the storage of CO2, hydrogen and heat."

Jan Willem Hoogstraten, ceo Energie Beheer Nederland (EBN)

"Geothermal energy can make a significant contribution to making our heat supply more sustainable. The geothermal sector is a relatively young sector that is developing strongly. A low-threshold opportunity to experiment with new techniques and materials offers a chance to greatly accelerate that development."

Sandor Gaastra, Director General at the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate

"We are proud that this center is in our province because it allows us to remain at the forefront of the field of geothermal energy. After all, we have already built up a great deal of expertise in this field and that's not surprising: South Holland's soil is very suitable for geothermal energy as a source. Moreover, in this densely populated province we have a large demand for heat. So supply and demand come together nicely. After the pioneering work of recent years, it is now time to scale up and to start heating houses with geothermal heat in addition to greenhouses."

Berend Potjer, deputy for energy, Province of South Holland

"In addition to contributing to the energy transition, this project also provides great added value for the development of the area. This investment will bring new activity and dynamics to the Plaspoelpolder. Rijswijk welcomes all visitors and customers of the new test center. Other companies that want to make an impact on a sustainable world and are looking for office, production or laboratory space can also come to the Plaspoelpolder. Innovation and an attractive business climate go hand in hand here."

Armand van de Laar, alderman of the municipality of Rijswijk

"The sustainable use of the subsurface has been on TNO's research agenda for many years. This concerns the extraction of low and high temperature heat from the subsurface, the temporary storage of energy in the subsurface and the storage of CO2 during the phasing out of the fossil energy system. The RCSG makes it possible for companies and knowledge institutions to work closely together through the development of new technology to take major steps in the transition to a sustainable energy system."

Ton de Jong, Director TNO Energy Transition on the RCSG

"The future of our sustainable energy supply above ground rests for an important part on the value and knowledge of our Dutch subsurface. The center helps to develop technology that is directly applicable to the social and economic development of the Dutch subsurface. EBN wants to help accelerate the energy transition with knowledge, technology and innovation. The center can play an important role in this as well as in developing and strengthening growth markets such as geothermal energy and the storage of CO2, hydrogen and heat."

Jan Willem Hoogstraten, ceo Energie Beheer Nederland (EBN)

"Geothermal energy can make a significant contribution to making our heat supply more sustainable. The geothermal sector is a relatively young sector that is developing strongly. A low-threshold opportunity to experiment with new techniques and materials offers a chance to greatly accelerate that development."

Sandor Gaastra, Director General at the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate

"We are proud that this center is in our province because it allows us to remain at the forefront of the field of geothermal energy. After all, we have already built up a great deal of expertise in this field and that's not surprising: South Holland's soil is very suitable for geothermal energy as a source. Moreover, in this densely populated province we have a large demand for heat. So supply and demand come together nicely. After the pioneering work of recent years, it is now time to scale up and to start heating houses with geothermal heat in addition to greenhouses."

Berend Potjer, deputy for energy, Province of South Holland

"In addition to contributing to the energy transition, this project also provides great added value for the development of the area. This investment will bring new activity and dynamics to the Plaspoelpolder. Rijswijk welcomes all visitors and customers of the new test center. Other companies that want to make an impact on a sustainable world and are looking for office, production or laboratory space can also come to the Plaspoelpolder. Innovation and an attractive business climate go hand in hand here."

Armand van de Laar, alderman of the municipality of Rijswijk

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