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.

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.

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.

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Contact us

Kessler Park 1D
Entrance at Lange Kleiweg
2288 GH Rijswijk
+31 (0)62 943 08 68
info@rcsg.nl

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