With the drilling rig having reached 2,700 metres already out of a planned 3,500 metres, the first well in a geothermal electrical power project was well underway on Nov. 23.
That鈥檚 what roughly 40 people saw when they had the opportunity to tour Deep Earth Energy Production Corp.鈥檚 (DEEP) project south of Torquay.
The rig tour came a day after the big announcement was made in Regina that drilling had commenced south of Torquay the previous week.
There was a strong turnout from the Estevan economic community, including civic and business leaders. A few people believed enough in the project to have invested in it, so for them, it was gratifying to see things in motion.
Others in attendance were neighbours to the project, coming to check it out.
Ron Carson is both an investor and a member of DEEP鈥檚 board. He said, 鈥淚鈥檝e been involved, somewhat, I guess for the last five years, but a little more involved after they asked me to be on the board. I help them out wherever I can. I鈥檓 not an expert on the drilling end of this, but I guess it helps to be a little practical, once in a while.鈥�
Asked how he got involved, Carson responded, 鈥淜irsten (DEEP president and CEO Kirsten Marcia) came and was kind of soliciting a few people a few years back. It interested me. I got involved to a certain point, not in a big way, but somewhat.
鈥淎s time went on, I got a little more interested in it and became more invested in it. When this rig is off here, and we test this formation to see if we鈥檝e got continuous flow and we鈥檝e got everything we need, it鈥檒l be very interesting. It鈥檒l be, I think, bankable then. Right now, there鈥檚 risk. But I believe in it. I think this is going to be it, hopefully.鈥�
Clare Johnson owns the land the well is 小蓝视频 drilled on. He has surface rights, but not mineral rights. He said most of the land around there has Crown minerals, so it鈥檚 a matter of surface leases for most of the local drilling.
鈥淚 think it鈥檚 pretty exciting. This is something new that looks possible, creates some jobs and provides some clean energy.鈥�
He lives in Weyburn but the home farm is 10 kilometres west of the site.
Cathy Welta-Eagles is with Estevan鈥檚 economic development board and is the current president of the Estevan Chamber of Commerce. She said. 鈥淚 think it鈥檚 a fantastic opportunity for our area.
鈥淗uge potential for our area, which is obviously struggling,鈥� she said.
鈥淲e are looking at the future of coal. We鈥檙e looking for alternatives, and this is a fantastic alternative for energy.鈥�
Ed Turnbull has some money involved in it. 鈥淚鈥檓 a small investor. It鈥檚 really exciting. This is something that I really hope is the future for the southeast here. We need a kick here, and hopefully this is something that will be the way of the future.鈥�
Asked about the lengthy timeline it has taken to get to this point, he responded, 鈥淭hey鈥檝e done a lot of homework. It鈥檚 taken a lot of time. I don鈥檛 know how many years 鈥� a few years now, we鈥檝e been waiting for something to happen here. But I think they鈥檝e done their homework and everything works out well.
鈥淚t鈥檚 good to see.鈥�
Estevan 小蓝视频 Lori Carr was thrilled with the project. She noted, 鈥淚 think this is absolutely monumental, not only for the province of Saskatchewan. This is the first project of its type across Canada. It鈥檚 really exciting, that it鈥檚 happening right here, in the constituency of Estevan.
Carr also lives not terribly far, as the crow flies, from the site, living relatively close to Torquay.
For Nathan Wilhelm, it鈥檚 not only an interesting project, but also potential opportunity for his construction business down the road.
鈥淲e need a good new story that somebody is investing in technology 鈥� new technology, the first in Canada, right, and for that to be happening in our back yard.鈥�
He hasn鈥檛 invested in it, but he knows people who are. 鈥淚t鈥檚 also exciting to hear how many local vendors are involved in the project,鈥� Wilhelm said.
Wilhelm is also on Estevan鈥檚 economic development committee.
鈥淥nce they get done this observation well and get going on the whole infrastructure, we want to at least have a shot at providing contracting services with our local construction business, also.鈥�
Asked about the current mood of Estevan, which has had apprehension due to the announced retirement of Units 4 and 5 of the Boundary Dam Power Station, Wilhelm said, 鈥淭he current mood is everybody鈥檚 still in a holding pattern. Stories like this give people a little bit more confidence that there鈥檚 going to be a future if we don鈥檛 get some movement on the coal. It鈥檚 not so much just what Deep Earth is doing, but there鈥檚 also the offshoot of what Deep Earth is going to provide, for greenhouses and technologies that can piggyback with this.鈥�
At the conclusion of the tour, Marcia was quite pleased with the response.
鈥淭his is a great day. We鈥檙e so excited that this project is finally underway. We鈥檝e got such wonderful support from this community and the people that have believed this project would be a possibility,鈥� Marcia said.
鈥淲e formed the company in 2010. And the reality is it鈥檚 made progress, but at times, it鈥檚 stalled out. We were underfunded. But now, everything is in place and there鈥檚 really nothing stopping us now.
鈥淭hings are going great. This is the best, world-class drilling expertise that we have, local and home grown.
鈥淭his is exciting. This is the first geothermal project for Canada. I love the fact it鈥檚 marrying our local technology and our local expertise, but in a brand new way. We鈥檙e taking this world-class oilfield expertise and paring it on a clean, renewable energy project. I think that鈥檚 great.鈥�
