Connectors enable geothermal well

ITT Interconnect’s BIW Wellhead Feedthru and BIW Surface Power connectors have been specified to handle electrical power for the submersible pumps used in the new underground wells at the Peppermill Resort Spa Casino in Reno, NV.

In 2009, the resort owners opted to replace their gas-driven boiler system with a geothermal solution that would produce all of the facility’s hot water and mechanical heat. This solution included a 4,400-ft.-deep geothermal well that could pump approximately 800 gallons per minute at 80 to 90 psi, with temperatures up to 170F.

The BIW connectors that were used for the well are housed in heavy-duty metal shells that can withstand high-pressure well conditions, which is important for maintaining a fluid barrier at the wellhead. The connectors are available in a range of sizes and configurations, allowing them to work with any electrical submersible pump (ESPs), downhole instrument and gauge (Smart Well equipment) and downhole heater applications. The well went live in January 2010, and produces an excellent flow rate, pressure and fluid temperature, which exceeded initial expectations and requirements.