Vanuatu is a Western Tropical Pacific archipelago of 83# islands (60# inhabited) across ~1300km, located ~1800km ENE of Australia. Population is ~327,000. Port Vila is the capital located on the island of Efate.
Less than 20% of the rural households and ~60% of urban households are connected to an electrical grid which means ~200,000-250,000 people may have energy challenges.
In 2020, up to ~75% of the electricity was supplied by imported diesel at high tariffs. More affordable electricity from indigenous sources would support economic development.
Geology
Vanuatu formed along the converging Australian and Pacific Plates. A fractured, volcanic island arc over 1200km long, it has multiple active volcanoes and many other volcanic structures, some with existing heat flows demonstrated by hot springs. A map of known Geothermal areas is shown below:
Project
The proposed Vanuatu Geothermal Project will have several project phases including some of the activities listed below (but not limited to this selection):
Prospecting (Exploration & Appraisal)
o Aerial surveys (i.e., LIDAR, visual, thermal)
o Geological field survey updates
o Geophysical field surveys updates
o Detailed technical studies and simulation and analytical models
o Surface surveys (topography, drilling location and flowline route surveys)
o Appraisal Wells (shallow boreholes/slim hole wells, production/injection testing)
o ESIA updates (exploration, drilling, construction and installation of power generation facilities and transmission line facilities)
o Front End Engineering Design (FEED)
Development
o Updated technical studies and simulation and analytical models
o Development Wells (larger diameter production wells and/or potential repurposed/modified slim hole wells)
o Facilities engineering, analyses and designs
o Fabrication and construction of infrastructure, equipment, flowlines
o Pre-commissioning and Commissioning / Start-up
Operations
o Safety and control systems monitoring
o Well testing and monitoring
o Flowline inspections and maintenance
o Production facilities inspections and maintenance