Vanuatu

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