The Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) has engaged Italian firm ELC-Electroconsult S.p.A. to conduct a feasibility study evaluating the acquisition of a geothermal drill rig for shared use by OECS Member States. The study is expected to provide evidence-based recommendations to ensure that any solution adopted is cost-effective, sustainable, and tailored to the unique needs of OECS Member States.
A shared drilling rig will theoretically allow the Member States to share the cost of acquiring a rig across multiple projects, making drilling more affordable and improving the economic feasibility of geothermal projects. It will also allow for timelier and coordinated exploration and production drilling campaigns, reducing wait times and enabling projects
Key challenges identified may include the logistical complexities of operating heavy equipment across multiple islands. However, mobilisation and demobilisation of rigs from outside the region are among the most expensive components of geothermal drilling in small island states.
“Working with Member States, regional partners, and international financiers, we will use the findings of this study to gain insights so we can advise member states on the feasibility of having a drill rig for use in drilling, expanding and maintaining geothermal energy production in the OECS. The findings will be presented to key stakeholders, especially the Council of Ministers: Energy in the OECS,” said Dr Ernie Stapleton, Project Manager at OECS GEOBUILD.
Dr Stapleton further said that having a dedicated drill rig can also enable the development of shallow and medium-depth geothermal resources for direct use applications such as tourism, crop drying, food processing, and greenhouse heating.
Six OECS Member States—Dominica, Grenada, St. Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and Montserrat—are endowed with significant geothermal resources due to their volcanic origins. Dominica is at a much more advanced stage of development, with the construction of a 10-MW geothermal power plant in Laudat already ongoing. St Kitts and Nevis, on the other hand, is set to receive bids for production drilling, which will likely commence in 2026.
Source: OECS
