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    Nabors Chooses e2's Virtual Utility Technology to Electrify On-Site Drilling for Oil, Gas and Geothermal

    Dec. 10, 2024
    Oil and gas operations account for about 15% of global energy-related greenhouse gas emissions. Decarbonizing the drilling sector significantly with electrification, such as potential microgrids, could offer a substantially growing market opportunity.
    Image credit e2 Companies
    6758702de41adbc9f68f90e7 E2 R3di

    Cross-sector energy transition firm e2 Companies plans to collaborate on developing on-site drilling electrification projects with oil and gas production services provider Nabors Industries.

    The aim of the partnership is focused on integrated and decarbonizing power projects in oilfield and geothermal drilling, energy storage and concentrated solar technologies.

    Aerial view of Nabors Industries drilling geothermal project for Nevada gold mining operation. Image credit Quaise Energy
    Aerial view of Nabors Industries drilling geothermal project for Nevada gold mining operation. Image credit Quaise Energy

    Nabors Industries plans to acquire and implement e2’s systems into its drilling operations through a multi-million-dollar purchase order, according to the companies. One of the goals is expanding electrification of on-site oil and gas drilling operations.

    Oil and gas operations account for about 15% of global energy-related greenhouse gas emissions. Decarbonizing the drilling sector significantly with electrification, such as potential microgrids and moving away from diesel-powered generator sets, could offer a substantially growing market opportunity in coming years.

    “Electrification is a key enabler to reducing emissions,” said Anthony Petrello, chairman and CEO of Nabors, said in a statement. “Our view is the industry needs to take a more holistic approach – considering the entire lifecycle from drilling and completions through production – to design electrification strategies that maximize efficiency and sustainability.”

    The e2-developed R3Di System on-site power platform, driven by software within e2’s Virtual Utility technology, can help Nabors operate drilling powered by behind-the-meter power without reliance on a grid interconnection. The collaboration will begin with e2 Companies installing on-site meters at specific drilling sites.

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    Like several drilling services firms, Nabors is also deploying its assets and expertise toward drilling for carbon-free geothermal energy. The company recently was contracted by Nevada Gold Mines and Quaise Energy to drill and study the impact of on-site geothermal at mining operations which also include 200 MW of solar power capacity.

    In the prolific Permian and Bakken formations, sites of record U.S. levels of oil and gas production, Nabors is equipping about 20 rigs to run on highline power as part of the electrification initiative. The drilling systems will leverage e2 Companies software tools within Virtual Utility technology.

    Microgrids are also a focus of e2’s R3Di system installed to help the Erie County Department of Public Works in New York deploy a microgrid at its county office building complex. The combination of software controls, rooftop solar array creates the Virtual Utility concept touted by e2.

    About the Author

    Rod Walton, Managing Editor | Managing Editor

    For Microgrid Knowledge editorial inquiries, please contact Managing Editor Rod Walton at [email protected].

    I’ve spent the last 15 years covering the energy industry as a newspaper and trade journalist. I was an energy writer and business editor at the Tulsa World before moving to business-to-business media at PennWell Publishing, which later became Clarion Events, where I covered the electric power industry. I joined Endeavor Business Media in November 2021 to help launch EnergyTech, one of the company’s newest media brands. I joined Microgrid Knowledge in July 2023. 

    I earned my Bachelors degree in journalism from the University of Oklahoma. My career stops include the Moore American, Bartlesville Examiner-Enterprise, Wagoner Tribune and Tulsa World, all in Oklahoma . I have been married to Laura for the past 33-plus years and we have four children and one adorable granddaughter. We want the energy transition to make their lives better in the future. 

    Microgrid Knowledge and EnergyTech are focused on the mission critical and large-scale energy users and their sustainability and resiliency goals. These include the commercial and industrial sectors, as well as the military, universities, data centers and microgrids. The C&I sectors together account for close to 30 percent of greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S.

    Many large-scale energy users such as Fortune 500 companies, and mission-critical users such as military bases, universities, healthcare facilities, public safety and data centers, shifting their energy priorities to reach net-zero carbon goals within the coming decades. These include plans for renewable energy power purchase agreements, but also on-site resiliency projects such as microgrids, combined heat and power, rooftop solar, energy storage, digitalization and building efficiency upgrades.

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    Aerial view of a drilling rig from Nabors Industries where Quaise Energy is installing millimeter wave capabilities. Work at Nevada Gold Mines will require a similar setup to develop deep geothermal energy onsite. Image credit Quaise Energy
    JohnRobert/Shutterstock.com
    Image credit Hitachi Energy/Port of Gothenburg
    Screenshot from Video by Kim Hutton/Endeavor Business Media
    Image credit Oklo

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