A new type of drill may soon reach deeper into Earth than any human-made tool before it—and it doesn’t even have a bit. At a recent demo in Houston, startup Quaise Energy showcased a millimeter-wave drilling system that vaporizes rock instead of cutting through it. The system uses a high-powered gyrotron to emit electromagnetic energy capable of melting even the hardest geological layers, such as granite and basalt.
Unlike conventional drill bits that wear down over time, this method essentially burns a path downward, leaving behind a vitrified—glass-like—borehole lining. That could make it possible to drill up to 12 miles (about 20 kilometers) into the Earth’s crust, far deeper than any current technology has managed. At such depths, geothermal energy becomes far more accessible. Water pumped into these zones turns supercritical—neither liquid nor gas—offering a high-efficiency thermal source for clean power.
Quaise aims to retrofit existing fossil fuel plants with this technology to tap into geothermal power, potentially providing a steady, carbon-free energy alternative. Their short-term plan includes launching a 50-megawatt geothermal plant near Bend, Oregon, with initial phases using conventional drilling before switching to their new wave-based approach.
The recent test used a 100-kilowatt system that achieved a drilling rate of around 2 centimeters per minute. A more powerful 1-megawatt version is already in the works for upcoming field trials.
Linkback:
https://tubagbohol.mikeligalig.com/index.php?topic=126235.0
