Google Cloud has teamed up with SLB and geothermal-focused nonprofit Project Innerspace to accelerate the adoption of global geothermal energy, the tech giant said March 6, aiming to simplify the resource identification, development and deployment process.

As part of the collaboration, Project Innerspace’s geothermal data set called GeoMap will be combined with expertise from SLB’s geothermal consulting services business GeothermEx to identify geothermal resources worldwide. GeoMap, also known as the Geothermal Exploration Opportunities Map, was developed by Project Innerspace in partnership with Google. The data set includes surface and subsurface modules, a suitability analysis tool and a techno-economic sensitivity test, according to the organization’s website.

The partnership takes shape as energy demand surges, driven in the U.S. by data center growth, the rise of electrification and an increase in manufacturing activity amid a reshoring push. The collaboration also comes at a time when many are still focused on lowering emissions by increasing use of cleaner forms of affordable and reliable energy.

“A central component of our theory of systemic change at Project Innerspace is the conviction that leveraging the technologies, capabilities, speed and scale of the oil and gas industry is necessary to grow geothermal into a thriving global powerhouse. Indeed, should the oil and gas industry engage in geothermal at scale, it would be transformational for global economic growth, stability and prosperity,” said Jamie Beard, executive director at Project Innerspace. “It is our ambition as we build on this collaboration that we shift the massive potential of geothermal from the abstract into high impact reality. It’s time to get boots on the ground.”

Geothermal companies have been making strides in recent years by utilizing techniques commonly used in oil and gas fields. These next-generation geothermal projects have included horizontal drilling with laterals to access deep rock formations containing enough heat to generate electricity or direct use.

Fervo Energy, for example, marked several technical milestones last year that included drilling 15 wells at its Cape Station project in Utah with record-breaking commercial flow rates. In addition to horizontal drilling, the company uses polycrystalline diamond compact drillbits and mud coolers.

Geothermal currently accounts for less than 1% of global energy demand, according to a report released by the International Energy Agency in collaboration with Project Innerspace. The report indicated, however, that geothermal could meet up to 15% of global electricity demand growth through 2050 if project costs fall and technology continued to improve.

SLB will bring its decades of geothermal knowledge to the partnership. The energy technology company’s geothermal consulting arm helps developers navigate areas such as subsurface characterization, power plant design, construction or project maintenance, according to its website. It specializes in geothermal consulting services for exploration and resource assessment, development, well construction and testing, among other offerings.

“SLB’s deep geothermal expertise, combined with Project InnerSpace’s advanced visualization and analysis, can significantly accelerate the development of geothermal assets worldwide,” said Irlan Amir, vice president of renewables and energy efficiency at SLB. “This synergy empowers industry players to leverage the available data and SLB’s GeothermEx team’s expertise to rapidly assess project viability and drive faster deployment of this critical clean and firm energy source.”

Hosted on the Google Earth Engine, GeoMap uses Google Cloud’s scalable infrastructure, BigQuery and Vertex AI. It also integrates diverse datasets, allowing users to visualize and analyze geothermal potential across different regions, effectively pinpointing promising locations for development, Google said in a news release.

“This collaboration paves the way for widespread geothermal deployment on a global scale and will help meet future energy needs,” said Kyle Jessen, managing director of Google Cloud’s energy sector. “By bringing Project Innerspace’s GeoMap, built on Google Cloud’s AI and data technologies, and SLB’s expertise in geothermal energy, businesses will have access to the tools and experience needed to grow geothermal energy programs around the world.”

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