Public Funding for Nemein Ltd

Deep drilling operations are an essential part of the global energy supply, whether for oil and gas extraction or for the emerging geothermal energy market. Modern operations rely on complex sensors and equipment deep in the well ("downhole") to evaluate the condition of the well and surrounding geology, but these need a reliable power source. Few technologies can tolerate the extreme downhole environment, with industry currently limited to hazardous and intermittent options such as lithium thionyl chloride batteries or mud turbines. Power supply constraints severely limit monitoring of the well and hamper the ability of on-surface operators to respond to problems effectively, with consequences ranging from lost production time to major disasters with incalculable financial and environmental impacts. Nemein, an award-winning SME based in South Wales, are seeking to revolutionise downhole power and data through CHERT (Combined Harsh Environment Renewable Technology), an innovative system that combines energy harvesting, energy storage and an advanced sensing system to provide operators with a consistent uninterruptible power supply and data, purpose-built for the downhole environment to reduce environmental impact and cost whilst improving safety and energy efficiency.

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The feasibility study Gravity Delve is a collaborative project between the UK Quantum Technology Hub for Sensors and Timing led by the University of Birmingham and Nemein Ltd. Gravity Delve will evaluate the benefits and challenges associated with using quantum gravity sensors down boreholes, and develop designs for new state of the art tools allowing future optimisation of applications including Geothermal Energy Harvesting and Carbon Capture and Storage which will help the UK meet its legally binding target of net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050\.

Public description Nemein is an award-winning small business based in South Wales, manufacturing downhole tools for the oil and gas industry. The proposed project targets the development of a magnetic anomaly sensing capability purpose-built for the extreme environment found at the bottom of kilometres-deep wells.

Managing energy resources for sustainable economic growth and addressing the ‘Energy Trilemma’ of security of supply, low cost to consumer and decarbonising is imperative. For energy technologies to become truly transformative, as renewable energy and electric vehicles increase, energy storage technologies underpinning UK capabilities and delivering on this Energy Trilemma become more critical and key to supporting the UK’s energy policy. The TESS project is a novel thermal store that aims to decouple power generation from power requirements, to enable more use of daylight renewable generation and output power at night. This reduces emissions by enabling more EV usage and green power to charge them, whilst simultaneously removing load imbalances to the national grid. TESS is a cost-effective, disruptive, enabling technology with increased benefits, offering growth opportunities for EV and other applications. It does not employ lithium batteries, thereby reducing lithium dependancy, easing security of supply, and is inherently safer.

"Nemein is an awarding winning multidisciplinary engineering company with a primary focus in downhole oil and gas exploration, with extensive experience of high temperature and thermal management, shock and vibration knowledge associated with wireline, coiled tubing and drilling equipment. The innovation, Therbine, aims to give a cost-effective alternative system to electrochemical batteries through novel energy harvesting and storage. The aim is to improve downhole oil and gas operating temperature range, longevity and number of charge cycles, as well as reducing costs. Total energy density is not the current focus as with many battery developments. This potentially gives benefits in terms of safety, as the method proposed will have no risk of explosion. The primary market is global downhole oil and gas exploration where lithium batteries are presently used but limited with respect to temperature rating, safety and the logistics of shipping, storage and disposal."

The Oil and Gas sector globally is worth $3 trillion and provides 440,000 UK jobs. Industries within O&G includes exploration, equipping wells and other activities to the point of shipment. A key part in O&G exploration and extraction involves essential downhole processes such as measurements-while-drilling (MWD) and logging-while-drilling (LWD) for borehole surveying and formation evaluation. They are currently powered by lithium batteries, and using power cables from the surface is not practical. The O&G sector has thus adopted the use of batteries as there is no viable alternative. There are however several concerns with these batteries such as fire, explosion, venting, susceptibility to shock and vibration, logistical issues with transportation. The Oil and Gas sector is therefore seeking an alternative that is both safe and reliable. Nemein, has a potentially promising battery-less power generation technology that needs further development and could meet this industry need, it is based on energy harvesting.