CESHS Completes NE’s First Geothermal Production Well in Arunachal Dist

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ITANAGAR: The Centre for Earth Sciences and Himalayan Studies (CESHS) has successfully drilled Northeast India’s first geothermal production well in Dirang in Arunachal Pradesh’s West Kameng district, an official said. The successful drilling marks a major milestone in the region’s quest for sustainable energy and represents a first-of-its-kind initiative in Northeast India, CESHS Geosciences Division head Rupankar Rajkhowa said on Monday.

He said the achievement follows two years of intensive geochemical and structural surveys of hot springs across western Arunachal Pradesh.

Once operational, the geothermal energy will power eco-friendly solutions including fruit, nut, and meat drying; space heating; and controlled-atmosphere storage systems—vital technologies for improving agricultural and living conditions in the high-altitude terrain of the state, he said.

The project is the result of international scientific collaboration between CESHS, the Norwegian Geotechnical Institute (NGI), Oslo, Norway; the Icelandic geothermal firm Geotropy ehf; and the drilling team from Guwahati Boring Service (GBS).

Through advanced geochemical analysis, the Dirang region has been identified as a medium- to high-enthalpy geothermal zone, with reservoir temperatures estimated at 115°C using mixing models—making it highly suitable for direct-use geothermal applications.

Structural and geological mapping in the Dirang area revealed quartzite overlying schist at tectonic contacts near the Main Central Thrust (MCT), consistent with extensional normal faults found elsewhere in the higher and lesser Himalayas. These insights have enabled precision drilling to access the geothermal reservoir with minimal environmental impact.

This breakthrough project is supported by the government of Arunachal Pradesh and the Ministry of Earth Sciences. Rajkhowa added.

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