Iceland Deep Drilling Project

Founded in the year 2000 by a consortium of three Icelandic energy companies: (Hitaveita Sudurnesja (HS) (since 2008: HS Orka hf), Landsvirkjun (LV) and Orkuveita Reykjavíkur (OR)), and Orkustofnun (OS), the National Energy Authority of Iceland. The consortium began by preparing the drilling of a 4-5 km deep drill hole into one of its high-temperature hydrothermal system in order to reach 400-600°C hot supercritical hydrous fluid at a rifted plate margin on a mid-ocean ridge. A feasibility report was completed in 2003. The IDDP is a long term research and development project which will take a decade or two to conclude. As yet, IDDP is therefore not an alternative solution to meet energy demand in the near or intermediate future.