CostingEnergy mass balanceEquipment sizingGeothermal
Geothermal production pump (ESP or lineshaft)
Production pump of a deep geothermal doublet, 10 to 1,500 m3/h of brine: anti-flash setting depth, total dynamic head, electrical power, parasitic load and pumping cost per MWh of heat, with the NREL GETEM cost law and 1-2 year ESP run lives.
Open Jack
Founder · OpenJack
- CurrencyEUR 2024
- Battery limitinstalled
- 109 documented assumptions
- Updated2 Nov 2026
Mass and energy balance
What the asset draws and delivers for the case and load you choose.
Reference case
Share of the year the doublet produces. 95 % is the NREL SAM default. It spreads the pump replacement cost over more or fewer MWh; it is the lever project mode sets.
Flows
- In: Electricity for the pump motor—
Asset
Geothermal production pump (ESP or lineshaft)
- Out: Geothermal brine lifted to the surface plant—
Annual quantities at the current usage. Outline: full capacity, 8,760 h. Fill: 95.0 % capacity factor. Band width: share of energy in; non-energy flows are not to scale.
Brine flow the production pump delivers, in m3/h: the size of the pump and the flow project mode chains to an ORC unit. Default 522 m3/h (0.145 m3/s, Kullick & Hackl's deep ESP). Sulzer SJT Geo goes up to 680 m3/h.
- Pump electrical power
- — kW
- Total dynamic head
- — m
- Pump setting depth
- — m
- Doublet thermal output
- — MW
CAPEX
Specific cost at this size, what backs it, and how it behaves with scale.
Specific CAPEX at this size
—
Reference size 522 m3/h
GETEM / ssc
Model value: GETEM pump cost law (NREL), escalated with the latest producer price index and converted to euros. Customized: your quoted pump set (pump, motor, cable) price per m3/h at your duty point, used as is; it is then no longer sourced. Installation still follows GETEM.
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- Ex-factory
- Installed· this figure
- Fully financed
Included
- Equipment
- Installation, civil works and engineering
Not included
- Working capital
- Contingency
Added at project level
- Working capital layer, from the project settings
- Contingency, from the project settings
Project figures
Values passed to project mode when this asset is added to a project.
Geothermal production pump (ESP or lineshaft)Concept sketch, not to scale · drag to rotate
- Electricity for the pump motor in
- —
- Geothermal brine lifted to the surface plant outMain product
- —
- CAPEX to the battery limit
- —
- Fixed O&M
- 0 EUR/year
- Variable O&M, excluding feedstocks
- 0 EUR/year
- Asset lifetime
- 2 years
Log in to add this asset to a project.
Pumping cost
A standalone indicator for a quick read. Project mode recomputes it for the whole system.
—
- Pumping cost: pump runs—
- Pumping cost: electricity—
Linked to the balance above
Share of the year the doublet produces. 95 % is the NREL SAM default. It spreads the pump replacement cost over more or fewer MWh; it is the lever project mode sets.
Brine temperature at the pump. It sets the saturation pressure (and so the setting depth and wellhead pressure), the density, the viscosity and the thermal output. Default 140 C (Kullick & Hackl; Bavarian Molasse 120-140 C).
Brine temperature after the surface plant, back to the injection well. Default 80 C (Ueckert & Baumann 2018). The cooling range must be at least 20 K.
Depth of the water level below the wellhead with the pump off. Default 180 m (Kullick & Hackl).
Flow the reservoir gives per bar of drawdown. Default 8.06 L/s/bar (Kullick & Hackl, 8.06e-8 m5/(N s)). Low values mean a deep dynamic level and a high head.
Dissolved solids in the brine, in weight percent. It raises the density (Batzle & Wang). Default 0.066 wt% (656 mg/L, Bavarian Molasse).
Time between two pump changes. The Dutch geothermal ESP fleet averages one to two years (GEO ExPro 2026). Each change buys a full pump run again.
Price of the electricity the pump draws. Default 183.7 EUR/MWh, EU average for non-household consumers of 500-2,000 MWh/yr, H2 2025 (Eurostat); 74.8 in Finland, 255.2 in Ireland.
Real discount rate used to annualise one pump run over its run life. Default 0: over a one-to-two-year cycle the run cost is simply spread over the run. Costs are in constant euros, so use a real rate.
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Benchmarks
This model's figures against published references and reference cases.
Wire-to-water efficiency, %
60 Kullick & Hackl 2017
Total dynamic head, m
700 Sulzer E10344
Pump setting depth, m
950 Kullick & Hackl 2017
Wellhead pressure, bar
10 Kullick & Hackl 2017
Reference cases at this size and usage
Log in to compare the reference cases.
All results
Every model output at the current settings, grouped, with the sensitivity charts.
49 outputs · 7 groups · 13 also shown above, dimmed
Pumping cost
5- Electricity share of pumping cost
- Computing%
- Capital load penalty
- Computing-
Parasitic load and power
8- Parasitic load
- Computing%
- Specific pump consumption
- ComputingkWh/MWh
- Pump shaft power
- ComputingkW
- Hydraulic power
- ComputingkW
- Cooling range
- ComputingK
Well and head
12- Dynamic water level
- Computingm
- Drawdown
- Computingm
- Pump submergence
- Computingm
- Wellhead pressure head
- Computingm
- Tubing friction head
- Computingm
- Friction share of head
- Computing%
- Head beyond lineshaft range
- Computingbool
- Head margin to lineshaft limit
- Computingm
- Flow beyond Sulzer SJT Geo
- Computingbool
Brine properties
6- Brine density
- Computingkg/m3
- Brine saturation pressure
- Computingbar
- Brine viscosity
- ComputingPa s
- Tubing velocity
- Computingm/s
- Reynolds number
- Computing-
- Darcy friction factor
- Computing-
CAPEX
8- Applied scale exponent
- Computing-
- Head correction
- Computing-
- Pump set CAPEX
- ComputingEUR
- Other installation CAPEX
- ComputingEUR
- Workover installation CAPEX
- ComputingEUR
- CAPEX per kW of pump power
- ComputingEUR/kW
Flows
5- Running hours
- Computingh/year
- Thermal energy a year
- ComputingMWh/year
- Pump electricity a year
- ComputingMWh/year
Yearly costs
5- Capital recovery factor
- Computing1/year
- Pump changes a year
- Computing1/year
- Annualised pump-run CAPEX
- ComputingEUR/year
- Electricity cost a year
- ComputingEUR/year
- Total pumping cost a year
- ComputingEUR/year
Sensitivities
6 chartsLog in to view this sensitivity chart.
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Sources
109 documented assumptions · 14 sources
- github.comNREL SAM / ssc, cmod_geothermal_costs.cpp (GETEM cost port)production pump cost 1750 x hp^0.7 x pump PPI, other install 5750 x hp^0.2 x pump PPI, install cost per foot x drilling PPI
- github.comNREL SAM default inputs, Geothermal LCOE calculatorpump install 50 $/ft, casing 0, fixed 0, excess pressure 50 psi, pump efficiency 67.5 %
- github.comNREL ssc lib_geothermal.cpp (GETEM port)saturation pressure polynomial, Petukhov friction factor, brine viscosity, wellhead pressure = P_sat + excess
- mdpi.comKullick & Hackl (2017), Energies 10(10):1659deep geothermal ESP, 0.145 m3/s, 140 C, 950 m setting depth, productivity 8.06e-8 m5/(N s), pump max about 70 %, system max about 60 %
- geoexpro.comKombrink (2026), GEO ExProDutch geothermal ESPs average run time between one and two years
- code.agilescientific.comBatzle & Wang (1992), Geophysics 57(11):1396-1408, eq. 27a/27b brine density (coefficients as implemented in bruges)
- webbook.nist.govNIST Chemistry WebBook, saturated waterliquid cp 4.2154 kJ/kg K at 99.7 C
- meetingorganizer.copernicus.orgUeckert & Baumann (2018), EGU2018-13631, Bavarian Molasse Basin120-140 C production, reinjection at about 80 C
- ec.europa.euEurostat nrg_pc_205, non-household electricity prices, H2 2025, 500-2000 MWh/yr bandEU average 183.7 EUR/MWh (Finland 74.8, Ireland 255.2)
- suomenpankki.fiECB euro reference rate, 2024 annual average (Suomen Pankki)1.0824 USD/EUR
- github.comNREL SAM help, geothermal plant and equipment95 % utilisation factor by default
- geothermal-energy-journal.springeropen.comGeothermal Energy 10.1186/s40517-020-00177-6, Table 2Bavarian Molasse geothermal water, TDS 656 mg/L
- sulzer.comSulzer SJT-GEO brochure E10344up to 680 m3/h, heads up to 700 m, up to 220 C
- searchanddiscovery.comRabbani & Banks (2019), AAPG Search and Discovery 90346binary plant parasitic load up to 20-30 % of gross, target about 5 %
About
Calculator context
About
Calculator context
Production pump of a deep geothermal well: an electric submersible pump (ESP) or a lineshaft pump that lifts the brine to the surface plant. The calculator gives the pumping cost in EUR per MWh of the doublet's heat, without the value of the brine itself, plus the pump setting depth, the total dynamic head, the electrical power and the parasitic load as a share of the thermal output.
Hydraulics. The brine density follows Batzle & Wang (1992) at the production temperature and salinity. The water level falls below its static level by the flow divided by the productivity index (Kullick & Hackl 2017). The pump sits deep enough that its intake stays 50 psi above the saturation pressure of the brine, the margin GETEM keeps at the wellhead; applying it at the intake is a transposition. The head adds the lift from the dynamic level, the wellhead pressure (saturation pressure plus 50 psi above 100 C, GETEM) and the friction in the tubing over the setting depth (Petukhov factor and GETEM viscosity). The electrical power is rho g Q H over the pump and motor-drive efficiencies. The reference case takes these from NREL SAM (67.5 % and 90 %) or from Kullick & Hackl at best efficiency (70 % pump, 60 % overall).
Cost. One pump run costs what the GETEM cost law in NREL's ssc gives: 1,750 x (shaft hp)^0.7 for the pump set, 5,750 x hp^0.2 for other installation, and 50 USD per foot of setting depth for the workover, escalated with the latest producer price indices and converted at the ECB 2024 rate. The run is bought again at every run life: Dutch geothermal ESPs average one to two years (GEO ExPro 2026). The pumping cost adds this cost, spread over the run life, to the electricity at your price, per MWh of heat. Unlike most equipment, the cost per MWh rises with the flow above about 150 m3/h: the drawdown grows in proportion to the flow and the friction with its square, so the head, and the power per MWh, climb faster than the heat. Below that, the fixed part of the installation makes small pumps dear. The parasitic load is on the thermal basis; dividing by an ORC efficiency gives the electric basis, which project mode does by chaining this pump to an ORC unit through the brine flow and temperature.
Limits. ESP and lineshaft share the GETEM cost law, since no source gives a difference; a flag shows when the head exceeds the 700 m of the Sulzer SJT Geo lineshaft range. The setting depth is an anti-flash minimum: Kullick & Hackl's well sets its ESP at 950 m. The model holds for productivity indices of 5-50 L/s/bar and a cooling range of at least 20 K; at the corners of the input box (1,500 m3/h from a poor well) the head passes any real pump, and a 10 m3/h pump changed every six months at 50 % availability costs up to about 80 EUR/MWh.
Model
162 variables — inputs, calculations and outputs, with their dependencies.
Model
162 variables — inputs, calculations and outputs, with their dependencies.
| Variable | Value | Unit | Depends on |
|---|---|---|---|
| 522 | m3/h | — | |
| 95 | % | — | |
| 1 | — | — | |
| 140 | C | — | |
| 80 | C | — | |
| 180 | m | — | |
| 8.06 | L/s/bar | — | |
| 0.066 | wt% | — | |
| 1.5 | year | — | |
| 183.7 | EUR/MWh | — | |
| 0 | ratio | — | |
| 0 | — | — | |
| 697 | EUR/(m3/h) | — |
| Variable | Formula | Unit | Depends on |
|---|---|---|---|
if((<=)+(<=)+(>)+(<)+(>)+(-<)+(>)+(<)+(<=)+(<)+(>)+(<=)+(<)+(<)+(>)+(<)+(>)+(<=)>,,) | bool | ||
* | - | ||
*+ | F | ||
+*(*+*^2+*^3+*+**+*^2*+*^3*+*^2+**^2) | g/cm3 | ||
* | Pa/m | ||
* | bar | ||
/ | m3/s | ||
* | L/s | ||
/max(,) | bar | ||
max(+-,) | bar | ||
*^2/ | m2 | ||
if(==,,) | % | ||
if(==,,/*) | % | ||
| kW | ||
/ | hp | ||
/*/max(*,)/ | hp/(m3/h m) | ||
*(**)^*// | EUR/(m3/h) |
| Variable | Formula | Unit | Depends on |
|---|---|---|---|
(+*(+*+*(*+**+*(+*+*+*+**))))* | kg/m3 | ||
(+*+*^2+*^3+*^4+*^5)* | bar | ||
*/max(,) | m | ||
+ | m | ||
*/max(,) | m | ||
+ | m | ||
if(>,+,+) | bar | ||
(-)*/max(,) | m | ||
/max(,) | m/s | ||
*^/* | Pa s | ||
**/max(,) | - | ||
(*ln(max(,))-)^ | - | ||
*/*^2/(*) | m | ||
++ | m | ||
/max(,)* | % | ||
*** | kW | ||
** | % | ||
/max(*,) | kW | ||
/max(*,) | kW | ||
- | K | ||
**** | MW | ||
*/max(,)* | % | ||
/max(,) | kWh/MWh | ||
** | h/year | ||
/max(,) | - | ||
* | MWh/year | ||
** | MWh/year | ||
(-)** | MWh/year | ||
*** | t/year | ||
if(>=,,) | - | ||
if(>=,,clamp(*(/)^(-),,)) | EUR/(m3/h) | ||
if(>=,,(/)^) | - | ||
** | EUR | ||
*^*/ | EUR | ||
***/ | EUR | ||
++ | EUR | ||
/max(,) | EUR/kW | ||
if(<,/max(,),(*(+)^)/max((+)^-,)) | 1/year | ||
/max(,) | 1/year | ||
* | EUR/year | ||
* | EUR/year | ||
+ | EUR/year | ||
/max(,) | EUR/MWh | ||
/max(,) | EUR/MWh | ||
+ | EUR/MWh | ||
/max(,)* | % | ||
if(>,,) | bool | ||
- | m | ||
if(>,,) | bool |
Assumptions
109 assumptions used in the calculations
Assumptions
109 assumptions used in the calculations
Lower limit in the input guards and the flags.
Market range Exact by definition.
0Numerical constantUnit multiplier in the guards, the CRF and the Customized switch.
Market range Exact by definition.
1Numerical constantFactor 2 in the velocity head v^2/(2g).
Market range Exact by definition.
2Numerical constantFactor 4 in the tubing cross-section pi D^2/4.
Market range Exact by definition.
4Numerical constantProtects divisions against a zero denominator.
Market range Exact by definition.
0Numerical constantCircle constant for the tubing cross-section.
Market range Exact by definition.
3.141593Numerical constantConverts a percentage to a fraction.
Market range Exact by definition.
0.01Numerical constantConverts a fraction to a percentage.
Market range Exact by definition.
100Numerical constantHours in a year, for the yearly running hours.
Market range Exact by definition.
8760h/yearNumerical constantConverts m3/h to m3/s, and the GETEM viscosity from lb/(ft h) to lb/(ft s).
Market range Exact by definition.
3600s/hNumerical constantConverts the flow to L/s, the unit of the productivity index.
Market range Exact by definition.
1000L/m3Numerical constantConverts bar to pascal for the pressure-to-head conversions.
Market range Exact by definition.
100000Pa/barNumerical constantStandard gravity, for rho g H Q and the pressure-to-head conversions.
Market range Exact by definition.
9.80665m/s2Numerical constantStandard atmosphere: the surface reference of the wellhead and submergence pressures.
Market range Exact by definition.
1.01325barNumerical constantConverts the GETEM pressures (psi) to bar.
Market range Exact by definition.
0.068948bar/psiNumerical constantConverts the setting depth to feet for the GETEM install cost per foot.
Market range Exact by definition.
3.28084ft/mNumerical constantMechanical horsepower: the GETEM pump cost law is written in shaft horsepower.
Market range Exact by definition.
0.7457kW/hpNumerical constantConverts kW to MW.
Market range Exact by definition.
0.001MW/kWNumerical constantConverts the hydraulic power from W to kW.
Market range Exact by definition.
0.001kW/WNumerical constantConverts the pumped brine mass to tonnes.
Market range Exact by definition.
0.001t/kgNumerical constantBatzle & Wang give density in g/cm3.
Market range Exact by definition.
1000(kg/m3)/(g/cm3)Numerical constantCelsius to Fahrenheit slope: the GETEM correlations take temperature in F.
Market range Exact by definition.
1.8F/CNumerical constantCelsius to Fahrenheit offset.
Market range Exact by definition.
32FNumerical constantConverts the GETEM viscosity from lb/(ft s) to Pa s.
Market range Exact by definition.
1.488164Pa s/(lb/(ft s))Numerical constantIdentifier of reference case 1: NREL SAM / GETEM default pump and motor efficiencies.
Market range Not applicable.
1Case identifierIdentifier of reference case 2: Kullick & Hackl 2017 deep geothermal ESP at its best efficiency point.
Market range Not applicable.
2Case identifierScale factor 1e-6 that multiplies the polynomial of eq. 27a and the bracket of eq. 27b.
Market range Not applicable: fixed correlation coefficient.
0.000001Batzle & Wang 1992, eq. 27Eq. 27a coefficient of T.
Market range Not applicable: fixed correlation coefficient.
-80Batzle & Wang 1992, eq. 27Eq. 27a coefficient of T^2.
Market range Not applicable: fixed correlation coefficient.
-3.3Batzle & Wang 1992, eq. 27Eq. 27a coefficient of T^3.
Market range Not applicable: fixed correlation coefficient.
0.00175Batzle & Wang 1992, eq. 27Eq. 27a coefficient of P.
Market range Not applicable: fixed correlation coefficient.
489Batzle & Wang 1992, eq. 27Eq. 27a coefficient of T P.
Market range Not applicable: fixed correlation coefficient.
-2Batzle & Wang 1992, eq. 27Eq. 27a coefficient of T^2 P.
Market range Not applicable: fixed correlation coefficient.
0.016Batzle & Wang 1992, eq. 27Eq. 27a coefficient of T^3 P.
Market range Not applicable: fixed correlation coefficient.
-0.000013Batzle & Wang 1992, eq. 27Eq. 27a coefficient of P^2.
Market range Not applicable: fixed correlation coefficient.
-0.333Batzle & Wang 1992, eq. 27Eq. 27a coefficient of T P^2.
Market range Not applicable: fixed correlation coefficient.
-0.002Batzle & Wang 1992, eq. 27Eq. 27b constant term of the salinity bracket.
Market range Not applicable: fixed correlation coefficient.
0.668Batzle & Wang 1992, eq. 27Eq. 27b coefficient of S in the salinity bracket.
Market range Not applicable: fixed correlation coefficient.
0.44Batzle & Wang 1992, eq. 27Eq. 27b coefficient of P inside the 1e-6 bracket.
Market range Not applicable: fixed correlation coefficient.
300Batzle & Wang 1992, eq. 27Eq. 27b coefficient of P S inside the 1e-6 bracket.
Market range Not applicable: fixed correlation coefficient.
-2400Batzle & Wang 1992, eq. 27Eq. 27b constant of the T(...) term.
Market range Not applicable: fixed correlation coefficient.
80Batzle & Wang 1992, eq. 27Eq. 27b coefficient of T inside the T(...) term.
Market range Not applicable: fixed correlation coefficient.
3Batzle & Wang 1992, eq. 27Eq. 27b coefficient of S inside the T(...) term.
Market range Not applicable: fixed correlation coefficient.
-3300Batzle & Wang 1992, eq. 27Eq. 27b coefficient of P inside the T(...) term.
Market range Not applicable: fixed correlation coefficient.
-13Batzle & Wang 1992, eq. 27Eq. 27b coefficient of P S inside the T(...) term.
Market range Not applicable: fixed correlation coefficient.
47Batzle & Wang 1992, eq. 27Representative pressure in the production tubing at which the brine density is evaluated. Going from 1 to 10 MPa moves the density by less than 0.5 %, so one pressure is used for the whole column.
Market range About 3-9 MPa over a 300-900 m column.
5MPaModel choiceGETEM saturation-pressure polynomial in T_F (psi absolute), coefficient c0. It gives 15.55 bar at 200 C and 1.015 bar at 100 C against 15.55 and 1.014 bar in the steam tables. Fresh-water value: salt lowers P_sat slightly, so the anti-flash margin is conservative.
Market range Not applicable: fixed correlation coefficient.
8.089411GETEM / ssc lib_geothermal.cppGETEM saturation-pressure polynomial in T_F (psi absolute), coefficient c1. It gives 15.55 bar at 200 C and 1.015 bar at 100 C against 15.55 and 1.014 bar in the steam tables. Fresh-water value: salt lowers P_sat slightly, so the anti-flash margin is conservative.
Market range Not applicable: fixed correlation coefficient.
-0.197885GETEM / ssc lib_geothermal.cppGETEM saturation-pressure polynomial in T_F (psi absolute), coefficient c2. It gives 15.55 bar at 200 C and 1.015 bar at 100 C against 15.55 and 1.014 bar in the steam tables. Fresh-water value: salt lowers P_sat slightly, so the anti-flash margin is conservative.
Market range Not applicable: fixed correlation coefficient.
0.00197GETEM / ssc lib_geothermal.cppGETEM saturation-pressure polynomial in T_F (psi absolute), coefficient c3. It gives 15.55 bar at 200 C and 1.015 bar at 100 C against 15.55 and 1.014 bar in the steam tables. Fresh-water value: salt lowers P_sat slightly, so the anti-flash margin is conservative.
Market range Not applicable: fixed correlation coefficient.
-0.000009GETEM / ssc lib_geothermal.cppGETEM saturation-pressure polynomial in T_F (psi absolute), coefficient c4. It gives 15.55 bar at 200 C and 1.015 bar at 100 C against 15.55 and 1.014 bar in the steam tables. Fresh-water value: salt lowers P_sat slightly, so the anti-flash margin is conservative.
Market range Not applicable: fixed correlation coefficient.
0GETEM / ssc lib_geothermal.cppGETEM saturation-pressure polynomial in T_F (psi absolute), coefficient c5. It gives 15.55 bar at 200 C and 1.015 bar at 100 C against 15.55 and 1.014 bar in the steam tables. Fresh-water value: salt lowers P_sat slightly, so the anti-flash margin is conservative.
Market range Not applicable: fixed correlation coefficient.
-0GETEM / ssc lib_geothermal.cppGETEM brine viscosity, mu = 407.22 x T_F^-1.194 in lb/(ft h). It gives 0.198 mPa s at 140 C, against 0.182 mPa s for water at 150 C in NIST.
Market range Not applicable: fixed correlation coefficient.
407.22GETEM / ssc lib_geothermal.cppExponent of T_F in the GETEM viscosity correlation.
Market range Not applicable: fixed correlation coefficient.
-1.194GETEM / ssc lib_geothermal.cppPetukhov smooth-pipe friction factor f = (0.79 ln Re - 1.64)^-2, as GETEM uses it for the well tubing.
Market range Not applicable: fixed correlation coefficient.
0.79GETEM / ssc lib_geothermal.cppConstant term of the Petukhov friction factor.
Market range Not applicable: fixed correlation coefficient.
1.64GETEM / ssc lib_geothermal.cppExponent of the Petukhov friction factor.
Market range Not applicable: fixed correlation coefficient.
-2GETEM / ssc lib_geothermal.cppAbove 100 C GETEM keeps the wellhead above the saturation pressure plus the excess margin; below it, atmospheric pressure plus the margin.
Market range Not applicable.
100CGETEM / ssc lib_geothermal.cppExcess pressure kept above the brine saturation pressure (3.447 bar) so that it does not flash. GETEM applies it at the wellhead; this calculator also applies it at the pump intake to set the minimum submergence, which is a transposition.
Market range No independent range cited.
50psiSAM defaults / GETEMInner diameter of the production tubing (Kullick & Hackl: pipe radius 0.1 m). Sets the velocity and the friction head.
Market range No independent range cited.
0.2mKullick & Hackl 2017Specific heat used for the doublet thermal output. Saturated liquid water at 99.7 C; brine is slightly lower and water at 150 C is 4.3076, so the thermal output is within about 2 % over 100-180 C.
Market range4.2154kJ/(kg K)NIST WebBookModel domain: the doublet must cool the brine by at least 20 K. Below it the thermal output collapses, the parasitic load and the cost per MWh diverge, and no geothermal plant of the sources runs there.
Market range Not applicable.
20KModel domainModel domain upper limit of the salinity input. The calculator was checked up to 10 wt% (density +7 %); the Bavarian Molasse default is 0.066 wt%.
Market range Not applicable.
10wt%Model domainPump efficiency of reference case 1 (NREL SAM default).
Market range About 60-70 % for multistage geothermal pumps (Kullick & Hackl: about 70 % maximum).
67.5%SAM defaultsMotor, cable and drive efficiency of reference case 1. Kullick & Hackl give a motor efficiency over 90 %.
Market range No independent range cited.
90%Kullick & Hackl 2017Pump efficiency of reference case 2: the maximum Kullick & Hackl give for the ESP pump.
Market range No independent range cited.
70%Kullick & Hackl 2017Overall wire-to-water efficiency of the ESP system at its maximum (Kullick & Hackl). Case 2 derives its motor and drive efficiency from it: 60/70 = 85.7 %. Also the benchmark of the wire-to-water output.
Market range No independent range cited.
60%Kullick & Hackl 2017Reference availability (SAM default). The capital load penalty is your availability against it.
Market range No independent range cited.
95%SAM helpGETEM production pump cost: 1750 x (shaft hp)^0.7 x pump PPI, in US dollars. Covers the pump, motor and cable of one run.
Market range No independent range cited.
1750USDGETEM / sscScale exponent of the pump cost on shaft power (GETEM). At a fixed head the shaft power is proportional to the flow, so the pump cost per m3/h of rated flow falls as flow^(0.7-1) = flow^-0.3: this is the CAPEX scale law of the calculator. A higher head at a higher flow is charged separately by the head correction (TDH/reference head)^0.7, so the product is exactly the GETEM law.
Market range Usual equipment exponents are 0.6-0.8.
0.7-GETEM / sscGETEM other pump installation cost: 5750 x hp^0.2 x pump PPI (surface works and controls of one run).
Market range No independent range cited.
5750USDGETEM / sscExponent of the GETEM other installation cost on shaft horsepower.
Market range No independent range cited.
0.2-GETEM / sscProducer price index of pumps, last value of the ssc pump_ppi vector: escalates the GETEM pump costs to the latest year of the vector, read here as 2024.
Market range No independent range cited.
1.553-GETEM / sscProducer price index of drilling, last value of the ssc drilling_ppi vector: escalates the install cost per foot.
Market range No independent range cited.
1.232055-GETEM / sscInstallation (workover rig) cost per foot of setting depth, SAM default; multiplied by the drilling PPI.
Market range No independent range cited.
50USD/ftSAM defaultsConverts the GETEM US dollar costs to euros.
Market range Not applicable.
1.0824USD/EURECB 2024Reference rated flow of the scale law: 0.145 m3/s, the deep geothermal ESP of Kullick & Hackl. Also the default of the flow slider.
Market range Dutch and Paris-basin doublets produce about 100-400 m3/h (catalogue spec sheet).
522m3/hKullick & Hackl 2017Head at which the specific pump cost per m3/h is quoted: the nominal total dynamic head of this calculator. It is a normalisation, not a source value: the head correction (TDH/465)^0.7 cancels it exactly, so any value gives the same pump cost.
Market range Not applicable.
465mModel normalisationNumerical guard of the clamp on the specific pump cost. Over the declared domain the model stays between about 450 and 2,600 EUR/(m3/h), so the guard never binds there.
Market range Not applicable.
50EUR/(m3/h)Numerical guardNumerical upper guard of the clamp on the specific pump cost; never binds inside the declared domain.
Market range Not applicable.
20000EUR/(m3/h)Numerical guardLargest flow of the Sulzer SJT Geo lineshaft pump. Above it the flag says the duty is beyond that product.
Market range SLB Reda Thermal up to 960 m3/h; Flowserve SUBM up to 4,500 m3/h (catalogue spec sheet).
680m3/hSulzer E10344Largest head of the Sulzer SJT Geo lineshaft pump, used as the lineshaft head limit flag. ESPs are used beyond it.
Market range Flowserve up to 800 m (catalogue spec sheet).
700mSulzer E10344Highest fluid temperature of the Sulzer SJT Geo; the model refuses production temperatures above it.
Market range SLB Reda Thermal 225 C bottom-hole (catalogue spec sheet).
220CSulzer E10344Setting depth of the Kullick & Hackl deep geothermal ESP (0.145 m3/s, 140 C). Their well sets the pump deeper than this model's anti-flash minimum (443 m at the defaults): operators add margin for the drawdown decline over the years and for gas.
Market range No independent range cited.
950mKullick & Hackl 2017Wellhead pressure of the Kullick & Hackl model (10e5 Pa). This calculator gives the GETEM value P_sat + 3.45 bar, about 7.1 bar absolute at 140 C.
Market range No independent range cited.
10barKullick & Hackl 2017Benchmark of the wire-to-water efficiency: the overall ESP system maximum of Kullick & Hackl.
Market range No independent range cited.
60%Kullick & Hackl 2017Benchmark of the total dynamic head: the largest head of the Sulzer SJT Geo (lineshaft range).
Market range No independent range cited.
700mSulzer E10344The 50 psi GETEM excess pressure in bar (50 x 0.0689476).
Market range No independent range cited.
3.447barGETEM / SAMDefault run life of one ESP in hot brine: the middle of the Dutch fleet average of one to two years. A full pump, motor, cable and workover recur at the end of each run.
Market range1.5yearGEO ExPro 2026Low end of the Dutch fleet average ESP run time.
Market range No independent range cited.
1yearGEO ExPro 2026High end of the Dutch fleet average ESP run time; also the integer lifetime exported to project mode (see meta lifetime).
Market range No independent range cited.
2yearGEO ExPro 2026Default electricity price: EU average for non-household consumers of 500-2,000 MWh/yr, H2 2025, all taxes and levies as reported.
Market range 74.8 (Finland) to 255.2 EUR/MWh (Ireland), same band and period.
183.7EUR/MWhEurostat nrg_pc_205Lowest EU price in the same Eurostat band (Finland).
Market range No independent range cited.
74.8EUR/MWhEurostat nrg_pc_205Highest EU price in the same Eurostat band (Ireland).
Market range No independent range cited.
255.2EUR/MWhEurostat nrg_pc_205Default static (idle) water level below the wellhead: Kullick & Hackl's idle level.
Market range No independent range cited.
180mKullick & Hackl 2017Default productivity index: Kullick & Hackl's delta_rv = 8.06e-8 m5/(N s), i.e. 8.06 L/s per bar of drawdown.
Market range The slider covers 5-50 L/s/bar; below 5 the drawdown at 1,500 m3/h exceeds any pump head.
8.06L/s/barKullick & Hackl 2017Default production temperature: Kullick & Hackl's 140 C, the top of the 120-140 C Bavarian Molasse range.
Market range140CUeckert & Baumann 2018Default reinjection temperature.
Market range No independent range cited.
80CUeckert & Baumann 2018Default salinity: 656 mg/L of dissolved solids in Bavarian Molasse geothermal water. Read from a search snippet only; the salinity effect on the outputs is under 7 % over the slider.
Market range No independent range cited.
0.066wt%Geothermal Energy 2020, Table 2Casing workover cost per foot: zero in the SAM defaults, so it is not added. A well that needs a casing workover at each pump change costs more.
Market range No independent range cited.
0USD/ftSAM defaultsFixed pump cost per run: zero in the SAM defaults, so it is not added.
Market range No independent range cited.
0USDSAM defaultsContext, not a benchmark of this output: the target total parasitic load of a binary plant, in % of GROSS ELECTRIC output. This calculator gives the pump alone in % of THERMAL output; converting needs an ORC efficiency the research did not ground.
Market range No independent range cited.
5%Rabbani & Banks 2019Context: total parasitic load of a binary plant can reach 20-30 % of gross electric output.
Market range No independent range cited.
30%Rabbani & Banks 2019Method: steady state, one production well. Brine density (Batzle & Wang) at the production temperature and salinity; drawdown = flow / productivity index; dynamic level = static level + drawdown; pump setting depth = dynamic level + the submergence that keeps the intake above the saturation pressure plus 50 psi; total dynamic head = dynamic level + wellhead head (GETEM: P_sat + 50 psi above 100 C) + Darcy friction over the setting depth (Petukhov smooth pipe, GETEM viscosity); power = rho g Q TDH / (pump x motor-drive efficiency). Cost of one pump run with the GETEM cost law, recurring at every ESP run life; pumping cost = (annualised run CAPEX + electricity) / thermal energy of the doublet.
Market range Not applicable.
—Model scopeThe parasitic load and the pumping cost are on the THERMAL basis of the doublet (rho Q cp (T_prod - T_inj)). Converting to % of an ORC's electric output needs the ORC efficiency, which project mode gets by chaining this pump to an ORC unit through the brine flow and the production temperature.
Market range Not applicable.
—Model scopeESP and lineshaft share the GETEM cost law: no source gives a cost difference. The only difference modelled is the about 700 m head limit of lineshaft pumps (Sulzer SJT Geo), shown as a flag. Above it an ESP is needed.
Market range Not applicable.
—Model scopeA full pump run (pump, motor, cable, installation) is bought again at every run life. With the default zero discount rate the run CAPEX is spread evenly over its run life; this is close to the discounted value because the cycle is only 1-2 years. Set a real discount rate to annualise it. Other O&M is not modelled: the replacement workover is the dominant pump O&M.
Market range Not applicable.
—Model scopeDomain: productivity index 5-50 L/s/bar and a cooling range of at least 20 K. Corners of the input box (1,500 m3/h with PI 5 and a 300 m static level) give heads up to about 1,900 m, beyond any geothermal pump, and a 10 m3/h pump with a six-month run life at 50 % availability costs up to about 80 EUR/MWh; such duties are outside the scope, and the head flag tells when the lineshaft limit is passed.
Market range Not applicable.
—Model domainCosts are GETEM US dollars escalated with the last ssc producer price indices (pump 1.553, drilling 1.232), read as 2024 dollars, and converted at the ECB 2024 average 1.0824 USD/EUR. The year attached to the last PPI value is not printed in the code, so the currency year is approximate (medium).
Market range Not applicable.
—Model scope