Geothermal pumping test kicks off in Arunachal’s Dirang

Itanagar, Nov 10 (PTI) An autonomous organisation under the Arunachal government's Department of Science & Technology has initiated the pumping test of the first geothermal production well at Dirang sub-division in West Kameng district.

The aim of the pumping test is to assess the sustainability and productivity of the subsurface geothermal reservoir, a key precondition for moving ahead with applications such as building-sized heating and cooling systems, and agro-processing utilities, an official said.

Tana Tage, director of the Centre for Earth Sciences & Himalayan Studies (CESHS), said the test marks a transformative step toward clean, renewable and region-specific energy solutions in the Eastern Himalayas.

The operation, which began on Monday, involves scientists and engineers from CESHS under the technical supervision of Rajinder Bhasin, Geotechnical Engineer from the Norwegian Geotechnical Institute (NGI), Oslo, and geothermal-exploration specialists from Geotropy Iceland.

The Dirang site is already recognised as the region’s first geothermal production well, following two years of detailed geochemical and structural surveys across western Arunachal Pradesh.

According to reports, the reservoir temperature had been estimated at around 115 °C, placing the site in a medium-to-high enthalpy zone and making it suitable for direct-use applications.

International collaboration has been central to the project. CESHS has partnered with the Norwegian Geotechnical Institute (NGI), Iceland’s Geotropy, and local drilling services via Guwahati Boring Service (GBS).

The successful completion of the pumping test will enable the transition from exploratory drilling to operational deployment of geothermal systems in the Eastern Himalayas, the director said.

Potential next steps include deeper drilling operations and the scaling of geothermal-powered infrastructure, with the long-term vision of making Dirang India’s first geothermal-powered town, he pointed out.

“This pioneering development paves the way for a new era of clean energy in the Himalayas,” Tage said, adding that it demonstrates the potential of geothermal resources in transforming regional livelihoods while ensuring environmental sustainability. PTI UPL NN