Halliburton to design demonstration wells for GeoFrame Energy’s DLE project in Texas 

Halliburton (NYSE: HAL) announced Monday it has secured a contract for GeoFrame Energy’s geothermal and direct lithium extraction (DLE) project in Texas.  

The company said it will plan and design the first demonstration phase wells in the Smackover Formation in East Texas. GeoFrame Energy has said it is set to become the first company to deliver battery-grade lithium carbonate from this US reservoir to the market. 

GeoFrame said the project is expected to produce approximately 83,500 metric tons of battery-grade lithium carbonate annually—enough to meet 100% of domestic demand – which would mark a turning point in ending US dependence on Chinese lithium imports.  

“GeoFrame Energy is in an excellent position to capitalize on the current demand for lithium through brine extraction,” Halliburton’s vice president of low carbon solutions Duane Sherritt said in a news release.  “Halliburton’s 100-year legacy of well expertise and execution, combined with innovation to support new energy projects and decades of experience in the Smackover Formation, makes us the best candidate to help support GeoFrame Energy’s vision.”  

 “Halliburton, as a critical member of our team, will support the drilling phase of our project through the construction, design, and operation of the demonstration wells and the expansion into full field development,”  GeoFrame Energy CEO Bruce Cutright said.  

Cutright said the company plans to use geothermal brine to generate renewable electricity through zero-emission binary cycle generators. This process will power its direct lithium extraction and lithium carbonate production plant with renewable energy. The company will sell the excess geothermal power produced electricity to the grid. 

Work is expected to begin in late 2025.