Geothermie in Polen

Deepest geothermal well with about 7,000m planned in Podhale, Poland

23.09.2019

Initial plans for wells to be drilled for a geothermal heating and potentially power project in Podhale, Poland have been adapted to now target a drilling depth of 7,000m and thereby the deepest well for geothermal to be drilled in Poland so far.

Local news reported this weekend, that the deepest geothermal well with about 7,000 meters is planned to be drilled in Podhale, Poland. The well to be drilled in Szaflary in Podhale was originally target to be drilled to a depth of 5,300m, but it was decided to deepen it. The investment is expected to start next year – so municipality head Szaflar Rafal Szkaradzinski announced at a press conference.

«We are at the stage of preparing for the new well project, because it will ultimately be deeper and located in a different place than originally planned. Geologists have found a place where there are better parameters for the geothermal resources, so we will have to make a new well design. Next, we will commission the investment» – said the head of the Szaflary commune.

The investment will be 100% financed by the National Fund for Environmental Protection. Until now, it was estimated that the well to a depth of 5,300m will cost about PLN 45 million (about EUR 10.4m). According to new establishment of a well at a depth of 7,000m will be more expensive, but it is not yet known what the final value of this investment will have to be. Experts expect that the water temperature in the collector at the bottom of the well will exceed 120 degrees Celsius. Geothermal water from a future well is to supply the heating network, including in Nowy Targ.

Learn the geological structure
«The Chief National Geologist and the Ministry of the Environment are very favourable to our project, because on the basis of this well we will learn the geological structure of the entire Podhalaska Basin and based on this well we will make a 3D map of this geological area. We will also study how much water can be taken and how much should be injected back underground so that there will be no situation that future generations will have a problem with geothermal water» – said Szkaradzinski.

The heat from the new well is intended not only to heat homes, but also to produce electricity to cover the needs of this mining center. The new source is to supply three wells currently supplying heat supplying Zakopane and neighboring villages. A heating network is also to be built in the Szaflary commune and a heating main to Nowy Targ.

Impressive timing for the project
In another news piece on the story in Polish publication, 24tp, reports that the timing of progress for the project is impressive.  The commune of Szaflary and the City of Nowy Targ signed an agreement with Geotermia Podhalanska in October 2016. A year later, a 100% subsidy for the well from the National Fund for Environmental Protection and Water Management was obtained – nearly PLN 45 million (EUR 10.4m). The state finances the well in 100%, because it will also serve to identify the geological structure of the country and further research in this direction.

In February 2018, an agreement was signed for the implementation of the geophysical survey project, the research itself lasted until May 2019 and – as Szkaradzinski argues – the water parameters turned out to be much better than those anticipated. Today we know that the well will be in a slightly different place than planned, and that it will have a depth of around 7,000 meters.

In June this year, a contract was signed for the design of the geothermal network in Szaflary, Zaskala, Bor and Banska Nina. The project is to be ready in October this year. The next step will be to apply to the NFEPWM for further funding, this time the network itself, which should be ready in 2022 or at the latest in 2023. Nowy Targ will also be able to connect to it.

The head of Szaflar assured that the inhabitants of the commune were very interested in joining, 900 house owners have already applied, and new ones are still appearing.

Source: ThinkGeoEnergy

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