Geothermal and demonstration project LEAN on the starting blocks
The sustainability of heat supply for houses and buildings is essential to realise the climate ambitions of Utrecht (the Netherlands). Geothermal energy can possibly make a major contribution to achieve this. Therefore, a subsidy application will soon be submitted (programme renewable energy) to the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO) for a research into geothermal energy via the demonstration and de-risk project LEAN (Low cost Exploration And deriskiNg of geothermal plays: the Rotliegendes demonstrator).
Initiator TNO, coordinator ENGIE (integral service provider of sustainable heat), Huisman, EBN (Energie Beheer Nederland), ENECO (recipient of heat), Well Engineering & Partners (WEP), IF Technology and the University of Utrecht intend to deploy geothermal energy for the Utrecht energy supply. The province and the municipality of Utrecht will join this partnership.
So far, relatively little is known about the composition of the earth's layers in Utrecht. If this research shows that the extraction of geothermal energy can be executed in a safe and responsible manner, and is supported socially, this will be a huge contribution to the sustainability of the heating network in Utrecht. Should this research not result in a geothermal energy project, then the gained knowledge will still be very valuable. On 1 March 2018 it will be known if the subsidy is granted and if this demonstration project can proceed.
Within this project, Huisman will be responsible for the drilling of the first, so-called, slim hole. A virtually vertical well with a measured depth of 2,500m applying some of the innovative developments of Huisman Well Technology such as Measured Pressure Drilling (MPD) with Enhanced Casing Installation (ECI). When the outcome is successful, Huisman will also execute a second well which would complete the doublet. All in all, the project should be realised within three years.
If all goes according to plan, at least 5,5MW of heat should be produced and delivered to the heating network of Eneco. Eneco would like to make their current heating network more sustainable and reduce CO2 by means of geothermal energy. In order to realise this even more of, probably an additional five doublets will be realised after this first doublet.
By means of innovations Huisman strongly focusses on increasing the profitability and success of geothermal energy, not only in the Netherlands but also abroad. These innovations do not only concern technical solutions but also the approach of these projects.
Illustration: Doublet Lansingerland, Bergschenhoek, the Netherlands. Recently successfully finalised by Huisman and Zublin