Engie is working with Huisman Geo, EBN and TNO to investigate whether a new drilling technique can make the production of geothermal heat from thin earth layers economically feasible.
The Result project (Enhancing REServoirs in Urban deveLopmenT) aims to demonstrate that the new drilling technique can improve production from thin earth layers by 30% to 100%.
Engie said the preferred location, which may be suitable for this demonstration, is in the municipality of Zwolle in the Netherlands.
The definitive location will be announced in 2021.
The research project has been positively assessed by the European programme Geothermica and has received €5.7m in funding.
TNO’s Maurice Hanegraaf said: “If the drilling works with the new technique, geothermal energy can be developed in many more areas in the Netherlands than is currently the case.”
Huisman Geo’s Remco van Ee said: “For Zwolle, we assume an earth layer of approximately 60 metres at the location where a heat network can be developed.
“By means of multilateral drilling, a bore with different side branches, we want to demonstrate with innovative tools that production can be significantly increased and costs can be reduced compared to regular drilling techniques.
“The first well becomes the production well during a successful demonstration, the second the injection well.”
Huisman Geo and TNO are testing this drilling technique this year at another location at a depth of 400 metres.