Geothermal drilling in Szaflary, Poland hits 5-km depth mark
Drilling rig operations at the site of the Banska PGP-4 geothermal well in Szaflary, Poland (source: video screenshot, Polish Geological Institute)
Carlo Cariaga
27 Feb 2024
Drilling of the Banska PGP-4 well in Szaflary, Poland has hit the 5-kilometer mark with optimistic results so far as progress is made to the 7-kilometer target.
As of the end of 2023, the ambitious geothermal drilling project in Szaflary, Poland has reached a total depth of 5000 meters. The Banska PGP-4 well has so far intersected a large reservoir with temperature of 120 °C. Drilling will continue to the target depth of 7000 meters, where another aquifer is expected, and the entire drilling process will be completed within the 1st quarter of 2024.
Plans for drilling a 7-km geothermal well in Podhale in Szaflary were first announced back in 2019. The objectives of the project included the collection of data on the subsurface geology of the Podhalanska Basin (or Podhale Basin), as well as tap into a geothermal resource with temperatures exceeding 120 °C.
Preparations for drilling were reported in early 2023, with actual drilling operations reported to have started by April. By October 2023, the well had reached its halfway point. Drilling is currently still ongoing at a rate of approximately 40 meters per day.
Dr. Eng. Piotr Dlugosz, who provides geological supervision for the project, stated that the assumption is that there will be a third aquifer at 150 °C encountered at 7000 meters depth. However, there is no comparable well depth in the region, so this is an unexplored depth. The results so far have been optimistic with two reservoirs encountered so far – one at 85 °C, and another at 120 °C.
Tender for heating network soon to be announced
Geothermal energy from the well is intended to be used for networked heating in the commune of Szaflary and the city of Nowy Targ. To this end, the local governments have stated that tenders for the construction of this heating network will soon be announced.
Approximately 10 kilometers of pipeline will have to be laid down to connect the well in Szaflary to the facility of Miejskie Przedsi?biorstwo Energetyki Cieplej (MPEC) and to the residential areas of Nowy Targ. The Szaflary commune will then build a section of the network, albeit a significantly shorter one.
Both local governments have been granted PLN 30 million (approx. USD 7.5 million) from the Polish Order Fund: Strategic Investment Program to support the implementation of networked heating. The construction of the main line from the Szaflary well will be covered by the PLN 132 million (approx. USD 33.2 million) funding granted to the geothermal drilling operations.
