One of the most important phases of the project set to transform the way heat is generated in Košice has been completed at the Svinica-Ďurkov site. Three new deep boreholes have been added to the original trio of boreholes from the 1990s, and together they have created a geothermal base on which a stable, low-emission energy source for tens of thousands of households can be developed in the coming years.

For Drilling’s staff, this successful project meant months of non-stop work, real-time decision-making and the need to cope with conditions that often differed from what the models on paper suggested.

“The project was a challenge, as we were acting as the main contractor for this work, which was a new experience for us abroad. We had previously only carried out this type of work in the Czech Republic for our parent company, MND,” explained Jan Duroň, head of the drilling department at MND Drilling and Services.

Kilometres below the surface, thousands of decisions on the surface

The new boreholes reach depths of almost four kilometres. In practice, this means that the team was operating in an environment where pressure, temperature and geological strata place extreme demands on both technology and the expertise of the personnel. Every metre of the borehole is the result of precise control and constant data analysis.

It wasn’t just about ‘depth’, however. The boreholes were drilled using the directional drilling method, which allows for targeted intervention in underground geothermal structures. All three boreholes were drilled from a single location, although the targets are hundreds of metres apart. This will ensure optimal yield from the hot water source and the return of the cooled water back into the depths.

The data confirmed that the extracted water has a surface temperature of up to 135 degrees Celsius, with a flow rate of 55 to 60 litres per second.

“Geothermal energy has great potential, primarily because it is not dependent on external conditions – apart from the fact that the water and the temperature are already there. This means that, unlike other alternative sources, it can provide heat, or even electricity, 24 hours a day, seven days a week,” emphasised Radovan Jedlička, head of the business operations department at Drilling.

According to him, the successfully completed project is a great showcase for MND, as demand for geothermal energy in Europe has been growing steadily over the long term.

A project that doesn’t end with the borehole

From the drilling team’s perspective, the work in Slovakia is complete. However, from the perspective of the project as a whole, the next phase is only just beginning. In order for the heat to reach Košice, the necessary supporting infrastructure must be built. This primarily involves a 16-kilometre-long hot water pipeline, which will connect the geothermal centre to the city’s district heating network.

Without it, the energy that has been waiting underground for millions of years will remain nothing more than untapped potential.

For MND, this is also a significant moment from a communications and commercial perspective. Our role in the project is clearly defined – to provide a reliable and functional source. And we have succeeded in doing so, even though our teams had to overcome a whole series of obstacles.

“What I value most about this project is the close collaboration between the specialist teams at both MND Drilling & Services and Geoterm Košice. Geological complications arose as early as the first borehole, which could have led to the loss of the borehole itself, failure to achieve the planned result, or a significant increase in the overall project costs. However, thanks to expertise, prudence and sound decision-making, we managed to avert these risks, and the result is one of the most successful projects of its kind in the entire region,” emphasised René Kachyňa, head of Drilling.

When the heat will reach people’s radiators will depend on the next steps taken by the investors and the state.

Košice as a test case for the future

The geothermal project near Košice is not merely a local investment. In a broader context, experts across the region view it as a test case. Slovakia has geothermal potential that has long been regarded as significant, but which has so far been underutilised.

Košice could be the first major city to transform this potential into an actual large-scale heat supply. If the project, including the infrastructure, is successfully completed, it could cover roughly a fifth of the city’s heating needs. Further boreholes are planned for the future, so coverage could reach up to 50% of households in Košice.

“Choosing MND Drilling & Services has proved to be a wise decision for us. Even the more challenging moments that arose during the project’s implementation were overcome more easily thanks to their expertise and insight. Should we proceed with the construction of further planned centres, we would be delighted to have this Czech company among our suppliers,” said Roland Karkó, Chairman of the Board of Directors at Geoterm Košice.

The estimated cost of the entire project amounts to as much as 130 million euros, including three older geothermal wells drilled in 1990 and 1999, which have not yet been utilised. The project has the official support of the Slovak government and has been promised a grant of 56.2 million euros from the European Union’s Just Transition Fund. The remainder of the funding comes from the investors’ own resources and loans.