MND drills geothermal wells for Košice
After years of preparation, the geothermal project has finally begun. The idea of heating Košice with geothermal energy had been in the works for many years. The first surveys in the Svinica–Ďurkov area were conducted in the 1990s and confirmed the extraordinary potential of hot water several kilometres below the ground. However, at that time, there was a lack of funding and political consensus to implement the project.
Only now has the project moved from the planning stage to actual construction. Drilling began on site in the autumn, with MND Drilling & Services playing a key role in this phase as the main contractor for deep boreholes. Drilling began this autumn with a Bentec 350 rig and work is already in full swing. According to the city of Košice, geothermal heat will supply a significant portion of households in the future and significantly reduce the city's dependence on fossil fuels. The first heat supplies from the new wells are expected in early 2028. It will be a stable, clean and domestic energy source that will not be dependent on weather fluctuations or gas or coal prices.
Our company was selected as the main drilling contractor for Geoterm Košice. MND teams are currently implementing three new geothermal wells in eastern Slovakia, which should pave the way for large-scale use of geothermal energy.
"This is a truly complex project for MND Drilling & Services. While we operate exclusively as a drilling contractor for foreign contracts at an agreed daily rate, in the Košice project we provide all related drilling services as a general contractor, i.e. on a turnkey basis. This means a great deal of responsibility and a certain amount of risk, but at the same time it is a huge opportunity to confirm that MND DS is one of the leading European drilling companies," emphasises René Kachyňa, Director of MND Drilling & Services.
A strategic investment for Košice's energy sector
The wells will reach depths of around 3.5 to 4 kilometres, from where geothermal water with a temperature of over 125 °C will be extracted. This will be used to produce heat for the Košice heating system. After the energy is extracted, the water is returned to the rock to ensure the long-term sustainability of the source. This closed circuit is one of the fundamental pillars of the entire solution.
For Košice, this is a strategic investment with a significant impact on energy security and the environment. According to plans, the first stage could already cover approximately one-fifth of the city's heat consumption. Geothermal energy will thus supplement existing sources and gradually replace part of the heat production from natural gas. The result will be lower emissions, more stable prices and greater energy self-sufficiency for the region.
For MND, the project is also proof that experience in deep drilling in the oil and gas industry has a firm place in the energy sector of the future. Drilling at extreme depths and high temperatures places extraordinary demands on both technology and people. It is precisely in such conditions that the expertise of our drilling crews, technicians and project teams comes into its own.
The contract for Geoterm Košice is therefore not only a technical challenge, but also an important reference. Thanks to it, MND ranks among the companies that are actively involved in Central Europe's transition to low-emission energy. Our know-how is being transferred directly from oil and gas fields to projects that have long-term environmental and economic benefits.
From the city's point of view, this is a step that has been in preparation for many years. From MND's perspective, we are gaining further confirmation that we are able to play a significant role in the implementation of key energy projects – regardless of whether oil, gas or clean heat is being extracted from the Earth's interior.
Editor-in-Chief
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