geothermal energy
Trias Westland hits on virtually impermeable layer of rock
Although the 4km-deep hole drilled by Trias Westland provided a ‘wealth of data’, the extraction of sustainable heat from the Trias layer is not sufficiently profitable. The organisation has therefore decided to fall back on Plan B and extract warm water from the Lower Chalk layer. This option is anticipated to deliver 19 to 22 MW, which is not enough to supply all the growers that have committed themselves to this project with geothermal heat.
A core of 30 metres of stone was brought up in the last specimen extracted from the drill hole. A study of this core revealed that the porosity (permeability) of the rock from the Trias layer was zero. This means that the flow of water at this depth is very difficult, if not impossible. Additionally, traces of gas were discovered in the pores of the sandstone, rendering the performance of a normal well test using a pump impossible. “An enormous disappointment,” says Floris Veeger, project manager for geothermal heat of Trias Westland. This prompted a decision to close off this deep section with two concrete plugs and to extract heat from the shallower Delft sandstone layer, in line with the other projects in the Westland area. This was disappointing for the participants and initiators, because no new layer of soil was made accessible that would help phase out the dependency on natural gas in the province of Zuid-Holland.
Well test
The Delft Sandstone Layer is nevertheless thicker and more permeable than anticipated. Apart from this, an additional layer of sand (at a greater depth) was discovered, which will not be used for this project, however. The organisation expects to extract water of a temperature of 85 to 90 degrees from the Delft Sandstone layer, at a depth of 2.3 km. The first well test is expected to take place next weekend. If, after this, the definitive decision is made to drill the second well, a second well test will take place at the end of April which will provide more information about the exact heat yield of the geothermal project. To be able to provide all participants with sufficient geothermal heat, a second doublet will be necessary. Director Marco van Soerland does not exclude that Trias Westland will do this, even though no concrete plans have been drawn up for this purpose. The potential yield in geothermal heat from the Lower Chalk layer in the Westland area is estimated at 300 to 400 MW.
Text/photos: Mario Bentvelsen.
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Geothermal project Trias Westland ready for first drilling
The delivery and construction of the drilling tower for the Trias Westland geothermal project has been completed. The parts of the KCA Deutag drilling tower arrived at the construction site on Lange Broekweg in Naaldwijk in containers brought here over the course of the past few weeks on exceptional transports. The first hole will be drilled on Monday, 6 November.
The KCA Deutag rig is a complex piece of equipment, measuring approximately 52 metres in height and capable of lifting an auger rod weighing approximately 350 tons. With a capacity of 1500 HP, the rig can reach a depth of up to 5,000 metres.
Drilling tower
Last week, the 43-metre-high mast of the drilling tower arrived at Lange Broekweg in Naaldwijk, thus enabling the tower to reach its highest point yet, at 52 metres above ground. The drilling tower, supplied by the KCA Deutag drilling and engineering firm, had been used in the gas and oil industry before and was shipped from Turkey to the Netherlands.
Start of the drilling
On Friday, 3 November the chisel will be ‘blessed’, and on Monday, 6 November the first hole will be drilled. The conductors, 125 metres in depth, were installed last June. The first well test is expected to take place in January 2018. Director Marco van Soerland: ‘Six years after signing the letter of intent, we can finally start drilling. This is a special day for all the growers involved, HVC, Capturam, Royal FloraHolland, the municipality and the project team. Of course, we are all looking forward to the well test in January. No matter what the outcome: through this project we are making giant strides in energy transition in the province of Zuid-Holland, due to the knowledge we are acquiring about heat in the deep layers of the earth and by launching such an exceptional geothermal project.’
In four sections to a depth of 4,560 metres
On Monday, the first hole will be drilled, also referred to as ‘spud’ in the oil and gas industry. This is a 125-metre hole located precisely where the protective layer for the water-bearing layers was installed last June. After this relatively shallow hole has been drilled, the first section of the deep drill will follow. During the next 7 to 9 days to come, a hole 1,298 metres deep and with a diameter of approximately 60 centimetres will be drilled. During this process it is essential that the drill grit is brought to the surface. A sample will be taken every 10 m of the mud and grit that is extracted by the drill, as this will inform the drilling crew of which layer of the earth and at what depth the drill bit is situated. Once the full depth of Section 1 has been reached, the pipe is inserted and cement is pressed between the borehole and the pipe to reinforce the hole. Section 1 will be completed after approximately 2 weeks. The next step is Section 2, with a diameter of about 43 centimetres and a depth of up to 2,559 metres. Section 3 is a borehole with a diameter of about 30 centimetres and that will go down as far as 4,204 metres. Section 4 drills through to the Trias layer, at a depth of 4,560 metres. This last hole is not cemented in connection with the heat that will be extracted.
Trias Westland
The Trias Westland test well is a unique geothermal project. Never before has drilling taken place to a depth of 4 km with a view to extracting geothermal heat in the Netherlands. Trias Westland B.V was founded by Royal FloraHolland, HVC and Capturam to investigate the extraction of geothermal heat for economic purposes at this depth. The goal is to find out if extracting geothermal heat is economically viable at a depth of 4 km, with a view to making this heat available to greenhouse horticulture companies in the Westland region.
Source: Trias Westland. Photos: Mario Bentvelsen.
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Over thirty growers are interested in geothermal energy from a depth of 4 km
KP Holland is one of the thirty growers who have signed an agreement to participate in the geothermal project Trias Westland. If the drilling is successful, all the participating growers will get a connection to the geothermal energy coming from the Triassic layer, at a depth of 4 kilometres. This geothermal project for horticulture will be unique in the world.
In the past months, 65 companies have expressed interest and thirty growers have already committed themselves to this sustainable initiative. The total power for which the letters of intent were signed currently amounts to about 60 MW. One of the companies is KP Holland, a horticultural business in Westland that sees sustainability as one of its core values. A sustainable energy supply for the family business is therefore a logical step. KP Holland is a global supplier of young and flowering plants of Kalanchoe, Spathiphyllum and Curcuma.
According to Roy van der Knaap, manager of energy and technology, geothermal energy is one of the few alternatives to fossil fuels. The stock of fossil fuels is limited, it is bad for the climate and with the current global developments the delivery can sometimes be uncertain. "The project Trias Westland fits well with our company and philosophy. We embraced it wholeheartedly and full of enthusiasm."
Ceiling price
The participants will be closely involved in the development of the project and will become co-owner without having to invest themselves. The price that is paid by the participants is based on actual costs, including a reasonable compensation for the risk capital of the founders of the project. The fact that there is a 'ceiling price' offers more security for the participants.
According to the director of Trias Westland, Marco van Soerland, not all growers who have shown interest have signed the actual agreement. "Those who have not signed, may not be able to because they are in between two other geothermal energy initiatives and are forced to wait. But there was a lot of interest in the project and there still is now. "Van Soerland expects that the negotiations with all the parties will be finished in April.
New participants are still welcome, but speed is of the essence. "Applications can continue, but we will start shortly with the development of the different scenarios and therefore it is necessary that we know exactly who wants to join." Only after the exploratory drilling it will be clear how much heat will become available.
Combined drilling
In order to limit the (financial) risks of the exploratory drilling, a combined drilling is done. This means that first they will drill to the Lower Cretaceous-layer at a depth of 2 to 3 km. After examination of this layer they will continue to drill to the Triassic layer at a depth of 4 km. If the Triassic layer is unexpectedly found to be unsuitable for the extraction of geothermal energy, a Lower Cretaceous doublet will be realised. In which case, the purpose of the exploratory drilling - determining the suitability of the Triassic layer – is achieved, costs are reduced and a profitable Lower Cretaceous project will be realised.
If the Triassic layer is suitable, 30 to 50 growers can be connected to the geothermal heat source. If that is not the case, a Lower Cretaceous project will be realized and approximately 20 to 30 growers could make use of geothermal energy. In both scenarios, the most economical connections are realised first. Growers who are closest to the drilling site and whose neighbours have also joined the project have the best chances.
Source: Trias Westland. Photo: Mario Bentvelsen.
Belgian greenhouse horticulturists study Dutch geothermal wells
A delegation from a greenhouse horticulture community in the Belgian city of Kempen and representatives several government agencies visited a geothermal well and a cluster of horticulture firms in the Dutch province of IJsselmuiden. The Belgian representatives examined the feasibility of this source of energy in their own country.
Greenhouse horticulture is an important economic sector not only in the municipalities of Hoogstraten, Rijkevorsel and Merksplas, but also in the province of Antwerp, and one in which sustainability will remain a key issue in the next few years to come. A shared interest in sustainability is one of the reasons why these municipalities, together with the Flemish government, the Province of Limburg and various industry associations are looking into alternative sources of energy for heating their greenhouses. In the Dutch municipality of IJsselmuiden, located in the ‘Koekoekspolder’ greenhouse horticulture area, a deep geothermal well provides five greenhouse horticulturists with geothermal heat. The geothermal heat is extracted at a depth of approximately 1900 metres.
Great enthusiasm
Everyone present was given extensive information about the project. Aside from the technical aspects, which could also be applied to projects in Antwerp, several other critical success factors were extensively discussed. These included the risks associated with the realisation of the project, the complex financing issues and the current price of natural gas.
The Flemish delegation was informed that the project owes its success to the outstanding collaboration between the various stakeholders, the execution of a long-term vision on sustainable energy and the perseverance exhibited by the horticulturists and the project leader. The visit was received with great enthusiasm from the Flemish guests. They are all assured that they will be able to realise similar projects through collaborative efforts within the greenhouse horticulture industry in the province of Antwerp.
Economic importance
‘Not only is greenhouse horticulture of tremendous economic importance to the province of Antwerp, sustainability is also a key priority on our agenda,’ says Ludwig Caluwé, the Provincial Executive member for economic affairs. He joined the delegation of greenhouse horticulture municipalities on their visit to the geothermal well site, which enabled them to gain a clear insight into how sustainability and greenhouse horticulture can be aligned. Greenhouse horticulture and geothermal energy can support one another through the realisation of an energy cluster in a greenhouse horticulture area.
Source: press release. Photo: koekoekspolder.nl
Second geothermal drilling project in Californië a success
Drilling commenced at the end of 2015 for a second geothermal well in the Californië horticultural area located just to the northwest of Venlo in the Netherlands, 1½ kilometres from the geothermal well operated by greenhouse horticulture firm Wijnen Square Crops. Sustainable heat was sought - and found - at 2,500 metres below the surface, and will be used to heat existing and newly built greenhouses in the surrounding area.
Construction of the second doublet was in the hands of property developer Californië BV and three horticultural firms: namely those belonging to Frank van Lipzig, Roland Gielen and the van Leeuwen brothers, Thomas and Jordan. Drilling operations started on 3 December 2015. Exactly two months later the production well was tested. The result was a maximum yield of 375m3 per hour, at a temperature of 80° C.
The growers involved in the project are ecstatic. The decision was made immediately to start drilling an injection well. If the results obtained here are just as good, the three horticulture firms will be able to turn off their gas supply almost entirely. Not only that, sufficient geothermal heat will be available for the adjacent 20-hectare plot of land as well.
Beyond expectation
The injection well will be tested in March. The above geothermal system will be constructed in spring, and the supply of geothermal heat is expected to commence in the course of next autumn. The heat will be distributed to three horticulture firms, at which tomato and cucumbers are grown and that cover an area of 26 hectares collectively. The costs associated with drilling the wells and the installation of the pipes amount to 13 million euros.
Drilling operations are executed by T49 at KCA Deutag, the company responsible for drilling the geothermal wells operated by the Aardwarmte Vierpolders Collective. The necessary mining engineering expertise is being provided by WEP (Well Engineering Partners) and the project is being supervised by Radboud Vorage, the agency that was also in charge of the Koekoekspolder Project.
Source: http://www.californie.nu/www.geothermie.nl Photo: Mario Bentvelsen.
'The interests of the whole should be given priority over the interests of the individual.'
Tomato grower Frank van Kleef of Royal Pride believes a lot can still be done regarding cooperation between the horticultural and industrial sectors in the field of energy management. 'There are a lot of opportunities, particularly in places where the sectors are located close to each other, such as Westland and the Rotterdam harbour.'
According to the entrepreneur, the same is also true for the development of geothermal energy. 'It is still in its infancy. However, for the greenhouse horticultural sector, it is essential to be economical with the available energy and to make optimal use of the alternatives to fossil fuels.'
'In my opinion, the best way to help each other is to return energy to the grid at exactly the right time.'
Van Kleef is critical of developments such as heating residential areas with waste heat from greenhouse horticulture. 'It is expensive to move heat from one place to another and I am, therefore, not in favour of it.' He also does not think that bringing both segments physically closer is a viable option. 'In other areas, horticulture and home owners get in each other's way. In my opinion, the best way to help each other is to return energy to the grid at exactly the right time.'
Microsoft data centre
Royal Pride is located at Agriport A7, where the entrepreneurs cooperate as much as possible where energy is concerned. Microsoft recently built a large data centre there and, according to Frank van Kleef, that offers excellent opportunities for sustainable, mutual cooperation.
He is convinced that a lot can be gained by working together, particularly in the field of energy management. 'The greenhouse horticultural sector should stop putting itself first all the time. The interests of the whole should be given priority over the interests of the individual.'
'In order to achieve the international environmental and energy objectives, the greenhouse horticultural sector must look for worldwide solutions.'
During the journeys that he regularly makes, Van Kleef has noticed that foreign countries do not take advantage of the lessons that have been learnt in the Netherlands. 'Abroad, horticultural companies too often choose to be located far away from their fellow horticultural companies. I would rather have my competitors as my neighbours than have no neighbours at all.'
In his opinion, in order to achieve the international environmental and energy objectives, the greenhouse horticultural sector must look for worldwide solutions. 'With the same investment, greater advances can be made abroad than in the Netherlands, where great progress has already been made over the last couple of years.'
Watch the video with Frank van Kleef about energy management.
Source/photo: Priva/The Grower Files.