Three Wells drilled in Bochum

Within DGE-ROLLOUT, a test site for high-temperature heat pumps (HTHPs) at the Fraunhofer IEG in Bochum, Germany is planned. Heat source for the HTHP is a seasonal high temperature mine thermal energy storage (HT-MTES) pilot plant which is currently being implemented within the HEATSTORE (Geothermica) project. The HT-MTES is a small flooded colliery, situated at a depth of 68 m bgl. below the drilling site of the Fraunhofer IEG. During the course of the HEATSTORE project, it is planned to test the mine as a heat storage facility by increasing its temperature with the use of concentrated solar power. In order to do this, three wells (injection, production and monitoring) have now been successfully drilled into the abandoned mine layout by the Fraunhofer IEG. The use of the IEG self-owned drilling equipment BO.REX allowed efficient and precise operations.