United Kingdom: Casing of Well at United Downs Deep Geothermal Project Completed to Nearly 4,000 Meters

United Downs Deep Geothermal Project - Update (GEL)

We completed installing and cementing the 9 5/8''casing (steel lining) to 3995m to isolate and seal this section last week and over the weekend. This was one of the most difficult parts of the project and was completed without a hitch; sighs of relief all round. We are now getting ready to drill into the exciting 8.5" open-hole section of the well with the big fractures and high temperatures.

Drilling will continue for another 1,000m approximately, but this will depend on exactly where we intersect the target fault structure. As soon as we are sure we have drilled through it, we will stop, run further geophysical logs and then conduct a short production test. That will complete the activity on UD-1, so then we will move the rig 8m along the site and start drilling UD-2. The slower than expected drilling speeds means that we are behind our original schedule and we now expect to finish UD-2 at the end of June.

Geothermal Engineering Limited (GEL) secured funding of £10.6 million from the European Regional Development Fund to explore the geothermal resources deep beneath Cornwall.

​With £2.4 million from Cornwall Council and £5 million from private investors, the funding will allow GEL to drill two deep geothermal wells from its site within the United Downs Industrial Estate and build a 1MW - 3MW pilot power plant to demonstrate the technical and commercial viability of supplying both electricity and heat.

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