Copyright © Jasmina Perkič 2024

TRANSGEO

Project overview

Transforming abandoned wells for geothermal energy production

The fossil fuels industry is declining in central Europe and leaves behind countless gas and oil wells. The TRANSGEO project is turning this environmental problem into an opportunity: it investigates the potentials of such abandoned infrastructures for producing and storing green geothermal energy. The partnership develops a transnational strategy and regional action plans to give a second life to the wells and tests their repurposing potential in local pilot actions.

2,61m €

Project Budget

80%

of the Budget is funded by ERDF

Layer 1

5

Countries

7

Regions

11

Partners

2

Pilots

Duration

Start date

End date

Project progress

53%

About the project

Large amounts of oil and gas were produced in Central Europe from thousands of deep wells, but after decades of production many of the hydrocarbon wells are abandoned or must soon be abandoned. The declining hydrocarbon industry leaves behind an enormous infrastructure and thousands of highly skilled workers, especially in rural areas facing multiple economic and social challenges. Instead of abandoning unused wells, they can be used for geothermal energy production and heat storage to support local communities and industries in the energy transition. However, this potential is largely underutilised due to economic uncertainties and non-technical barriers. The overall objective of TRANSGEO is to enable a structural change from a fossil-fuel producing hydrocarbon industry towards sustainable green energy provision from geothermal energy sources within Central Europe with focus on rural areas. Our approach of applying established geothermal technologies and workflows to the conditions of existing hydrocarbon infrastructure and matching it with local energy demand and heating networks is highly innovative. The main outputs include a transnational well repurpose potential assessment, site-specific feasibility studies, validated well repurpose methodologies, a web-based tool for assessment of well repurpose potential, and a transnational strategy and action plan.

Project partnership

Project partners

Deutschland (DE)

Lead partner

Helmholtz-Centre Potsdam German Research Centre for Geosciences

Department Geosystems, Section Geoenergy
Address
Telegrafenberg -
14473 Potsdam
Country
Germany (DE)
Web
www.gfz-potsdam.de

Project partner

Geological Survey
Address
Inselstraße 26
03046 Cottbus
Country
Germany (DE)
Web
https://lbgr.brandenburg.de/lbgr/de/
Total partner budget
304,401 €
Department of Hydrogeology & Geothermal Energy
Address
Neulinggasse 38
1030 Wien
Country
Austria (AT)
Web
www.geosphere.at/
Total partner budget
304,996 €
Address
Kellerberggasse 9/C29
1230 Vienna
Country
Austria (AT)
Web
https://www.greenwell.energy/
Total partner budget
109,194 €
Address
Rákóczi u. 13/B. 1/8.
7621 Pécs
Country
Hungary (HU)
Web
www.crost.hu
Total partner budget
276,458 €
N/A
Address
Vasvári P u 4
7622 Pécs
Country
Hungary (HU)
Web
https://international.pte.hu/
Total partner budget
240,786 €
Address
Tartsay Vilmos utca 3
1126 Budapest
Country
Hungary (HU)
Web
http://www.bvh.hu
Total partner budget
49,980 €
Međimurska energetska agencija, društvo s ograničenom odgovornošću za promicanje i unapređenje poslova vezanih uz obnovljive izvore energije i energetsku učinkovitost u Međimurskoj županiji
Address
Bana Josipa Jelačića 22
40000 Čakovec
Country
Croatia (HR)
Web
www.menea.hr
Total partner budget
227,027 €
Department of Petroleum and Gas Engineering and Energy
Address
Pierottijeva 6
10000 Zagreb
Country
Croatia (HR)
Web
https://www.rgn.unizg.hr/en/
Total partner budget
203,464 €
Address
Martjanci 36
9221 Martjanci
Country
Slovenia (SI)
Web
www.lea-pomurje.si
Total partner budget
254,797 €
Address
Brucknerstraße 6/4
1040 Wien
Country
Austria (AT)
Web
https://oneo.eu/
Total partner budget
49,497 €

Roadmap

1

Our challenge

Copyright © Jasmina Perkič 2024

The fossil fuels industry is declining in central Europe and leaves behind countless gas and oil wells. We are facing a lack of green energy and CO2 emissions that need to be reduced.

2

Specific problem

Copyrighty © Jasmina Perkič 2023

Municipalities, industry and agriculture need heat and electricity.

3

Innovative idea

Copyright © Jasmina Perkič 2023

Use abandoned oil and gas wells for geothermal heat and electricity.

4

Solution

GFZ
Copyright © GFZ

TRANSGEO will provide technologies and information so that users across Central Europe can match wells to needs (for heath and electricity). This saves millions of Euros to drill new wells and provides sub-surface data to know the heat potential across large areas of Central Europe.

5

How does it work?

1. We will undertake analyses to understand and align the legal, social, and economic situations in 5 Central European countries. 2. We will create databases and technical and financial workflow which will allow us to build and apply an online well assessment tool to meet heat and electricity demand in target locations (primarily rural communities). 3. From the analyses and online tool, we will create and deliver a Transnational Strategy and Action Plan to guide municipalities, industrial entities, and farms in identifying nearby wells which will serve their heat and electricity demands.

6

What will we achieve?

Copyright © Jasmina Perkič 2024

We plan to sign three Letters of Intent with partners to build 3 geothermal power plants after the project, using our online tool and other project outputs.

7

Impact

Copyright © Jasmina Perkič 2023

We convert the burden of old oil and gas wells into a benefit by reusing them to provide geothermal energy solutions!

News

Events

Pilot actions

Outputs

Copyright © Matej Prkič 2022

Validated and optimized well reuse procedures

The jointly developed well reuse procedures include validated and optimized workflow for the five different well repurposing technologies including a socio-economic analysis of different heat consumer groups (agricultural, municipalities and industrial).
Type of output: Solutions
In development
Photo by geralt from Pixabay

Validated and optimized well assessment tool

This openly accessible web-tool allows to identify the most suitable well repurpose procedures based on technological, geological, heat demand, policy and socio-economic parameters. The IT tool will be available online for different target groups interested in hydrocarbon well repurposing.
Type of output: Solutions
In development
Copyright © Jasmina Perkič 2023/24

Site-specific feasibility studies of well assessment and repurposing

Site-specific feasibility studies of well assessment and repurposing serve as testing and validation pilots for our proposed methodologies and for the assessment tool. They include a feasibility analysis of technical, geological, heat demand, economic, legal, social and regional aspects. The pilot sites are distributed over all partner countries, in all relevant geological conditions and include all proposed repurpose technologies.
Type of output: Strategies and action plans
In development
Copyright © Jasmina Perkič 2024

Transnational well repurpose potential assessment

The joint transnational assessment of hydrocarbon well repurposing potential in the four different target areas (Pannonian Basin, Vienna Basin, Molasse Basin, North German Basin) to support the transition of fossil energy based rural areas of Central Europe towards geothermal energy use. The transnational well assessment serves as pilot action for the demonstration and optimization of the well assessment tool.
Type of output: Strategies and action plans
In development
Photo by kaboompics from Pixabay

Transnational strategy for the transition of fossil fuel producing regions to sustainable growth through the use of geothermal energy

The transnational strategy outlines long-term objectives and priorities on the Central European level for repurposing existing hydrocarbon infrastructure for geothermal energy utilisation.
Type of output: Strategies and action plans
In development
Photo by gerald from Pixabay

Transnational action plan for the transition of fossil fuel producing regions to sustainable growth through the use of geothermal energy

The transnational action plan contains guidelines defining general actions required for the regional transition from hydrocarbon production to geothermal energy production, storage and integration into the energy networks.
Type of output: Strategies and action plans
In development

TRANSGEO

The project lead partner is responsible for the content of this project website.

Project on social media

Project Contacts

Project Manager

Hannes Hofmann
Phone: +49 331 6264 28739

Finance Manager

Julie Friddell
Phone: +49 331 6264 3058

Communication Manager

Jasmina Perkič
Phone: +386 (0)2 538 13 57