Objective
The project aims at digging a geothermal well of a new type, built with a steel casing and a composite tubing, that will be used in conjunction with the twenty-five years old existing well.
Thanks to this new technology, it will be possible to monitor continuously the state and performances of the well. The outer steel will bring the resistance to the mechanical constraints of the ground and concrete, whereas the inner epoxy tubing will prevent most corrosion and deposits.
The complex will be composed of: three wells:
* the new production well
* the 1969 production well
* the 1968 reinjection well
various equipment at the surface level, that will be adapted to function at its best in the new configuration.
The selling price of the energy produced is calculated in such a way that the complex will be amortized in 20 years. It is the consumers (9000 inhabitants of the city of Melun) that will take advantage of it.
The borehole demonstrated a capacity of 220 cubic meters/h at 72 deg. C and 2.5 bar wellhead overpressure.
INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGY
The new well should be digged with a larger diameter (17" instead of 12"), and requires a larger casing (13"3/8 instead of 9" 5/8) and an epoxy tubing of 9" 5/8. It will be safer both on an environmental and an operational point of view, and yet the cost of the energy produced should remain at about the same level than now.
The monitoring of the complex will be done through pressure gauges connected to a computer. THE CONTEXT OF THE PROJECT
Melun l'Almont is the oldest geothermal site of its type in Europe. It is operating correctly, and is economically viable. Yet, part of its equipment has reached the end of its life and needs to be replaced.
THE ECONOMIC ASPECTS OF THE PROJECT
This innovative project will give a better control of the impact on the environment of the digging process and make it possible to monitor continuously the performances of the well, and to prevent most corrosion and deposits phenomena.
Such a use of wells in groups of three could bespecially interesting to rehabilitate low productivity or old wells.
The project should generate a gain of at least 90000 tons of fuel throughout its estimated life.
Programme(s)
Topic(s)
Call for proposal
Data not availableFunding Scheme
DEM - Demonstration contractsCoordinator
77000 MELUN
France