TENDERING: Geothermal water exploration areas in Croatia

The Croatian Hydrocarbon Agency issued a public call for bids for four exploration areas. It said the goal is to utilize geothermal waters in Slavonia, Podravina and Međimurje in the north of Croatia for the production of energy.

A significant geothermal potential has been proven in the geographical zone of the Drava river valley, the Croatian Hydrocarbon Agency said as it announced it is receiving bids for four fields. Data from the exploration areas have been obtained during earlier oil and gas drilling, which greatly reduces the risk and costs for future investors, according to the statement. Geothermal water at the said locations in Slavonia, Podravina and Međimurje in the northernmost part of Croatia can be used for electricity and heating.

The deadline is September 1. The agency noted the temperature under all the lots exceeds one hundred degrees Celsius and that it means electricity can be generated. The entire potential power capacity is estimated at 50 MW while as much as four times more heat energy can be used.

Krpan: Geothermal energy is a symbol of the transition from fossil fuels toward renewables as it involves the use of knowledge and experience from hydrocarbon exploration

President of the Croatian Hydrocarbon Agency Marijan Krpan underscored geothermal energy is a symbol of the transition from fossil fuels toward renewables as it involves the use of knowledge and experience from hydrocarbon exploration. Croatia has a high geothermal gradient, on average almost two times above the rest of the European continent, according to the announcement.

The Ministry of Environment and Energy is responsible for the selection of the best bidder.

The Ernestinovo field, at 76.66 square kilometers, has wells from 1985 and 1989 and the water’s temperature is up to 165 degrees. In Legrad, at 20.89 square kilometers, the first drilling was completed in 1961 and the temperature is as high as 212 degrees.

The four exploration areas cover 207.11 square kilometers in the Drava valley

The third field is Lunjkovec-Kutnjak, on 99.97 square kilometers and with wells from 1976 and 1969 and the temperature of as much as 145 degrees. Merhatovec spans 9.59 square kilometers. At the site are wells from 1979 and 1986 and the temperature is up to 150 degrees Celsius.

Of note, GPC Instrumentation Process, the concessionaire at the Zagreb geothermal reservoir, submitted the project elaboration and well exploitation plan to the agency in order to get a long-term concession and build geothermal spa Terme Zagreb in the Blato district in the Croatian capital city’s southwest.

There are estimates that geothermal energy could meet Zagreb’s entire heating demand.