Developer optimistic for success of geothermal drilling at Vinzel, Switzerland

Nyon, Switzerland (source: Dennis Jarvis / flickr, Creative Commons)

After the disappointing outcome of the geothermal drilling campaign at the Lavey-les-Bains site in Switzerland, developer EnergeO is optimistic that drilling at Vinzel will yield better results.

EnergeO Director Daniel Clement emphasized that all “lights are green” for the geothermal drilling at Vinzel. This site had been identified as a high-potential geothermal site by a comprehensive seismic campaign done in the La Cote region along Lake Geneva in Switzerland.

According to Clement, the geological environment in Vinzel is drastically different and that the drilling site is located in a rea close to a fault that is very favorable to water circulation. However, unpleasant surprises cannot be totally ruled out. “We can’t be certain before going to see the reality in depth,” commented Clement.

The goals of the Vinzel drilling campaign are also more modest. The target depth in Vinzel is shallower (2300 meters) compared to Lavey-les-Bains (2956 meters). Drilling at Vinzel also aims to exploit geothermal energy for household heating in the region and not for electricity generation. The drilling campaign is expected to stat at the end of October.

If drilling at Vinzel is successful, the same model can be copied for other sites along La Cote. However, even a failure in Vinzel does not mean failure at the other potential sites, as Clement stated.

As we reported earlier, the geothermal well drilled at Lavey-les-Bains failed to produce enough flow to support geothermal power production. Data collected from the well is still considered valuable in characterizing the subsurface geology in the region.

Source: La Cote