Belgrade district-heating utility Beogradske Elektrane has launched a tender for exploratory geothermal drilling at its New Belgrade and Miljakovac heating plants, marking a move from geological assessment to on-site testing of potential geothermal resources.
The two locations were identified as having the strongest technical and economic potential for integrating geothermal energy into Belgrade’s district-heating system.
The planned exploratory wells will assess the temperature, volume and availability of underground water and compare the findings with existing geological models. Temperature and geothermal-gradient measurements will be taken at 50-metre intervals throughout the drilling process.
The contractor will also examine rock formations, drilling fluids and gases for indications of groundwater inflows. Laboratory testing will analyse the geological characteristics of the Mesozoic and Neogene formations encountered at the two sites.
The drilling programme represents the third stage of Belgrade’s geothermal initiative. The first two phases focused on geological modelling, resource assessment and technical analysis, while the latest stage is intended to establish whether the identified geothermal resources are suitable for practical use.
If commercially viable resources are confirmed, geothermal heat could help reduce the district-heating system’s reliance on fossil fuels, limit exposure to gas-price volatility and lower emissions. The feasibility of future investment, however, will depend on factors including the temperature and sustainable flow rate of the geothermal water and the cost of integrating the resource with existing heating infrastructure.
Companies have until October 19 to submit their bids. The results of the exploratory drilling will provide a key basis for determining whether geothermal energy can move beyond a diversification concept and become an investable component of Belgrade’s district-heating system.
