In Geretsried, south of Munich, the Canadian energy company Eavor is building the world's first Eavor-Loop^TM, a large deep geothermal power plant with a closed system. A heat medium circulates independently in an underground heat exchanger in the deep rock, which is heated to around 160 degrees Celsius. This means that geothermal energy can also be extracted from deep rock without thermal water.

Between June and December 2023, Dyckerhoff delivered around 1,400 tons of API Class K cement to the construction site in Geretsried. Dyckerhoff Class K consists of our basic deep drilling cement Class G and high-purity quartz powder and is produced in the mixing plant at the Lengerich factory. Like Class G, Class K is also standardized according to an internationally recognized industry standard of the American Petroleum Institute (API). Dyckerhoff was instrumental in the inclusion of Class K in this standard.

The mixture can be used for all drill hole zones, but is particularly suitable for use at great depths in borehole zones with high temperatures and pressures. The drilling depth for the Geretsried project is approx. 4,500 meters.

For these applications, Class K has proven itself over many years in exploration and production drilling for oil and gas worldwide. In addition, the quartz flour content reduces CO₂ emissions per ton by more than 20% compared to conventional Class G deep drilling cement.

In addition to the usual applications, Dyckerhoff deep drilling cements can also be used for drilling to extract geothermal energy or groundwater as well as for the underground storage of gas, oil, hydrogen and CO₂.

Geothermal energy is a renewable energy source, but unlike solar and wind, it is independent of the season, time of day and weather conditions and is therefore constantly available. The use of geothermal energy at great depths (deep geothermal energy) is considered an important key to supplying district heating networks. The current technology of open systems does not work everywhere, as the necessary layers of thermal water are not often found at great depths. With the new drilling technology and the closed system of the Eavor-Loop^TM, this could soon change, making geothermal energy the third pillar of renewable energy.

Photos: Eavor GmbH