The purpose of the drilling is to gather specific information about the geological strata beneath the ground and thereby establish a solid basis for assessing whether the area is suitable for the safe and permanent storage of CO2.
Since March, Harbour Energy has been working on setting up a temporary drilling site. The work has been carried out by the Horsens-based contractor Kaj Bech A/S, and the site is now fully ready to receive the drilling rig.
The rig is being transported from Germany in smaller modules on over 100 lorries, which will arrive at the drilling site in stages over the next few weeks. Once the drilling rig has been assembled and erected, drilling operations will commence and continue for approximately five months. During drilling, sections of steel casing and cement will be installed to separate the geological layers and protect both the subsoil and the groundwater. The drilling is expected to reach a depth of more than 3,000 metres.
Temporary activity
The activities will continue until the first quarter of 2027. The drilling itself will take place from late July until the end of the year. Afterwards, all installations will be removed and the area restored to its original state as agricultural land.
“The seismic survey was intended to provide us with a detailed 3D image of the subsurface structures, whilst the test drilling will yield concrete samples and measurements from the many layers at depths of more than 3,000 metres. Together, the two surveys will form a comprehensive dataset that will be a key cornerstone in assessing whether the area is suitable for CO2 storage,” says Henrik Busk, geologist and head of exploration at Harbour Energy.
The drilling site has been set up on private land at Fårup, north of Randers, which Harbour Energy has leased from a local landowner. The area covers 20,000 m², which is equivalent to just under three football pitches. In the centre of the site, the rig will rise 55 metres into the air. The rest of the site will be filled with equipment, drill pipes, containers and so on.
To minimise disruption to neighbours, all heavy traffic to and from the site will be routed via the gravel track that was established years ago when wind turbines were erected on the same property.
Dialogue and regulatory approval processes
Harbour Energy has all the necessary regulatory approvals in place and will continue its close dialogue with neighbours, local residents and the relevant authorities. Among other things, leaflets will be distributed in the area with the help of local volunteers.
“We are very aware that the test drilling will have a significant impact on the local area and will do everything we can to minimise disruption to residents. It is also important to emphasise that this is a temporary survey and that there will be no injection of CO2 during this period,” says Regitze Reeh, Head of Communications at Harbour Energy.
