Contract for Drilling an Abstraction and Re-injection Well to enable development of a District Heating Network in South Shields

South Tyneside Council (STC) wishes to establish a district heat and power network in the Holborn and Ocean Road areas of South Shields. The overall 10MW energy scheme is to utilise a number of renewable and low carbon energy recovery sources and part of the scheme is to heat properties via extracting mine water from flooded abandoned mine workings several hundred metres below ground.

Expressions of interest are sought by suitably qualified and experienced organisations for the following works. An initial contract is required to drill an abstraction and separate re-injection well and perform hydrogeological testing.

At this outline design stage it is envisioned that the Drilling Contract would include (but not necessarily be limited to) the following:- Pre-Works Design and Mobilisation Prior to commencement of drilling, the Contractor will be required to provide quality and health and safety documentation including a Drilling Method Statement, Drilling Pollution Prevention Mitigation Plan, Mine Gas Drilling Management Plan, Noise/Dust and Vibration Management Plans, Site Waste Management and Disposal Plan Drilling Scope of Works Site Setup, Headworks and Conductor Casing Stage 1 Abstraction Well Pilot Hole to either the Bensham or Hutton workings at a depth of around 280 to 315 m bgl, with monitoring of minewater conditions (gas and water level/quality). Stage 2 Abstraction Well - once the targeted mine workings of an adequate permeability are intersected, the 'pilot' hole is to be enlarged to an upper limit of 500mm diameter finished production casing to achieve up to 100l/s flow.

Stage 3 Reinjection Well to the High Main at a depth of around 200 m bgl of an adequate diameter to enable installation and grouting in of the permanent well casing. Testing including geologging, mine gas, mine water level and quality and then well development/step testing/constant rate flow testing.

Prepare a well completion report including records of drilling, casing, integrity testing, geophysical test records and hydrogeological testing and monitoring. Please see attached advert for details of how to apply