Borehole Framework

All details presented here are estimates and subject to change prior to launch. This is an advance notice and not a call to Tender at this time.

The Mining Remediation Authorities mine water monitoring network provides insights into legacy mining risks and opportunities, including: Aquifer protection Environmental protection from interactions between mine water and surface or underground water Subsidence risks Mine gas migration Opportunities for mine water heat use Mine water heat licensing and assurance Future emerging opportunities and risks Boreholes form part of our groundwater and mine water monitoring network and are critical in the assessment and management of legacy mining risks. Our monitoring allows us to identify, assess and quantify risks and to develop interventions that protect water resources and the natural environment.

As a secondary benefit, we can also monitor the mine water heat at these points and add this to our heat map portfolio for future potential opportunities in this area. Over the coming years the Mining Remediation Authority will drill boreholes across the UK to support the remediation and management of rising and recovered mine water in underground coal workings.

Boreholes and pumping tests are required to allow monitoring and mine water control. The activities are time critical to allow mitigations to be implemented before impacts occur, preventing pollution incidents.

Our boreholes support: targeting deep underground mine workings the assessment of water levels and chemistry being a key component of our monitoring network filling in knowledge gaps in areas where mineshafts and other monitoring options have been decommissioned or abandoned assessing underground water systems, their behaviours, relationships, and to develop and operate effective management interventions. Borehole testing enhances: our understanding of system characteristics information on the extent of influence the assessment of the likely effectiveness or suitability of proposed management; and the long-term management through abstraction of mine water The Mining Remediation Authority is intending to come to market in Summer 2025 to seek suitably qualified Contractors who can aid in the delivery of our expanding Borehole programme.

We have identified the work streams we require and these are represented by the five Lots detailed further in this notice. Our intention being to maximise value for money as well as providing opportunity to as many SME as possible.

Typical works required under this Lot will include but may not be limited to : Drilling of mine water monitoring and/or extraction boreholes to depths ranging from 100-700m and diameters up to and in excess of 300mm. Other associated minor design and construction related tasks such as specification development or simple borehole design and headworks construction (Retaining walls for culverts), including Construction Design Management (CDM) responsibilities of Principal Designer and Principal Contractor

Typically this Lot will be for the provision of works relating to, but not limited to: Less complex pumping tests - discharge without/minimal treatment (e.g. removal of suspended solids may be required) This Lot is intended to provide but not limited to providing: Borehole cleaning services such as brushing, jetting, chemical treatments, clearance pumping.

It includes​ exploration of boreholes, operational mine water and gas management boreholes and​ purpose drilled monitoring and abstraction boreholes This Lot is to provide but not be limited to: Borehole design and specification - including identification of sites and targets.

Management of construction and contract including NEC accredited site supervisors and project managers. Lot Five is for the provision of the items below but is not limited to these: Design & supply of temporary treatment systems to allow environmentally compliant discharge of mine waters to watercourses during test pumping.​ May include sampling, analysis, bench testing and small scale pilot trials.