Drilling rig for Cornwall geothermal project being mobilised this month
United Downs Deep Geothermal Project Video screenshot
Alexander Richter
4 Oct 2018
The developer of the United Downs Deep Geothermal Project in Cornwall/ UK is expecting the mobilisation of the drilling from for the project from Finland this month.
On its website, the United Downs project team has provided an update on the drilling rig for the project. The transportation route for the mobilisation and demobilisation of equipment to and from the Deep Geothermal site at United Downs has been agreed with the Local Planning Authority as part of the planning consent for the site. This route has been agreed on the basis of minimising impact and traffic disruption to the local community.
The transportation and erection of the drilling rig are being organised and implemented by the drilling contractor using a specialist transportation contractor. The contractor has been working closely with the Highways Authority and with the Devon & Cornwall Police to agree on the route and the schedule for the transportation of loads.
The drilling rig comprises a total of almost 80 truckloads, a few of which are classified as ‘oversize’ and may need to be escorted. The drilling rig is being moved from Finland and the majority of the loads will enter the UK at either Tibury or Southampton. From these ports it will be transported by road to the United Downs site, travelling through Cornwall via the A30 as far as Redruth. The majority of the vehicles will leave the A30 at Avers Roundabout and will follow the A3047 to the B3298 at Scorrier (a few of the smaller loads may leave the A30 at the Scorrier junction). From Scorrier all loads will follow the B3298 to the crossroads at the bottom of Vicarage Hill and will turn left passing through Crofthandy and onto the United Downs Industrial estate. All empty vehicles will return to the A30 via the same route.
Mobilisation is due to commence during October. The first item to arrive will be a 250 ton crane that will be used to construct the drilling rig; this will leave the site after a few days, once the rig construction is complete. The transportation of items on to the site will be spread over a period of 8 days. During this period the car park at the United Downs Raceway will be used as a temporary marshalling yard so that units can arrive on to the geothermal site in the correct order. Once unloaded, the empty trucks will leave the site and will return to the A30 via the same route.
It is anticipated that the rig will take approximately 10 days to construct, commission and test prior to the commencement of drilling. It will remain on site for approximately seven months until the drilling programme for the two deep wells has been completed. The rig will then be demobilised and removed from the site.
