Tender- Drilling of geothermal research borehole in Dellbrück-Cologne, Germany
Cologne in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany (source: Jose A. / flickr, Creative Commons)
Carlo Cariaga
21 Aug 2025
A tender has been announced for drilling a geothermal research borehole in Cologne, Germany, with work expected to start by late 2025.
The Geological Survey of North Rhine-Westphalia (Geologischer Dienst NRW / GD NRW) has announced a tender for drilling services for a geothermal research borehole to be drilled in the Dellbrück district in eastern Cologne, Germany. The deadline for applications for this tender will be on 16 September 2025.
The objective of the borehole is to core the entire sequence of the Devonian Massenkalk down to the underlying silicilastic Middle Devonian. Based on data by GD NRW, this sequence is expected at a depth of 700 meters. Drilling is thus planned to a maximum depth of 1000 meters. The well can be terminated prematurely if the base of the Massenkalk can be intercepted at shallower depths.
According to the tender documents, the construction of the drilling site is scheduled for Q4 of 2025, while the actually drilling operations are to begin by 1Q 2026.
Geothermal research drilling in Cologne, as already announced earlier this year, is part of the NRW Geothermal Master Plan. Research drilling had recently been concluded in Krefeld, with results so far indicating a promising geothermal reservoir.
Source: Geologischer Dienst NRW
