The Bańska PGP-4 well in Szaflary, completed in 2025, will likely enable the tapping of thermal waters with temperatures significantly exceeding 100°C. This is a historic success opening the way for Poland to a new era of renewable energy.
Why is this a national success?
This discovery changes the rules of the game in the Polish RES sector for three reasons:
- Electricity production: Water temperature above 100°C is the threshold that allows launching binary technology (ORC) and electricity production. Until now, Polish intakes offered temperatures sufficient only for heating purposes.
- Extraction potential: Works were completed at a depth of 6103 meters, making this borehole the deepest geothermal intake in the country, and the achieved capacity confirms that the Podhale Basin is the richest and most stable energy reservoir in Poland.
- Documented geological structure: Thanks to drilling, the presence of two aquifers was confirmed (with waters at 85°C and 120°C) and the geological structure of the Podhale region was recognized at impressive – hitherto unexplored – depths. These works provided unique knowledge previously known only from theory or old oil wells. Data will serve to plan further deep wells throughout the country.
This is also a success for the Szaflary municipality, Polish engineering, and the drilling contractor – UOS Drilling S.A. Drilling at a depth of 6103 m in such difficult and geologically variable terrain as Podhale (Podhale Flysch, hard carbonate rocks) required immense knowledge and experience. Drilling the deepest geothermal well in Poland was a project of the Szaflary municipality, financed 100% by the National Fund for Environmental Protection and Water Management (NFOŚiGW).
Although the originally assumed depth of 7 km was not reached, the well fulfilled its key research goal. Due to the safety of further works and the welfare of the investment and investor, the commission operating within the Ministry of Climate and Environment decided to end works at a depth of 6.1 km – after reaching aquifers with parameters ideal for energy purposes.
We wish for further such successes in the field of geothermal in Poland!