Introduction to geothermal studies in Ryedale

An exciting new project that can benefit Ryedale residents and businesses

There’s a real chance that renewable energy can be provided to Ryedale homes and businesses.

Third Energy has moved away from fracking and wants to repurpose its 12 wells to produce geothermal heat. This would mean that they extract heat from their wells to then heat buildings for domestic, commercial, leisure and tourism. That’s heat to communities, residential heating projects and for farming in Ryedale.

Right now, Third Energy is ready to take on some feasibility studies at its sites to see if geothermal energy would be a possibility for the district.

What’s involved in the feasibility studies?

Third Energy will have people on site to test the fluid levels and carry out technical and commercial modelling. There’s going to be minimal presence at the well sites and no large-scale machinery during the feasibility stage. So, overall very little to see or hear.

The feasibility studies are expected to take eight months of staged work which includes desktop studies, designing the technology and coming up with a business model for the wells.

There will be work carried out inside two wells – one on Pickering showground and one at Dalby Forest. This work will see an injection of Xclude technology into the wells which seals up the perforations. This would enable Third Energy to start preparing the wells for geothermal installations, depending on the outcome of the feasibility studies. These works would only require pumping equipment at the two well sites and again, there won’t be any large scale machinery or rigs.

Having your say

We want to involve you in this project as much as we can, so that you can share your views.

We will engage fully with our local communities because we want all residents and businesses to understand the work involved and what the findings of the feasibility studies will mean for Ryedale as a whole. We will listen to all feedback and ensure that it is acted upon.

You will find all updates, project timelines and details of engagement events on this site. Please use this site to stay up-to-date with the geothermal studies and to have your say.

What is geothermal energy?

Geothermal energy is a renewable and continuous source of thermal energy which utilises naturally heated rock formations below the earth’s surface to heat water, which is then brought to the surface. Geothermal is an emerging source of energy in the UK. It’s tried and tested technology that is safe and sustainable.

There is the potential for geothermal energy to be produced at the wells for 30-35 years with little intrusive work needed during that time.

Key project milestones

• Start of the project - fluid levels in wells will be tested to get accurate readings

• Engineering firms will complete feasibility work already started on the Pickering wells

• Engineering firms will carry out feasibility studies at Ebberston wells, in Dalby and Wyekham

• End of the process will result in business models in place for the wells with customers identified

How can this benefit Ryedale?

If the feasibility studies show that the wells can produce geothermal energy then:

• This will be the first repurposed site in the UK for community use. Another one has happened in the Netherlands.

• There is only one other geothermal heated swimming pool in the UK, in Cornwall. This would be a first for Ryedale and the North of England.

• It will provide a reduction in carbon emissions and helping residents have more sustainable forms of energy

• This has the potential to increase visitors to the area in a green and renewable way

• This also has the potential to enhance the agricultural sector in Ryedale and increase employment as a result

• The feasibility work and potential uses of geothermal energy ties in with our own ambitions set out in our Climate Change Action Plan.