Geothermal drilling in Bieber Waldhof West

The state of Hesse/LEA (LandesEnergieAgentur Hessen GmbH) arranged for an exploratory borehole to be drilled in Bieber Waldhof West, the planned sustainable residential area, in order to assess the potential for using geothermal energy to generate heating and cooling for the new residential area - but also for the neighborhood in Bieber and Waldhof.

Initially three, then four days were scheduled for the drilling and exploratory work. Work began in mid-December 2022. The drilling rig was approached via the direct footpath connection from Bieber Waldhof in the direction of the cemetery, turning off at the small wood via the field path in the direction of Seligenstädter Straße. A municipal road plot was identified in advance as a suitable location for the drilling, which also makes subsequent use in the future construction area possible. Here, directly next to the unpaved path, a hole almost 100 meters deep was drilled into which a probe was inserted.

The drilling site equipment and two containers were parked on the neighboring meadow without authorization. Due to the extensive rainfall before Christmas, the meadow was affected by the construction vehicles, with deep, muddy tracks in places.

Due to the weather, the drilling work lasted until Christmas, and the measuring work was not even carried out until the beginning of January 2023. To date, two full containers remain at the drilling site. The city has issued several reminders to remove them.

The remains of the construction site equipment and the fact that the drilling site has not yet been sealed are currently preventing the path and meadow from being restored. However, the city is working hard to have the damage to the drilling site repaired as quickly as possible. As a result of the work and the arrival and departure of the drilling equipment, citizens have reported damage, in particular the path from Waldhof to the cemetery, part of the forest route, is partially unrecognizable and can only be described as a "muddy desert".

During a joint inspection by employees of the Office for Planning and Construction and the Environmental Agency, no unusual damage caused by tire tracks on this path could be identified, with the exception of Goldbergstraße next to the actual bollarded footpath.

Councillor Paul Gerhard Weiß is surprised at the complaints made about the condition of the path along the forest route: "The drilling site with the surface damage there is about 200 meters south of it!"

The drilling site, and therefore the path on the municipal plot, is only accessible to a limited extent until a shaft is installed. The city is asking people to use one of the numerous paths or the forest route section to Würzburger Straße to avoid the drilling site.

Due to the complaints, the containers filled with drilling material should now not be removed via the still softened field path, but via the better paved route via Yorckstraße. However, this requires a clearance cut on a low-hanging branch of an oak tree to prevent damage from the container. In order to speed up the removal of the containers by the drilling company, the city is considering initiating administrative offense proceedings.

"As soon as the drilling site has been cleared, the soil can be smoothed out and the path towards Bieber will be more accessible again," explains Councillor Weiß.

The results of the exploratory drilling, which will make it possible to better plan the thermal properties for the use of geothermal energy, are expected shortly. The link to the website of LEA LandesEnergieAgentur Hessen GmbH with information and results of the exploratory study can be found on the city's website under Bieber Waldhof West | Stadt Offenbach.