Drilling of the Bańska PGP-4 exploration well in Szaflary (Nowy Targ county, Małopolskie voivodship) began in April 2023.

The purpose of this borehole is to identify the geological structure of the bottom part of the Podhale basin, as well as to test reservoir parameters of the Palaeogene-Mesozoic Podhale reservoir (temperature, chemical composition, yield) occurring at the depths of about 3.5 km, 5 km and 7 km. This will allow the determination of thermal water resources at a given borehole depth and the subsequent exploitation of the horizon with the highest reservoir parameters.

At the end of October, the borehole reached a depth of 3950 m, drilling through Lower Chalk formations (marly limestone, marl). It was designed by Proinsol company, which is also supervising and overseeing the drilling of borehole. The Podhale Trough is one of the most important geothermal reservoirs in Poland. From the north, it is bounded by the structure of the Pieniny rock belt, forming the northern boundary of the thermal water reservoir. From the south, the boundary of the trough is the Tatra massif. On the edge of the Tatra Mountains, there are known natural outflows of warm waters and caves, whose genesis is connected with the thermal karst.

Currently, thermal waters are extracted from the trough through numerous boreholes and used for thermal energy (Geotermia Podhalańska in Bańska Niżna) and recreation (e.g., in Bukowina Tatrzańska, Białka Tatrzańska, Chochołów and Zakopane).

Text: Mariusz Socha, Anna Bagińska