Drilling to start for 20 MW Te Ahi O Maui project in NZ
Eastland Group's existing 8.4 megawatt geothermal plant near Kawerau, NZ (source: Eastland Group)
Alexander Richter
30 Nis 2016
New Zealand based Eastland Group announces drilling to start for 20 MW Te Ahi O Maui geothermal power project near Kawerau in early May.
Reported locally this morning, New Zealand based Eastland Group has announced that site works for the Te Ahi O Maui project are under way to prepare well pads with the drilling rig to be on site in the coming days.
The $100 million Te Ahi O Maui proejct plans to develop a 20 MW geothermal power plant about 2 km from Kawerau in New Zealand. This phase sees the drilling of a first production well on land which is owned by the A8D Ahu Whenua Maori Trust.
It is expected that drilling will be started May 10, 2016.
“Extensive field monitoring and computer-based modelling has shown we can expect the drilling equipment to pass through layers of varying substrates and pockets of incredibly hot geothermal steam and fluid, which could be between 200-350 degrees Celsius. “It’s this high-temperature fluid and steam that will ultimately fuel the geothermal power plant., according to Te Ahi O Maui project manager Ben Gibson.
The Te Ahi O Maui project would be 94 percent owned by Eastland Group.
Source: Gisborne Herald
