Wedoany.com Report on Feb 6th, A geothermal exploration drilling operation has officially commenced in the Virovitica region of Croatia recently. The exploration well, named Virovitica GT-1 (VirGT-1), is planned to be drilled to a depth of 1300 meters, aiming to probe geological structures with geothermal resource potential.
This drilling is located in the "Virovitica 2" geothermal water exploration area, which covers the city of Virovitica and the municipality of Lukač, situated in the central part of the Drava Basin. From a geological perspective, this region is considered to have good prospects for geothermal energy research.
The Croatian Hydrocarbon Agency (AZU) announced this news. The agency had previously designated Virovitica-Podravina County as a priority area for geothermal development in Croatia. In 2022, the agency signed a contract with a consulting company to conduct geothermal exploration at multiple locations within the county, including Slatina, Orahovica, and Novi Bukovac.
The Virovitica project is part of a broader geothermal resource exploration plan aimed at assessing its potential for district heating. AZU is also conducting another independent project, which has already yielded positive geothermal exploration progress in Osijek, Velika Gorica, and Vinkovci. Furthermore, exploration work in Zaprešić is expected to be completed soon, and the related test results will be announced.
At the project launch ceremony, Marijan Krpan, Chairman of the AZU Management Board, stated: "Geothermal energy is one of the few renewable energy sources that is stable, can be utilized locally, and is not affected by weather or market fluctuations. The exploration work in Virovitica aims to confirm whether the area has the potential to serve the future energy system—primarily focusing on heating, but possibly also for other uses suitable for the local context."
He added: "We are advancing the work in Virovitica with the same professional technical standards as we did in the previous research conducted in four Croatian cities, which have already yielded positive results." The progress of this geothermal exploration drilling project marks another step forward for Croatia in the field of renewable energy development.
