Vallourec supplies OCTG for a deep Geothermal Power project in Bavaria

BOULOGNE BILLANCOURT, France, April 13, 2016 -- Vallourec is delivering close to 1,500 tons of seamless OCTG¹ to Geothermie Holzkirchen GmbH² for the geothermal power project at Holzkirchen, in Bavaria, Germany, which is planned to start operating in 2017.

Most of the tubes were produced at the Vallourec mills in Mülheim and Düsseldorf. Geothermie Holzkirchen GmbH uses geothermal sources in the Alpine Foreland to generate clean, green energy and heat. "We are happy to have won this order which gives us the opportunity to support the energy transformation in Germany," said Norbert Keusen, Managing Director of Vallourec Germany.

The project calls for the drilling of two wells to a depth of nearly 5,000 meters, the first of which is now under way. This initial well will bring the geothermal water to the surface at a temperature of 140°C. A steam generator and heat exchanger will then transform this hot water to produce electricity and heat. Once cooled, the water will then follow its loop back down into the calcareous aquifer, descending through the second well.

The OCTG will be used to consolidate the wells; gas-tight and designed to resist harsh conditions - temperatures over 180 °C and external pressures up to 743 bars. "Our tubes can cope with the highest mechanical and thermal loads, because they are made from steels specially developed for the energy industry, and the tube strings have VAM® premium connections," explained Markus Renner, Sales Director OCTG Europe.

Commissioning of the new geothermal plant is scheduled for 2017. It is expected to cover up to 80% of the heating needs for the town of Holzkirchen and will reduce annual CO₂ emissions by nearly 10,000 metric tons when compared to the plant's alternative energy source. 

For several years now, deep geothermal power has established a firm foothold in the German states of Bavaria, Brandenburg, and Baden-Württemberg as an environmentally friendly energy source.  Bavaria has invested in geothermal energy now for over a decade and it will soon represent a major share of the Munich energy supply: the city has made a commitment to meet all of its electricity requirements with renewable energy by 2025.

About Vallourec

Vallourec is a world leader in premium tubular solutions primarily serving the energy sector, as well as other industries.

With over 20,000 employees in 2015, integrated manufacturing facilities, advanced R&D, and a presence in more than 20 countries, Vallourec offers its customers innovative global solutions to meet the energy challenges of the 21st century.

Listed on Euronext in Paris (ISIN code: FR0000120354, Ticker VK) and eligible for the Deferred Settlement System (SRD), Vallourec is included in the SBF 120 and Next 150 indexes.

www.vallourec.com
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² The Geothermie Holzkirchen GmbH is a subsidiary of the public company Gemeindewerke Holzkirchen GmbH

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