Wien Energie and OMV are pooling their expertise and planning to jointly tap, develop and utilize deep geothermal energy in the Greater Vienna area. For this purpose, the two companies are forming a joint venture. Wien Energie and OMV have already cooperated in the exploration, planning and measurement of the geothermal potential of the eastern Vienna Basin and have been able to gather comprehensive data and findings in this area, for example in the “GeoTief Wien” research project.
This cooperation will now be continued and intensified in the joint venture. Based on further exploration of the Vienna Basin and exploitation of the existing potential, deep geothermal plants are set to be developed, built, and operated.
Both companies bring extensive experience and technical skills in their areas of expertise. Wien Energie operates numerous heat generation plants and one of the largest district heating networks in Europe. By 2040, Wien Energie aims to make district heating generation completely carbon-neutral. Geothermal energy plays a decisive role in this. In cooperation with partners such as OMV, Wien Energie has been researching the potential in the Vienna region for many years and plans to build the first deep geothermal plant in Aspern as soon as 2026. As a globally active group, OMV brings decades of experience in the fields of geology and geophysics as well as drilling and production technology. With more than 60 years of exploration and production experience in the Weinviertel region, OMV has unique knowledge of the existing geological formations, which will benefit the joint venture. The use of deep geothermal energy is a stated goal of OMV’s Strategy 2030 to provide low-CO2 forms of energy in the future.
The formation of the joint venture is still subject to the necessary regulatory approvals.