Borehole Framework

Description

All details presented here are estimates and subject to change prior to launch. This is an advance notice and not a call to Tender at this time.  
The Mining Remediation Authorities mine water monitoring network provides insights into legacy mining risks and opportunities, including: 
Aquifer protection  
Environmental protection from interactions between mine water and surface or underground water 
Subsidence risks 
Mine gas migration 
Opportunities for mine water heat use 
Mine water heat licensing and assurance 
Future emerging opportunities and risks 
Boreholes form part of our groundwater and mine water monitoring network and are critical in the assessment and management of legacy mining risks. Our monitoring allows us to identify, assess and quantify risks and to develop interventions that protect water resources and the natural environment. As a secondary benefit, we can also monitor the mine water heat at these points and add this to our heat map portfolio for future potential opportunities in this area.  
Over the coming years the Mining Remediation Authority will drill boreholes across the UK to support the remediation and management of rising and recovered mine water in underground coal workings. Boreholes and pumping tests are required to allow monitoring and mine water control. The activities are time critical to allow mitigations to be implemented before impacts occur, preventing pollution incidents. 
Our boreholes support: 
targeting deep underground mine workings 
the assessment of water levels and chemistry 
being a key component of our monitoring network 
filling in knowledge gaps in areas where mineshafts and other monitoring options have been decommissioned or abandoned 
assessing underground water systems, their behaviours, relationships, and to develop and operate effective management interventions. 
Borehole testing enhances:  
our understanding of system characteristics 
information on the extent of influence 
the assessment of the likely effectiveness or suitability of proposed management; and 
the long-term management through abstraction of mine water 
The Mining Remediation Authority is intending to come to market in Summer 2025 to seek suitably qualified Contractors who can aid in the delivery of our expanding Borehole programme. 
We have identified the work streams we require and these are represented by the five Lots detailed further in this notice. Our intention being to maximise value for money as well as providing opportunity to as many SME as possible.