During this kick-off meeting, all administrative and scientific aspects of the project were presented to all and many fruitful discussions have taken place. 

Every work packages introduced their objectifs and collaborations to come. The meeting ended by a first field experience as a group with the visite of the quarry Saint-Pierre-Bois which is a perfect example of the transition between base-cover within the Rhine Graben. 

For more details about the project refer to the following page and official website.

For more information about this new upcoming project go to the ERC website

Pr. Patick Baud has received his award at the EGU 2024 in Vienna, Austria. 

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We are a group of 14 students accompanied by two teacher-researchers in the third year of the Earth, Universe and Environmental Sciences degree program at EOST. We have, together, the will to create a last project within the framework of our Licence. It is very important to us because it is an ambitious challenge for us. It is also an opportunity to accomplish ourselves by refining our training.

For our project we chose an island in the West Indies to answer different questions that interest us. As our university is located in Alsace, in Strasbourg, we are concerned by geothermal energy and the exploitation of resources. The geothermal power plant of Bouillante allows to produce 6 to 7% of the electricity of Guadeloupe (geothermies.fr). We wanted to understand how geothermal energy works thanks to our hydrogeological knowledge of mineral and energy resources. Moreover, we want to link this project to the new master's degree offered by EOST, which includes geosciences for energy transition. This end-of-bachelor internship project will also allow us to gain field experience with the possibility to visit La Soufrière and to meet different experts, such as a collaboration with the volcanological and seismological observatory of Guadeloupe. This field experience would allow us to put into practice our knowledge acquired at the university.

In total, this project is possible thanks to the financial support of ITI GeoT, EOST, Fondasol, Total and Geophyse.  

We are eager to share with you their adventure !!! To be continued ...

Duration: 4 years

Funding: 999 576 €

Title: Deep-HEAT-Flows: Discovering deep geothermal resources in low-enthalpy crystalline settings

Abstract:

The rapid displacement of fossil fuels by sustainable and affordable energy sources will require novel technologies that can meet large- scale commercial demands. Deep geothermal resources offer near-unlimited clean and reliable energy across multiple spheres of our economy and society, including direct heating, industrial use, and electricity generation. While substantial energy figures are promptly achieved in hot volcanic and rifting zones, unlocking the full potential of geothermal resources will require a new understanding of how heat flows and accumulates at lower-temperature conditions. Our Deep-HEAT-Flows project identifies the fundamental thermogeological processes that create large (>1 km3) and deep (>1 km) geothermal reservoirs in low-enthalpy (<150 °C) crystalline settings. We will develop conceptual models and new tools to resolve geological uncertainties of deep drilling in areas with enormous geothermal potential rarely pursued by the energy industry, with a particular interest in the EU Nordic region. Our multidisciplinary approach combines insights from geophysics, structural geology, petrophysics, geochemistry, thermodynamics, and rock mechanics into a unified model that explains low-enthalpy crystalline reservoir formation. We will conduct a suite of laboratory-based experiments on rock samples from deep boreholes and analogue outcropping rock formations, quantifying critical microscale (<10 cm) variables of crystalline reservoirs such as pore-space morphology, fracturing, and mineral alteration. Additionally, we will collect and assess high- resolution drone photogrammetric data and interpret geophysical surveys to investigate the large-scale (cm to >100’s m) impact of ancient faults and igneous intrusions on crystalline reservoirs. Finally, micro-and large-scale results will be combined to develop computational models that calculate the volume and simulate the energy yield from deep, low-enthalpy crystalline reservoirs. Deep- HEAT-Flows will leap forward to understand the petrophysical and thermal properties of the deep crystalline crust and comprehend heat generation, transfer, and storage at low-enthalpy conditions - essential information that permits accurate forecasting of geothermal resources. Ultimately, our project will ensure that large geothermal resources can become predictable at industrial scale and economically available globally - key to achieve energy security while building a sustainable, resilient, and low-carbon society.

The ITI will be involved in this project by running laboratory experiments in Strasbourg on rocks from the geothermal target site in Finland. A post-doc will be hire for 3.5-year to work on the project.

Come join us and register for next year to the ITI GeoT Master !!!

This article, written by several ITI GeoT researchers, reviews the seismic events that occurred between November 2019 and January 2021.

The rest of the article, and the PDF format, are available through this link