Building on the four projects listed above, the WG6 forms the backbone of the “Geological” expertise in the ITI GeoT and provides insides on how basin, crustal and lithosphere scale processes control and constrain the energy fluxes, fluid pathways, reservoir properties and distribution of lithologies within the Earth subsurface. Thus, the main aim of the WG6 is to constrain the large-scale framework and to integrate the geological reality that enables on one hand to provide input parameters to quantitative models and, on the other hand, to test, calibrate and ground truth theoretical models. As such, the WG6 is about to establish close interactions with the other working groups, in particular with the WG5 Geochemistry and WG4 Rocks physics. The approach used in the WG6 is both based on a science-driven approach, but also takes advantage of the capacity of the PIs to transform academic research in exploration relevant concepts for the energy transition. In addition, with the hiring of Guilherme Bozetti it was possible to develop in addition a sedimentological study of the Buntsandstein, the main reservoir rocks of the Rhine Graben area.
In parallel, a study of shallow reservoirs targeting in particular the Grande Oolithe in the Upper Rhine Graben, allows the WG6 to build a link to the PEPRsous-sol_PC9 project. The Grande Oolithe (Middle Jurassic, Dogger) is a prime target for exploration of intermediate geothermal reservoirs in the Upper Rhine Graben. The first aim of this project is to establish an updated state of knowledge of this formation at the scale of the Upper Rhine Graben, which is a prerequisite for the characterization of this unit as a potential reservoir. This study asks to combine the study of the paleogeography and depositional processes and environments with a more structural field study and the petrophysical investigation of the different types of lithofacies of this formation.
Finally, the study of mantle rocks as source for decarbonated energy, critical metals, and natural CO2 storage is taking advantage of a long-term research experience of two researchers (Marc Ulrich and Gianreto Manatschal) that join their tectonic and petrological/geochemical expertise with the aim to develop a play element approach for the use of mantle rocks in the energy transition. This last study is developed in parallel and at the margin of the ITI GeoT in the WG6, and it is manly funded through governmental support (PhD positions), a European doctoral network, and collaboration with industry.
