WG 6: Geology

The working group Geology within the ITI GeoT project aims to develop research in the domain of the energy transition. Four research themes are defined:

1. Architectural analysis of the Buntsandstein Group, East France (PI G. Bozetti) characterization of reservoir properties in the Buntsandstein using a combined sedimentological/hydrological approach
2. Control of the lower crust on heat-flow (PIs B. Petri and F. Chopin) modelling of the contribution of the lower crust in the basal heat flow using a petrological approach
3. Mantle rocks as source for decarbonated energy, critical metals, and natural CO2 storage (PI M. Ulrich) development of a play-element approach for the use of mantle rocks in the energy transition based on a combined petrological/geochemical/tectonic approach
4. Intermediate Geo-reservoirs from the Upper Rhine Graben (PI M. Schuster) a multi-disciplinary and multi-sources characterization of the so-called “Grande Oolithe” formation (pre-rift, Jurassic, Dogger)

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.

• Members (EOST/ITES): Guilherme Bozetti, Benoit Petri, Francis Chopin, Marc Ulrich, Mathieu Schuster
• PhD candiates: Gabriela Knobelock, Malik Abdullayev, Jalileh Nasseri

With the other ITI GeoT WGs:

WG4: Rocks physics

WG5: Hydro-geochemistry

With other academic partners:

Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS) and UNIPAMPA (Brazil)

ISTE - University of Lausanne

Géoscience Environnement Toulouse (GET)

GEOPS - Université Paris Saclay - Antonio Benedicto

With socio-economic partners:

L. Gindre-CHANU, Terra Geosciences (Dijon, France)

From Outcrop to Groundwater Flow: The Impact of Overlooked Heterogeneity on Advective Transport in Lower Triassic Sandstones, Eastern France. Lucas Bofill, Gerhard Schäfer, Guilherme Bozetti, Jean-François Ghienne, Mathieu Schuster (2025). Geothermics. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geothermics.2025.103581 

The Impact of Sedimentary Heterogeneity on Advective Solute Transport: the Lower Triassic Sandstone Aquifer, eastern France. Bofill, Lucas and Schäfer, Gerhard and Bozetti, Guilherme and Ghienne, Jean-François and Schuster, Mathieu (2025). SSRN. https://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.5446694

Rift-inversion orogens are potential hot spots for natural H 2 generation. Zwaan,F., Brune, S., Glerum A.C., Vasey, D.A., Naliboff, J.B., Manatschal, G., Gaucher, E.C.  (2025). Science advances. https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.adr3418

Sedimentary control on permeability heterogeneity: the Middle Buntsandstein continental sandstones (Lower Triassic, eastern France). Lucas Bofill, Guilherme Bozetti, Gerhard Schäfer, Jean-François Ghienne, Mathieu Schuster, Mike Heap, Gabriela Knobelock, Claiton Scherer, Garibaldi Armenlenti, Ezequiel de Souza (2025). Marine and Petroleum Geology. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpetgeo.2024.107261

Quantitative facies analysis of a fluvio-aeolian system: Lower Triassic Buntsandstein Group, eastern France. LLucas Bofill; Guilherme Bozetti; Gerhard Schäfer; Jean-François Ghienne; Mathieu Schuster; Claiton Scherer; Ezequiel de Souza (2024). Sedimentary Geology.  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sedgeo.2024.106634

Competition between 3D structural inheritance and kinematics during rifting: Insights from analogue models. Zwaan F., Chenin P., Erratt D., Manatschal G., Schreurs G. (2022). Basin Research. https://doi.org/10.1111/bre.12642

Complex rift patterns, a result of interacting crustal and mantle weaknesses, or multiphase rifting? Insights from analogue models. Zwaan F., Chenin P., Erratt D., Manatschal G., Schreurs G (2021). Solid Earth. https://doi.org/10.5194/se-12-1473-2021