GeoHardt to explore for geothermal resources at Upper Rhine region, Germany

GeoHardt information booth on December 17th, 2022 in Schwetzingen, Germany. A vibration vehicle can be seen in the background. (source: GeoHardt)

GeoHardt GmbH, a joint consortium of German utilities EnBW and MVV Energie, is set to start a 3D seismic survey to explore the potential for geothermal heating in the Hardt region within the Upper Rhine Graben in Germany. The 3D seismic measurements will begin in January 2023 and and should be completed in February.

EnBW AG (Karlsruhe) and MVV Energie AG (Mannheim) started the process of applying for a geothermal exploration permit for the Rhine-Neckar region back in 2019. This permit was then granted in the early part of 2021. The aim for the project is to explore for geothermal resources that can be used for regional district heating.

The goal for the 3D seismic survey is to identify potential drilling targets and locations for geothermal heating plants. An area of almost 7000 hectares will be surveyed covering seven municipalities – Mannheim, Brühl, Ketsch, Schwetzingen, Plankstadt, Heidelberg and Oftersheim. The citizens of these municipalities had been informed ahead of the survey during a community event held on 17 December 2022.

A maximum of two columns of up to three vibration vehicles will be moving across pre-planned routes across the survey area. These vehicles will be generating small vibrations to the ground which will reflect off various geologic layers and recorded on the surface by an array of geophones. At the end of the survey, data from around 7000 geophone stations are expected to be recorded.

Similar seismic campaigns have been executed previously with great success in the North Rhine-Westphalia region in Germany and in Geneva, Switzerland. Geophone technology has also been described as critical for fast-tracking commercial EGS projects.

Source: Bundesverband Geothermie and GeoHardt GmbH