A new methodology is being developed that could maximize the chances of encountering a reservoir during geothermal surveys, according to the European Union's Community Research and Development Information Service (CORDIS).
The new methodology is part of a European Union-funded project called IMAGE – integrated methods for advanced geothermal exploration.
The IMAGE partners took the current process of geothermal exploration beyond gathering of information that points to areas of high porosity and permeability as well as subsurface fault lines. CORDIS said that several geophysical explorations beyond the current state of the art were tested in different regions of Europe. A series of geophysical surveys yielded data on the spatial distribution of critical parameters of subsurface rock formations.
