The fact that such a large part of the Netherlands is still a white spot on the map of geothermal heat, is since oil or gas industry has hardly drilled in these regions in the past, and a few seismic profiles are available. The so-called Rotliegend formation forms the subsoil of the region from west to east. If the results of the research in the province of Utrecht are positive, it is likely to mean a high probability of the presence of geothermal energy in other places in the area. That is why the province, the municipality of Utrecht (where there is a gas-fired heating network), and the government (via the RVO), contribute financially to the research.
