The BRGM is partnering the DEEPEGS project, which aims to show how improved geothermal systems (EGS) can become a source of green energy in Europe.
2 May 2019
An electromagnetism survey to monitor the Reykjanes geothermal reservoir in Iceland

An electromagnetism survey to monitor the Reykjanes geothermal reservoir (Iceland, 2017).

© BRGM

The DEEPEGS project aims to demonstrate possibilities for deploying "improved" geothermal systems (EGS: Engineered or Enhanced Geothermal Systems) to supply energy from renewable resources in Europe.  The end-purpose is to open the way for commercial development of EGS. The project, launched in December 2015, will run until the end of 2019.

The BRGM, as the French geological survey, is partnering the project. It is responsible in particular for coordinating two key components of the DEEPEGS project: assessing methods for increasing permeability and transverse integration of the results.

Three demonstrators in France and in Iceland

DEEPEGS is investigating different methods and technologies for improving permeability, and testing these in both geological and social contexts.

Three demonstrators located in different geological and social contexts (one in Iceland and two in France) will be used to establish the applicability of methods to improve permeability, such as thermal, chemical and/or hydraulic stimulation, but also to establish the impacts of borehole trajectories and geometry under different conditions.

These methods and associated procedures will be analysed and assessed from two angles:

  • optimising gains in reservoir permeability while limiting risks,
  • potential for technological implementation.

The technologies needed to build these wells will be developed in parallel.

The DEEPEGS project consortium

The composition of the project consortium caters in particular for the transfer of petroleum company competences to renewable energy production.  Its members are:

  • industrial companies involved in renewable energy: HS ORKA (Iceland - Reykjanes demonstrator), LANDSVIRKJUN SAMEIGNARFELAG (Iceland), FONROCHE GEOTHERMIE (France - French demonstrators), ENEL GREEN POWER (Italy),
  • industrial companies specialising in drilling technology (Herrenknecht, Germany) and, from the petroleum sector, familiar with stimulation methods (STATOIL, Norway),
  • research establishments recognised for their involvement in EGS: ISOR (Iceland), BRGM (France), KIT (Germany),
  • The  GEORG research group.