11. 06. 2015| Äspö/Sweden: A group of researchers under the lead of Dr. Arno Zang (GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences GFZ), carries out a multidisciplinary hydraulic experiment in the Hard Rock Laboratory in Äspö, Sweden, at a depth of 410 meters. The overall aim is to enhance the technology of geothermal energy extraction from deep rock.

Most of the Earth’s heat can only be recovered by means of stimulation techniques called Enhanced Geothermal Systems (EGS). To better understand the behavior of the deep rock during EGS, the Helmholtz research group conducts experiments at a small scale in the so called Hard Rock Laboratory (HRL) in Äspö. The main focus is on minimizing the acoustic and seismic effects of EGS that go along with such intervention in deep rock.

Since 2001, conventional hydraulic fracturing experiments for stress determination have been carried out at Äspö. In the new project „Nova 54-14-1“, previous tests are repeated but this time with innovative high resolution-high sensitive acoustic, seismic, and electromagnetic monitoring. The advantages in Äspö are the well-known stress state and an excellent data base for granitic rock mass that can be used.

The project is a joint collaboration between Nova FoU in Oskarshamn, GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences, and Karlsruhe Institute of Technology KIT in Karlsruhe, Germany.