Geothermal prospecting campaign starts near Geneva, Swiss
Drilling rig on site at Satigny/ Geneva, Switzerland (source: Geothermie 2020)
Alexander Richter
15 Aug 2021
Geneva public services company SIG is starting a second seismic campaign prospecting for geothermal resources near Geneva, Switzerland.
After an initial campaign of 2018, public company Industrial Services of Geneva (SIG) are preparing to launch their second subsurface prospecting campaign in the canton of Geneva, the communities of French Genevois and in the Pays de Gex.
SIG is currently developing a geothermal project, we have been reporting on the successful test of its second well this year, and this expands the geothermal work by the company.
Four Gessian towns are concerned by this campaign: Ferney, Ornex, Prévessin and Saint-Genis. The first campaign aimed to make a 2D representation of several sites for research into the potential in hot water underground, but also in drinking water. ”
We were able to have the geological profiles in 2D, all that was needed was 3D to identify and have the drinking water profile, and to better understand the subsoil “, then explained Aurélie Charillon, vice-president of Pays de Gex agglo in charge of innovation and ecological transition.
This campaign will take place on roads and agricultural plots. Significant support in terms of communication has been launched for this purpose in the direction of all the actors who could be concerned: farmers, the water authority, and of course CERN. ” The data collected at the end of this campaign will be public. They will not be communicated to the private sector. The technologies used are more efficient than those of 2018 “, clarified Aurélie Charillon.
For this new campaign, a five-year agreement was signed between all stakeholders. Cost of the operation: EUR 500,000 for SGIs and EUR 39,000 for French communities (Pays de Gex and French Genevois).
Work schedule: three phases
July-August 2021: identification phase
Topographers survey the routes concerned in order to geolocate the precise locations where the geophone boxes will be placed. All the owners of the land where the geophones will be installed have been approached and have given their authorization.
From 21 September to 1 st October passage of the vibrator truck
The acquisition of the vibrating points, or passage of the vibrating truck, will be carried out at night between 9 p.m. and 6 a.m. The maximum amplitude of the works is between 21 September and 1 st October 2021, Monday to Saturday.
From September 14 to October 8: installation of beacons
Concomitantly with the passage of trucks, geophones will be installed every 20 meters on lines spaced 160 meters apart. It will therefore be a question of positioning these boxes intelligently on the roadside. They will stay there for a maximum of 15 days.
Source: La Voix de l’Ain
