SEG-DGG Workshop

The conference will be followed by a joint SEG and DGG workshop on “Geophysical Exploration in Urban Environments” on Friday, February 28. The workshop is dedicated to the challenges and opportunities presented by the task of geophysical exploration to reduce the risk of discovery and support development concepts, especially in urban areas. Invited presentations on case studies, contributions from participants and a panel discussion promise a lively professional exchange on a highly topical subject. This workshop will be in English. A separate registration is required.

As the capacity for renewable electricity generation grows rapidly, the decarbonization of the heating sector lags behind. One promising approach to accelerate the transformation of the heating sector is the utilization of geothermal energy in urban areas, where consumers are densely located. Traditionally, geophysical exploration has focused on hydrocarbon reservoirs in less populated regions, neglecting the geological complexities of geothermal play types, anthropogenic noise and operative challenges of urban environments. To effectively decarbonize the heating sector, one must adapt conventional exploration techniques to meet the specific technical requirements and geological contexts of urban settings. This workshop aims to bring together exploration experts and prospective geothermal operators to showcase requirements and options, successful case studies of urban geothermal exploration and identify challenges faced in unexplored regions. The results shall help to adapt standard geophysical exploration strategies accelerating the transformation of the heating sector.