Seismic Survey for Geothermal Exploration Starts at Münster, Germany

The exploration of geothermal resources in the city of Münster in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany has hit a major milestone with the start of acquisition of 3D seismic data. The data from this survey will supplement the 2D seismic data previously collected by the Geological Survey of NRW back in 2021, thus allowing for more extensive and comprehensive characterization of the subsurface.

The seismic survey officially started in the evening of 4 November 2024 and will continue until the 20th of December. The surveys started south of Münster and will gradually move to the north. The progress of the seismic survey and information on which areas will be covered are provided at the webpage of Stadtwerke Münster.

The operations are being headed by local utility Stadtwerke Münster, along with experts from the companies DMT-Group, IPS, Erdwerk, and GGL. The survey seeks to identify the water-bearing limestone layers that can be the potential host formation for a geothermal reservoir. In the future, the city of Münster aspires to extract geothermal energy for climate-neutral heating as with the plan that has been in place since 2021. In 2022, the city council of Münster voted unanimously in favor of developing geothermal energy as a mainstay of the city’s heat supply.