The Eden Geothermal Project is an industrial research project. On this page you can find out more about the research that has been, and is being carried out in conjunction with the project.
Data gathering and sampling on site
During drilling, sampling and analysis of rock cuttings at 10m intervals enabled us to learn much more about the geology deep underground. We now have a complete lithology of the St Austell granite beneath Eden to 5,277m.
After drilling, well-testing provided information about the permeability and water-flow characteristics of the rock in the target zone. This enables us to understand the geothermal resource potential – how much heat (and potentially power) we can obtain.
These activities were embedded in our site operations programme, and were carried out in conjunction with our delivery partner Camborne School of Mines (part of the University of Exeter’s College of Engineering, Mathematics and Physical Sciences) and our specialist contractors GeoScience Ltd (providing wellsite geology services). The data gathered is being used in academic research designed to de-risk investment in new geothermal sites, and so unlock the region’s geothermal potential and create skilled jobs in an emerging georesources sector.
There is more detail about the academic research projects below.
Academic research projects
Estimation of geothermal resource in place within a deep fault system
This research is developing new theoretical models designed to predict the geothermal resource in place, a critical aspect in the design of an engineered geothermal system, and is testing these with reference to data obtained during drilling at Eden Geothermal.
Geological controls on heat production and the evolution of fracture systems
Using data obtained during drilling in the southern St Austell Granite at the Eden site, this project is generating knowledge and understanding of two aspects of geology which are critical to the successful exploitation of deep geothermal energy across SW England.
Understanding the potential for non-energy exploitation of deep underground faults
More information will be posted here soon.
Exploring opportunities to utilise microseismicity during geothermal energy exploitation
More information will be posted here soon.
