Successful drilling of Haute-Sorne geothermal project completed
A borehole 4000 meters deep has been successfully completed as part of a deep geothermal energy pilot project in Haute-Sorne. The collected data aims to advance the use of geothermal energy for electricity and heat production.
A pilot project for deep geothermal energy is underway in Haute-Sorne. The initiators, Geo-Energie Suisse and Geo-Energie Jura, have announced that the first borehole has been drilled. According to a press release, it took less than three months to explore the subsurface at a depth of 4000 meters. The borehole ran completely through the sediments and penetrated deep into the crystalline bedrock.
This provides geological data on the underground in the Swiss Jura arc between Geneva and Basel. “From a scientific point of view, this is a great opportunity to significantly improve our knowledge of the geology of the Jura. Until now, the deep underground has only been described in such detail at a very localized level at a national level.”
Strict environmental safety precautions apply to the project. There has been no damage or water ingress during ongoing construction work, and noise pollution has been kept to a minimum.
In the view of Geo-Energie Suisse and Geo-Energie Jura, this step paves the way for innovative future prospects for a sustainable energy supply. The data will provide geological insights into the use of geothermal energy to generate electricity and heat. The first success was celebrated on August 28, 2024. Employees, operational, technical and scientific partners and political representatives were invited to the event.
The site is suspended while the data is evaluated and the project progress is planned. Tests in the borehole and a geophysical campaign are scheduled for early 2025. The exploration phase is scheduled until the end of 2025.