INSIDE: Investigating the impact of geothermal exploitation in the Munich area The induced seismicity perspective

Scientific research is carried out in the framework of the INSIDE project (supported by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy, BMWi) to assess the impact of deep geothermal exploitation on induced seismicity in the Munich area (Germany, Molasse Basin). The project involves the research institute Karlsruhe Institute of Technology as well as two geothermal operators, Stadtwerke München (SWM) and Innovative Energie für Pullach (IEP). The research work focuses on three aspects: the monitoring, the modelling and the integration with operations.
With respect to the monitoring, the deployment of a measurement network going beyond the standard for seismological and geodetic observations is considered. Therefore, an extensive and plural monitoring network was designed to monitor high (seismicity) and low (subsidence, uplift) frequency deformation processes of the subsurface. Several types of technologies as well as several types of deployment configurations are involved. Their relative performances are intended to be compared in order to contribute to the development of suitable strategies for deformation monitoring and their data processing.
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After presenting the aim and purpose of the project, we concentrate on the status of the seismic measurement network being implemented around the three geothermal sites of Baierbrunn, Pullach and Schäftlarnstrasse. In addition to “standard” monitoring stations installed in the area, we report on the deployment of various innovative technical solutions, among which a seismic mini-array and a monitoring borehole dedicated to Distributed Acoustic Sensing (DAS). We show how these stations complement the existing network in Munich and present their main characteristics, in particular the associated noise measurements. We additionally discuss the data-management system being developed to handle all these new data.