Towards the sustainable use of the subsurface
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New insights into CO2 storage capacity beneath the Dutch North Sea
17 July 2025
TNO-GDN conducted research into the CO₂ storage capacity in depleted gas fields and aquifers beneath the Dutch North Sea. The aim of the research is to provide an up-to-date estimate of the available CO₂ storage capacity.
Shallow geothermal heat production Roer Valley Graben (Roerdalslenk)
10 April 2025
Commissioned by EBN, TNO Geological Survey of the Netherlands (TNO-GDN) conducted exploratory research into the properties of shallow rock layers of the North Sea Groups in the Roer Valley Graben (Roerdalslenk). The research also included a first order assessment of whether geothermal cooling could possibly lead to the reactivation of pre-existing faults.
Book Presentation: New Edition of Geology of the Netherlands
4 April 2025
This week, the three main authors of the revised version of the book Geology of the Netherlands—Johan ten Veen, Jan de Jager, and Geert-Jan Vis—presented their work at the Energy Cave in Rijswijk. The presentation was attended by 130 people, including sponsors, co-authors, and other stakeholders.
Access to earth science laboratories in the Netherlands
9 August 2024
EPOS-eNLarge gives researchers worldwide the opportunity to access earth science facilities and laboratories in the Netherlands free-of-charge. TNO Geological Survey of the Netherlands (TNO-GDN) participates with the Rijswijk Centre for Sustainable Geo-energy (RCSG).
Geo-expertise deployed for North Sea safety
2 July 2024
Geophysicists from the Geological Survey of the Netherlands, together with other TNO colleagues, have developed a method to detect ships close to sea cables. This technology with dark fibers could make an important contribution to safety in the North Sea.
Projects
H3O programme
H3O stands for ‘(hydro)geological 3D modelling of the subsurface (ondergrond in Dutch)’. The H3O programme consists of a series of projects focused on the Dutch border regions. In border areas where (hydro)geological data, information, and models from different countries converge but do not match, the projects of the H3O programme will ensure that they do from now on.
Paleo-Five: the final frontier in North Sea exploration
As part of the cross-border Paleo-Five Project, researchers from the Geological Survey of the Netherlands (GDN) and the British Geological Survey (BGS) worked on mapping out ancient, deeply buried rock strata from the Carboniferous period. Experts from the fields of geology, geochemistry, paleo-ecology, and seismology studied the geological distribution and composition of these rock layers for an offshore area shared by five countries in the southern and central North Sea.