Structural controls on the Triassic Main Buntsandstein sediment distribution in the Roer Valley Graben, the Netherlands

Abstract

The lower Triassic Main Buntsandstein Subgroup represents a promising, but high-risk geothermal play in the Netherlands. Although the gross thickness in boreholes locally exceeds 200 m, the spatial distribution, geometries and preservation of these sedimentary units remained uncertain due to the lack of seismic data with sufficient resolution and the sparse borehole network. This creates uncertainty in the quantification of the aquifer dimensions that is essential for the planning of geothermal operations.

Keywords

• Seismic interpretation
• structural evolution
• Triassic Main Buntsandstein
• geothermal energy