Methods for surface exploration in the site selection process

Country / Region: Germany

Begin of project: December 1, 2019

End of project: December 31, 2025

Status of project: November 22, 2023

German Version

The law on the search and selection of a site for a repository for high-level radioactive waste (StandAG) has the objective of finding a site for the safe final disposal of high-level radioactive waste within the framework of a nationwide selection procedure. Phase II of the procedure involves surface exploration in the identified siting regions. The purpose of the surface exploration is to obtain the site-specific geoscientific data required for the renewed application of the geoscientific requirements and criteria according to the StandAG and for the implementation of the further developed preliminary safety investigations.

In this context, the Bundesgesellschaft für Endlagerung (BGE) has commissioned the BGR to compile geoscientific and geophysical exploration methods that can be used above ground, from the air and in boreholes.

GeoMePS: “Compilation and evaluation of geoscientific methods and programs for surface site investigation” and

ZuBeMErk: “Compilation and evaluation of geophysical methods for surface exploration”.

Key points of the GeoMePS and ZuBeMErk studies in the compilation and evaluation of methods for surface site investigation Source: BGR

As a basis, exploration objectives were deduced from the StandAG (§§ 22 – 24) (Kneuker et al. 2020). Based on these exploration objectives, suitable exploration methods were subsequently identified and compiled together with essential metadata. In this context, the database application "GeM-DB" was developed (see Beilecke et al. 2021; Kneuker 2021; BGR 2022; Semroch et al. 2022). A key element of GeM-DB is the linking of exploration objectives with exploration methods by a host rock-specific suitability evaluation.

A main goal of the two work packages and the database application is the development of sequences of exploration methods and general recommendations for surface exploration (see Richter et al. 2022). These can be used as a basis for the planning of exploration programs in accordance with the requirements for a site defined in the StandAG (§§22 - 24).

Literature:

Beilecke, T., Kneuker, T., Semroch, R., Dlugosch, R., Pollok, L. & Schubarth-Engelschall, N. (2021): Nutzung der geowissenschaftlichen Methodendatenbank GeM-DB. Bundesanstalt für Geowissenschaften und Rohstoffe. Zwischenbericht: 31 Seiten; Hannover.

BGR (2022): Geowissenschaftliche Methodendatenbank GeM-DB – Übersicht aller Erkundungsmethoden (Stand: Dezember 2022). Bundesanstalt für Geowissenschaften und Rohstoffe. Kurzbericht: 8 Seiten und 1 Anlage; Hannover. DOI: 10.25928/4g8h-vb28.

Kneuker, T., Bartels, A., Bebiolka, A., Beilecke, T., Bense, F., Beushausen, M., Frenzel, B., Jähne-Klingberg, F., Lang, J., Lippmann-Pipke, J., May, F., Mertineit, M., Noack, V., Pollok, L., Reinhold, K., Rummel, L., Schubarth-Engelschall, N., Schumacher, S., Stück, H. & Weber, J. R. (2020): Compilation of objectives for surface exploration as specified in Section 16 of the Site Selection Act (StandAG). Federal Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources. Interim report; 74 pages, Hanover and Berlin.

Kneuker, T., Beilecke, T., Pollok, L., Schubarth-Engelschall, N., Semroch, R. & Dlugosch, R. (2021): Datenbankbasierte Zusammenstellung geowissenschaftlicher Erkundungsmethoden für die übertägige Standorterkundung gemäß §16 StandAG. Bundesanstalt für Geowissenschaften und Rohstoffe. Zwischenbericht: 51 Seiten; Hannover.

Richter, L., Dlugosch, R., Beilecke, T., Kneuker, T., Pollok, L., Schubarth-Engelschall, N. & Semroch, R. (2022): Methodik zur Erarbeitung von Abfolgen von Erkundungsmethoden mit Vorschlägen für die übertägige Erkundung im Standortauswahlverfahren. Bundesanstalt für Geowissenschaften und Rohstoffe. Ergebnisbericht: 79 Seiten; Hannover.

Semroch, R., Dlugosch, R., Beilecke, T., Kneuker, T., Pollok, L., Richter, L. & Schubarth-Engelschall, N. (2022): Nutzung der geowissenschaftlichen Methodendatenbank GeM-DB. Bundesanstalt für Geowissenschaften und Rohstoffe. Ergebnisbericht: 46 Seiten; Hannover.