EXCITE receives 5 million euro Horizon 2020 grant

A research team from Utrecht University, including Veerle CnuddeOliver PlümperRichard Wessels and Geertje ter Maat, have secured funding for their EXCITE project (Electron and X-ray microscopy Community for structural and chemical Imaging Techniques for Earth materials). The three-year project, consisting of fifteen partners from nine European countries, will start on May 1st 2021.

The EXCITE starting community aims to enable access to high-end microscopy facilities and to join the knowledge and experience from the different partners. With that it is complementary to facility access offered by EPOS-NL and EPOS.

EPOS-NL annual meeting on 16 September 2021

The EPOS-NL annual meeting will be held on 16 September 2021, from 13:00 to 17:00 CET (free of charge). Here you can get lots of information on unique Dutch research facilities and data for solid Earth sciences, and on how you can access both facilities and data – free of charge. It will also be a chance to get together and share interesting developments on new facilities, data and tools to help you in your research.  

We are currently aiming at a virtual meeting. Interested? Let us know by clicking here, so we can keep you informed.

Call open to get access to EPOS-NL facilities

A call is open from 15 February to 26 March 2021, for proposals to get remote access (send-in sample analysis) to the Multi-scale Imaging and Tomography (MINT) facilities at Utrecht University and Delft University of Technology and the ESL High Pressure and Temperature (HPT) Lab at Utrecht University. Remote access implies that researchers can send samples to these facilities, where experienced staff will perform analyses based on remotely provided instructions. Click here for more information.

New paper in Geology, on clues on deformation mechanisms in the Groningen gas reservoir sandstone

Dr. Bart Verberne and co-workers at Utrecht University sought evidence for gas production-caused, permanent compaction in drill core from the Groningen gas reservoir sandstone. This research involved a multi-disciplinary approach involving lab work in the ESL and elaborate microstructural analyses in the MINT facility. Read all about their findings in their paper, or in the UU press release

Figure from Verberne et al., 2020, showing the microstructure of the Groningen gas reservoir sandstone.

Full paper citation: Berend A. Verberne, Suzanne J.T. Hangx, Ronald P.J. Pijnenburg, Maartje F. Hamers, Martyn R. Drury, Christopher J. Spiers; Drill core from seismically active sandstone gas reservoir yields clues to internal deformation mechanisms. Geology doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/G48243.1

Facility access: Call open in February 2021

EPOS-NL arranges financial, technical and scientific support for access to external researchers who want to make use of EPOS-NL lab facilities. From mid-February to late March 2021, a call will be open for remote access to the High Pressure and Temperature lab of the ESL (UU) and the MINT imaging facility (UU and TU Delft). Remote access implies that researchers (you) can send us samples for analysis on the basis of remotely provided instructions.

Stay up to date on access call developments by subscribing to our newsletter, on the homepage.

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Geological model of Groningen gas reservoir now open access

DeepNL researchers recently indicated a need for geological information on the Groningen gas reservoir. In response, the field producer, the Nederlandse Aardolie Maatschappij (NAM) has agreed to openly distribute their Petrel geological model via EPOS-NL.The model includes 3D formation horizons and fault maps, well data (porosity/permeability/water saturation) and seismic data, all loaded in a Petrel environment. Both NAM and EPOS-NL are very interested in who will use the model, so if you plan on using it – do let us know (info@epos-nl.nl). In addition, EPOS-NL is currently building a support structure for less experienced Petrel users, led by Dr. Fred Beekman.
The model can be accessed at the Yoda data center of Utrecht University. 

3D map of faults in the Groningen gas reservoir and representative seismic data.

EPOS-NL on Landscape for Research Infrastructure

Good news!

NWO has decided to include EPOS-NL on the Landscape for large-scale research infrastructures. Research infrastructures on the Landscape are eligible to be placed on the Roadmap, which will be decided in early 2021. When on the Roadmap, EPOS-NL can apply for funding for a second phase. 

Large-scale Research Infrastructures included on the NWO Landscape

New equipment installed at MINT facility

New EPOS-NL additions to the MINT facility are now installed at Utrecht University. 

These new imaging apparatus are key components to complete the full range in imaging scales: from nanometer to meter.

EPOS-NL awarded funding in the National Roadmap for Large-Scale Scientific Infrastructure

Utrecht University secures tens of millions for further development of research facilities

EPOS-NL is a partnership between Delft University of Technology (TU Delft), the Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute (KNMI) and Utrecht University (UU) and is funded by NWO, as part of the national roadmap for large-scale research facilities.

EPOS-NL makes cutting-edge research facilities and data available to international researchers, with the goal of addressing key geo-societal challenges. These include:

  •   Exploration for (renewable) geo-energy resources 
  •   Storage of fuels, CO2 and wastewater in the sub-surface, and 
  •   Hazards such as induced or natural earthquakes

Addressing these challenges requires state-of-the-art research tools and often a multi-disciplinary approach. This is made possible by EPOS-NL, which provides a framework for integrating a wide variety of research facilities and data.

EPOS-NL Project Director Martyn Drury (center) and co-PIs Jeannot Trampert & Keep Wapenaar