Challenges in geological scientific fieldwork at the Kaiserstuhl carbonatite, Germany

Abstract

This report describes the challenges experienced during the geological scientific fieldwork at the Kaiserstuhl, Germany. Although the general perception of the public regarding the project is positive, the Municipality of Vogtsburg would have allowed the proposed ca. 400 m deep core drilling only if the HiTech AlkCarb project had taken an insurance policy for any potential environmental and social damage for the longest possible period after the drilling. This caution was the result of damage to buildings in the local town of Staufen im Breisgau and induced seismicity near Basel during geothermal energy projects. As it was not possible to obtain such an insurance, the drilling programme had to be abandoned. A company with an official exploration licence would have had the right to drill, although the lack of social licence for drilling may make an exploration licence hard to obtain in the region at the moment. Moreover, if the drilling programme had been contracted by a German governmental institution, such as a university or the geological survey, the drilling could have been carried out, as governmental institutions in Germany are automatically insured through the state. However, the local university HiTech AlkCarb project partner declined to take over running the drilling contract, and this probably reflects the perceived reputational risk of taking part in any drilling in the region at the moment. It is a good lesson in how damage to social licence can affect permitting. The recommendations to the European Commission arising from this experience are: • To assign any drilling in research and innovation projects, in Germany, and probably elsewhere in Europe, to a Government organisation where possible. • To publicise good practice examples and subsurface research projects (such as UK GEOS and similar) that can help to regain public confidence.