The geothermal research program for the extraction
of energy from hot fractured rocks started at Soultz-sous-
ForÍts in 1987. The test site is located in France
on the western edge of the Rhine Graben, some 50
km north of Strasbourg near the German border. The
basement, granite, at Soultz lies beneath app. 1400 m
of sedimentary rock; the fracture network in the
granite has been explored down to 5000 m depth,
where temperatures exceed 200 o C.
A first successful forced circulation test of several
months duration has been performed in 1997 between
two wells in the depth range of 3000 m to 3500 m.
This test demonstrated the validity of the ìHot Dry
Rockî concept.
Following this experience, an industrial consortium,
an European Economic Interest Grouping called
ìGEIE Exploitation MiniËre de la Chaleurî (ìHeat
Miningî), was created bringing together five partners
from the energy world. The aim of this consortium is
to develop the Hot Dry Rock Technology to a stage
at which the sub-surface heat can be used for
commercial electricity production. Under the
leadership of the ìGEIE Exploitation MiniËre de la
Chaleurî, since mid 2001 a scientific pilot plant is
being established in Soultz.
This scientific pilot plant will use a total of three
boreholes of 5000 meters depth each, one injection
well and two production wells. All three wells are
drilled from the same platform. The wellheads are
separated by not more than 6 m. Two out of the three
wells will be drilled directionally. Between 4500 ñ
5000 m depth, the open hole section of the bore holes
will have a horizontal spacing of around 600 m.
It is expected that by end of 2005 this plant will be
able to produce around 50 MW of thermal power at
temperatures above 180 o C. Up to 6 MW of
electricity will be produced from this heat. The net
output of the power plant is expected to be in the
order of 4.5 MWe.

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