How did the GeoEnergy Test Bed (GTB) develop in 2017?
March: Installation of on-site Core Container
The University of Nottingham took delivery of a fourth shipping container which will be used to store all the core samples from the fourth borehole.
January: Installation of on-site Laboratories and Office
The University of Nottingham and the University of Leicester had three shipping containers delivered to the GTB. Two of these will house laboratories – one container for each university with the third container transformed into administrative/office space with desks.
January: Geophysical Logging of Boreholes
Whilst new boreholes were being drilled, existing boreholes (3 and 5) were being wireline logged by Robertson Geologging Ltd. Logging a borehole is a way of measuring, analysing and digitising the physical properties of a borehole such as its lithology, fractures and construction. Slim-hole probes attached to a winch cable are lowered into each borehole to its maximum depth and then pulled up slowly creating a continuous data log of the full height of the borehole circumference which is recorded on a laptop. (See 2016 for relevant images)
January - March: Drilling boreholes 9 to 11
Work started again in early January with Drilcorp, a borehole engineering company, drilling three new deep, open-hole boreholes taking our total number of boreholes at the GTB to 11. All three boreholes were completed to depths of 280m. Sensors have been installed into all three boreholes.