Geological Survey of Belgium

Yves Vanbrabant is senior geologist at the Geological Survey of Belgium (GSB) since 2004. He is specialized in Structural Geology and Geodynamic and the subject of his PhD (University of Liège, Belgium) was focused on the Geodynamic evolution of the Eastern part of the Ardenne during Variscan Orogeny. His main role at the GSB since 2004 is that of project leader and in 2015 he has also taken over the direction of the Survey. His main research and service activities at GSB involve the sustainable management of raw materials and different projects related to the development of geothermal energy in Belgium. Some of these activities are conducted in collaboration with regional authorities. Yves Vanbrabant is also extensively involved in different EU projects (AEGOS, BruGeoTherMap, GeoERA, UNEXMIN, CHPM2030, DGE-ROLLOUT). In the framework of the MEET project Yves and his team are in charge of the research activities related to the Havelange demo-site.

Estelle Petitclerc is a geologist with 12 years of work experience at the GSB. She works in regional (BruGeo, Geothermal platform), national (ALPI, BeTemper) and international (ThermoMap, EstMap, DGE-ROLLOUT, GeoEra (MUSE)…) projects covering shallow and deep geothermal energy topics. She is mainly involved in geothermal potential assessments (mapping, reservoir evaluation), and through recently geo-economic modelisation for assessment of the geothermal sector development in Belgium. She is member of the geothermal energy expert group of EFG (European Federation of Geologists) and member of the GeoEnergy expert group of EuroGeoSurveys. At national level, she was member of scientific follow-up committees of the Walloon deep geothermal projects and the SmartGeotherm project (Flanders). She is also member of Geologica Belgica and BeWise (association for promoting women in science in Belgium).

Vinciane STENMANS is a geologist and hydrogeologist. At the end of the 70s and in the 80s she was a well-geologist on the 3 deep geothermal projects launched by the Geological Survey of Belgium (St Ghislain, Douvrain / Baudour and Ghlin) and on the drilling of the deepest borehole of Havelange ever drilled in Belgium (gas exploration). In 1988 she founded her own drilling company CRYSTAL DRILLING SA, which specializes in core drilling (mining, quarrying, environment, geotechnical). In 2001, she became an independent geologist and collaborated with clients, design offices and contractors on various projects involving the implementation of reconnaissance drilling (quarries, environment, geothermal probe fields, geotechnical engineering and civil engineering). Since 2010, she is interested again in deep geothermal energy. In 2010-2011, she collaborates with the Geological Survey of Belgium in a study launched by the Walloon Region on the ” Determination of the Deep Geothermal Potential of Wallonia ”. From 2012 to 2016, she is designated by the Walloon Region to participate in a technical and scientific support committee for two deep geothermal drilling projects. In 2013-2014, she completed a post-Master’s degree (Certificate of Advanced Studies) offered by the University of Neuchâtel (Switzerland) on the theme ” Exploration and Development of Deep Geothermal Systems ”. In 2015, she obtained a subsidy from the Walloon Region to carry out a pre-feasibility study on the conversion of the Havelange borehole into a geothermal exploration borehole, with the collaboration of the GPC-IP (Paris) design office.

Marina Cabidoche is an engineer geologist (UniLaSalle) with 5 years of experience in mineral resources. She acquired laboratory skills in XRD analyses with a sedimentological study of continental Burdigalien sands in Touraine (France) and in the survey of Fontainebleau sands while she was working in the mineral industry. She worked during 2 years on research projects in mines and quarries in the BRGM of French Guiana. She conducted research on the geotechnical characterization of 6 lithologies in Papaïchton-Maripasoula (French Guiana) area and she participated in the in situ test of a new prospection method for alluvial gold deposits. She integrated the Geological Survey of Belgium in August 2020, where she will participate in the geological characterization of the Havelange borehole demo-site for the MEET project.