CREEP aims to structure the collaboration in research and training between 10 leading academic centres in Solid Earth Sciences in Europe, bringing together in-depth expertise from 5 countries: the CNRS (FR), represented by Geosciences Montpellier and the FAST Orsay, the universities of Bristol, Durham and UCL (UK), Utrecht (NL), Roma TRE (IT), Munster and Mainz (DE), and as a partner organization: ETH Zurich (CH).
The 10 academic research teams involved in CREEP have highly complementary expertise, covering the entire range of methods and scales required to investigate the rheological properties of Earth materials and their implications for the dynamics of our planet, including both natural and human-induced deformation and seismicity occurring in the crust.
· mineral-, rock- and fault-physics experiments, microstructural characterization of naturally deformed rocks and petrophysical modelling (CNRS-GM, UU, UDUR, UCL);
· seismological investigations of complex structures and anisotropy at different depths and in diverse tectonic and geological settings (UBRIS, WWU, UU);
· 3-D computational and laboratory models of convection in fluids with complex rheology (CNRS-FAST, ETH, JGU, UNIROMA3).
Ten industrial partners and one not-profit association will complete the network.
– Schott AG in Mainz (Germany) is the second-largest European glass manufacturer.
– The Montpellier Technology Center is the Schlumberger centre of excellence for wellbore and structural geology software. It develops state-of-the-art software for oil and gas exploration, appraisal, evaluation, and production.
– Rockfield is a high-technology SME that provides leading-edge numerical-based simulation systems applied to a diverse range of industrial disciplines (basic engineering, hydrocarbon applications, foods, manufacturing, geotechnical, defence, etc).
– Aperam is a global player in stainless steel with production facilities located in Brazil, Belgium and France. The Company is also a leading producer of high value-added specialty products, including electrical steel and nickel alloys.
– GMuG is a SME in the field of applied geophysics, founded in 1993. GMuG develops sensors and conducts acoustic emission and microseismicity studies in mines and laboratories worldwide. It monitors micro-crack evolution in high resolution, using both passive and active monitoring techniques for imaging and tomography.
– AkzoNobel is a multinational company producing coatings, paints and specialty chemicals. AkzoNobel is also the largest producer of high-purity vacuum salt in Europe, which it mines by solution mining. The salt caverns thus created are given a second life by using them for sustainable underground storage of gasses, liquids and energy.
– KNMI is the Dutch national weather service. Primary tasks of KNMI are weather forecasting, and monitoring of weather, climate, air quality and seismic activity. KNMI is also the national research and information centre for meteorology, climate, air quality, and seismology.
– The Institute for Geothermal Resource Management (IGEM) is part of the non-profit ITB GmBH specialized in applied research in geothermal exploration. Its focus is on implementing new academic approaches in the fields of electromagnetic and potential field methods, temperature simulations, 3D geological modelling and structural geology.
– Reykjavik Geothermal is responsible for the development of geothermal projects in over 30 countries. RG associates the necessary experience to unstrap the commercial potential of geothermal energy with a commitment to the sustainable use of this naturally occurring resource for providing clean energy now and in the future.
– M. Penati Strumenti Srl is the Italian distributor of rheometers for Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc., a world leader in analytical instruments.
– Geospatial Research Ldt specializes in leading edge research and commercial application of innovative methods for acquisition, visualization and analysis of geospatial data. GRL is an independent commercial business entity, but maintains close ties with Durham University, being ideally positioned to bridge the gap between academic research and commercial development.
