Second Einstein Telescope drilling campaign to start soon
The second drilling campaign for the Einstein Telescope will start in a few weeks. The aim is to gain a better understanding of the deeper soil layers to an average depth of 300-350 metres, to monitor environmental noise and to map underground water flows.
These drillings will provide a more complete picture of the geology throughout the search area. This is necessary in order to ultimately determine where the underground telescope can be built in a triangular shape with arms of 10 kilometres. This drilling campaign as a whole will take more than six months.
This second campaign involves five drillings. In addition, as an extension of last year’s first drilling campaign, an additional drilling has now started in Henri-Chapelle near Hockelbach in Wallonia.
Locations
The locations for the second drilling campaign have not yet been finalised. However, the first two drillings have been planned and will both take place in the Walloon municipality of Plombières. One will be in the outskirts near the Montzen railway yard and the other in Beusdael, not far from Beusdael Castle. According to the current schedule, these will start in mid-May.
Based on the initial results of these two drillings, the Einstein Telescope’s geological team will determine the other locations.
Sensors
At three drillings, the geologists will place sensors at the bottom of the borehole. These sensors will measure noise from the surrounding area. Depending on the intensity of this ambient noise, which may come from railways or industry, for example, it could interfere with the operation of the Einstein Telescope. The other drillings will focus on hydrogeology and will mainly aim to obtain information about underground water flows.
Duration
A drilling takes an average of eight to ten weeks, including setting up and dismantling the sites. Interested parties will be kept informed of developments via the communication channels of the Einstein Telescope EMR project office and those of the municipalities where drilling is taking place. Local residents living near the drilling sites will also receive an information leaflet in their letterboxes. Depending on demand, an information or walk-in meeting will be organised. The project office is also planning a viewing opportunity for interested parties during the drilling.
Experienced drilling company
Following a tender, the contract for this second drilling campaign was awarded to the Flemish company Smet Group from Dessel. The company has extensive expertise in this field and has also carried out drilling for the Einstein Telescope in the past. The tender agreement also stipulates that nitrogen emissions from drilling powered by fossil fuels must be captured and neutralised.
Previous drilling campaign
The first drilling campaign in 2024 consisted of 11 deep ground boreholes. Based on the initial and provisional analyses of these, it was announced at the ministerial conference in Kerkrade last October that the deeper soil is suitable for the construction of the Einstein Telescope. The results of other above-ground research had not yet been incorporated at that time. This second series of drilling and seismic research will further investigate and confirm this provisional conclusion.
