Lead institution:
JPI Oceans – Belgium
Offshore Freshened Groundwater (OFG) is a potentially strategic resource for coastal water security. Advancing understanding of OFG systems requires research into emplacement history, age, recharge/discharge mechanisms, permeability, porosity, and fluid flow pathways. Studying hydraulic properties, and connectivity between onshore and offshore aquifers is key to assess long-term viability and estimate the sustainable yield. Understanding recharge processes under current conditions should be a prerequisite before any large-scale exploitation, as abstraction could significantly impact the freshwater-saltwater interface.
The primary objective of this Joint Call is to act as a “proof of concept” through the launch of a pioneering scientific drilling campaign integrating hydrogeological and geochemical characterisation with pumping tests to validate OFG systems and generate critical data on their distribution, properties, recharge mechanisms, and long-term viability as a resource.
Start Date: 04/12/2025
End Date: 30/11/2028
Lead Contact: Vegard Dahlen (Vegard.Dahlen@jpi-oceans.eu)