The partner interview

Why did you decide to work with BRGM?

Benoît Hauville — Our company is a pioneer in a strategic sector, involving both geological and energy-related issues. We specialise in the subsurface exploration and production of helium and natural hydrogen, two resources that are essential to certain industries and for which Europe is currently 100% dependent on foreign supplies. We work within the framework of exclusive exploration licences (PER) in France, Germany and the Balkans, for example. We began working with BRGM in 2020 on the exploration licence for Fonts-Bouillants in the Nièvre département. Our collaboration involved the acquisition of physical and geological data that enabled the first production of helium in Western Europe. 

What was the need?

B. H. — Fonts-Bouillants is a fault zone identified by geologists. It was used to produce sparkling water but was not studied in depth and had not yet been explored for helium. In a way, we were faced with a no-man’s-land in terms of data; we were starting from scratch. To help us characterise the subsurface, we were looking for a partner who was not just a supplier of raw data, but who had real expertise in interpreting it, in order to build our geological model of the area. BRGM is one of the few players capable of providing the three areas of expertise we needed – advice, data acquisition and interpretation – in order to understand the geology of the subsurface. It provides an A-to-Z service and has a good understanding of the regulatory requirements linked to exploration in France.

What did the project involve?

B. H. — The work was organised as a collaborative research project. Drawing on its expertise and regional geological knowledge, BRGM proposed a range of new data to be acquired in order to answer all our questions. After a year and a half, we had everything we needed to start the exploration with a drilling campaign. This resulted in the discovery of gas at shallow depths and resulted in a pilot production facility in September 2024. The results were presented at scientific conferences. Following this success, we decided to work together again on another exploration licence for the Avant-Monts Franc-Comtois area in the Doubs. Once again, this project focused on helium, with a series of ground and airborne geophysical acquisitions. The drilling campaign is about to begin.