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Abstract

The North German Basin is one of the three major type localities in Germany for deep geothermal energy. Here, the pore space is the dominant parameter, in contrast to fractures (Rhine Graben) and karst (Molasse Basin). To further develop the geothermal research platform Groß Schönebeck located in the Northeast German Basin, a subset of the North German Basin, we investigated the geological structure and the exist- ence of possible fault systems in the subsurface. For this purpose, we carried out a high-resolution 3-D reflection seismic survey at the location to overcome methodi- cal restrictions of the few 2-D seismic profiles that cross the area of interest, such as spatial focusing effects and fault imaging. The survey area extends 8 km × 8 km at the surface and focusses down to reservoir depths at 4 km. With four vibrators as source (12–96 Hz sweep, 12 s duration), we used a source line spacing of 700 m and a receiver line spacing of 400 m with both 50 m source and geophone spacing. Data process- ing encompassed CRS (Common Reflection Surface) stacking, post-stack time migra- tion and depth conversion. We observed a smooth doming of the Zechstein salt from 0.6 to 1 km thickness above the continuous top of the Rotliegend Group at around 4 km depth, and the Mesozoic horizons above appear as mainly continuous reflection surfaces with gentle undulations and occasional normal faulting. We highly resolved the supra-salt sequences in the study area for the first time, which allowed us image an almost complete suite of reflectors mapped in other parts of the Northeast Ger- man Basin. However, less resolved, lower frequency images are encountered deeper than ~ 4 km. Two important factors for further field development are that we do not observe an apparent influence of crustal-scale faults, which were expected from former conceptual models for the region, and that at the current status of work, the reservoir does not show a fracture-dominated character.