Towards a common geomodelling toolbox: sharing practices among European Geological Surveys

The Geological Service for Europe (GSEU) project is a five-year EU-funded Coordination and Support Action (CSA) that unites 35 geological surveys and 13 additional partners from 36 countries. Its primary objective is to establish a Geological Service for Europe (GSE), a geoscience-driven initiative delivering comprehensive data, information, and insights about Europe’s subsurface. The project addresses key challenges, including the sustainable management of critical raw materials, geothermal energy resources and storage, and groundwater systems. Work Package 6 (WP6), is dedicated to providing reference geological knowledge at European level: harmonized maps, concepts and 3D geological frameworks. The project is also anchored on the European Geological Data Infrastructure (EGDI) platform, which acts as a central repository for subsurface data collected before and during the project. This platform also serves as a dynamic resource, offering open access to a wide array of 3D geological models for diverse stakeholders.

Within WP6, Task 6.3 focuses on consolidating tools and best practices for designing and visualizing 3D geological models. This involves identifying and evaluating relevant tools, documenting their applications, and providing expert guidance to support the creation of shareable and reusable models. The task also tackles common challenges, emphasizes the strengths of individual tools, and explores opportunities for future advancements in modeling workflows.

To achieve these goals, we initiated efforts to inventory practices across European geological surveys and share in-house tools. Twice a year, we are also organizing open webinars on modeling workflows and related tools. These initiatives foster transparent and constructive discussions around 3D geological modeling methodologies. A core focus is ensuring accessibility and interoperability through the adoption of modular and open software components, enabling models and workflows to be easily adapted to diverse needs. The objective it to empower the geological surveys community to innovate and enhance existing frameworks.

The final deliverable of Task 6.3 is a comprehensive report that will consolidate best practices and documents available open-source tools. Beyond that, our action seeks to establish a sustainable network of 3D geological modeling experts across European geological surveys, fostering long-term collaboration and knowledge sharing.