PER Fonts-Bouillants
A promising, local project and a player in the ecological transition
Discover the Fonts-Bouillants project
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Fonts-Bouillants project
The French Nièvre region has been known since antiquity for its carbo-gaseous springs, which were initially exploited as thermalism and later as mineral waters. Research and field measurements near the springs of Saint-Parize-Le-Châtel have revealed a strong potential for helium, naturally released at the surface with carbon dioxide through a major fault well known by geologists: the Saint-Parize fault.
45-8 ENERGY has filed an application for an Exclusive Research Permit (PER) for helium and carbon dioxide in an area of 251sqkm in the south of the Nivernais region. The license was granted in June 2021 by the Ministry of Ecological Transition.
The goal of this application is to study a possible joint valorisation of these two gases and thus satisfy locally and in a eco-responsible way two markets in which demand is strong and subject to regular supply problems.
This permit, called “Fonts-Bouillants”, has a validity of 5 years in order to progressively carry out the necessary works on the whole permit.
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The objectives of the Fonts-Bouillants exploration license
Enrich our global geological knowledge of the area to better characterize the natural gas seeps.
Establish reliable gas flow rates and composition
Demonstrate technical and economic viability of helium and carbon dioxide co-valorizations
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Valued gases from the area
Helium is a strategic resource. 100% of the helium consumed in Western Europe is imported outside its borders. It is necessary to develop our European sovereignty and no longer be dependent on long-distance imports, which are complex, expensive, subject to geopolitical risks and have a high carbon footprint.
The gas mix of the Fonts-Bouillants area reveals a strong potential in helium naturally released at the surface.
> More about Helium
Helium
Carbon dioxide is used in many industries, including food (beverages), cryogenics and fire fighting.
Despite its large volume in the atmosphere, its concentration remains too low to be valorized.
The fault of Saint-Parize-le-Châtel is known for the natural emission of carbon dioxide on the surface. 45-8 ENERGY aims to co-develop this ressource associated with helium in order to limit the greenhouse gas emissions that would be due to its direct release into the atmosphere.
Carbon dioxide
Good to know
Helium and carbon dioxide are not flammable gases, they therefore present no risk of explosion or fire.
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The license area
The exploration license covers 251 sqkm of the Nièvre department, spread over 12 municipalities. Most of exploration work will be concentrated in the municipality of Saint-Parize-Le-Châtel but might also extend to the following municipalities:
- Azy-le-Vif
- Chantenay-Saint-Imbert
- Chevenon
- Dornes
- Luthenay-Uxeloup
- Magny-Cours
- Neuville-les-Decize
- Saint-Parize-en-Viry
- Saint-Pierre-le-Moûtier
- Sermoise-sur-Loire
- Toury-sur-Jour
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The work program
The planned exploration work remains small scale and will have a very moderate and strictly temporary impact on the environment. It mainly consists of geophysical data acquisitions enabling a safe and efficient subsurface characterisation.
Our operations in images
Overview of our 2D/3D seismic acquisition in July 2021.
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The key steps
* schedule under approval / previsional calendar
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What's next?
The work program of the Fonts-Bouillants project firstly aims to assess the feasibility of the project. The way forward therefore depends on the results that will be obtained. The results obtained after deploying the first exploration efforts are encouraging.
45-8 ENERGY now plans to set up a production pilot from 2024. This unit will be small, mobile with the possibility to reuse it in other high potential areas. This unit is at the heart of the PROMET-Hé project.
If this first phase of production is also encouraging, long-term production will be considered. The infrastructures will then be of very modest size, equivalent or even less than an agricultural type shed.
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A recognized and supported project
Greentech Innovation label
This project led by 45-8 ENERGY aims to be eco-responsible and committed to the ecological transition. It received the Greentech Innovation label on September 2020 from the Ministry of Ecological Transition.
The captation and valorization of the naturally seeping carbon dioxide, contributing to the greenhouse effect, is today considered. The future production site is being brainstormed in such a way to reconcile industrial activity and respect for the environment through the rehabilitation of a historic industrial site and innovative joint valorizations.
Laureate of the French "Recovery plan"
The Fonts-Bouillants project is closely linked to our PROMET-Hé (MEmbranaire PROced for the Treatment of Helium) R&D development project which consists in developing an eco-responsible, local, compact process requiring a much lower energy consumption than the reference processes. This project, carried out in partnership with the Laboratoire de Réactions & Génie des Procédés (LRGP) and the CNRS, may ultimately allow French and European helium sector to emerge with a first application on the Fonts-Bouillants license.
Indeed, we plan to implement locally a mobile pilot unit dedicated to surface separation of helium and carbon dioxide. This has a dual objective: to validate technical and economic viability of the Fonts-Bouillants project and test the PROMET-Hé technologies before deployment on an industrial scale.
The PROMET-Hé project was aknowledge by the French Ministry in charge of Industry and Bpifrance which has retained the project as part of the call for projects "Recovery plan for industry - Strategic sectors" thus engaging to support our forecast investment up to up to 52% testifying to its contribution to national sovereignty.
