INSPIRE: Information system salt structures: planning basis, selection criteria and estimation of the potential for the construction of salt caverns for the storage of renewable energies (hydrogen and compressed air) (InSpEE) (WMS)

The WMS InSpEE (INSPIRE) provides information about the areal distribution of salt structures (salt domes and salt pillows) in Northern Germany. Contours of the salt structures can be displayed at horizontal cross-sections at four different depths up to a maximum depth of 2000 m below NN. The geodata have resulted from a BMWi-funded research project “InSpEE” running from the year 2012 to 2015. The acronym stands for "Information system salt structures: planning basis, selection criteria and estimation of the potential for the construction of salt caverns for the storage of renewable energies (hydrogen and compressed air)”. Taking into account the fact that this work was undertaken at a scale for providing an overview and not for investigation of single structures, the scale of display is limited to a minimum of 1:300.000. Additionally four horizontal cross-section maps display the stratigraphical situation at a given depth. In concurrence of maps at different depths areal bedding conditions can be determined, e.g. to generally assess and interpret the spread of different stratigraphic units. Clearly visible are extent and shape of the salt structures within their regional context at the different depths, with extent and boundary of the salt structures having been the main focus of the project. Four horizontal cross-section maps covering the whole onshore area of Northern Germany have been developed at a scale of 1:500.000. The maps cover the depths of -500, -1000, -1500, -2000 m below NN. The four depths are based on typical depth requirements of existing salt caverns in Northern Germany, mainly related to hydrocarbon storage. The shapes of the structures show rudimentary information of their geometry and their change with depths. In addition they form the starting point for rock mechanical calculations necessary for the planning and construction of salt caverns for storage as well as for assessing storage potentials. The maps can be used as a pre-selection tool for subsurface uses. It can also be used to assess coverage and extension of salt structures. Offshore areas were not treated within the project. All horizontal cross-section maps were adjusted with the respective state geological survey organisations. According to the Data Specification on Geology (D2.8.II.4_v3.0) the WMS InSpEE (INSPIRE) provides INSPIRE-compliant data. The WMS InSpEE (INSPIRE) contains two group layers: The first group layer “INSPIRE: Salt structures in Northern Germany“ comprises the layers GE.Geologic.Unit.Salt structure types, GE.GeologicUnit.Salt pillow remnants, GE.GeologicUnit.Structure-building salinar and GE.GeologicUnit.Structural outlines. The layer GE.GeologicUnit.Structural outlines contains according to the four depths four sublayers, e.g. GE.GeologiUnit.Structural outlines 500 m below NN. The second group layer „INSPIRE: Horizontal cross-section maps of Northern Germany“ comprises according to the four depths four layers, e.g. Horizontal cross-section map – 500 m below NN. This layer, in turns, contains two sublayers: GE.GeologicFault.Relevant fault traces and GE.GeologicUnit.Stratigraphic Units. Via the getFeatureInfo request the user obtains additional information on the different geometries. In case of the GE.Geologic.Unit.Salt structure types the user gets access to a data sheet with additional information and further reading in German for the respective salt structure via the getFeatureInfo request.