DMT is launching the world’s largest inner-city seismic survey in the Greater Munich area to assess geothermal potential
Munich, 20 August 2026 – DMT, a company within the TÜV NORD GROUP, is launching a 3D seismic survey on behalf of Stadtwerke München to investigate the deep subsurface. As part of the GIGA-M project, DMT is carrying out seismic surveys across an area of around 1,100 square kilometres. The data obtained will provide a three-dimensional image of the subsurface, thereby forming the geological basis for the further development of deep geothermal energy in Munich and the surrounding municipalities.
The thermal water reservoir in the Greater Munich area is already being utilised via around 50 boreholes with a total thermal output of approximately 400 MW. The additional potential that can be tapped is estimated at more than 1,000 MW and is now being precisely determined through the largest-ever seismic site survey in a densely populated urban area.
The new data will enable the identification of potentially suitable sites for future geothermal projects, the further development of existing plants, and the long-term coordination of geothermal energy use within the study area.
The GIGA-M project, funded by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWE), is a joint initiative of the Technical University of Munich (coordination), Stadtwerke München (seismic survey management), Energie-Wende-Garching (seismic survey partner), the Ebersberg-Munich Energy Agency, the District of Munich and the City of Munich.
Modern seismic surveys provide transparency into the subsurface
“With GIGA-M, we are setting a new benchmark for seismic site investigation in urban areas. Large-scale 3D seismic surveys provide the data basis for assessing and systematically developing geothermal potential in the Greater Munich area. The experience gained can also provide important impetus for other cities and regions wishing to develop deep geothermal energy as a component of their heat supply,” says Dr Maik Tiedemann, CEO of DMT GmbH & Co. KG and CEO of the TÜV NORD GROUP’s Energy & Resources business unit.
Specialised measurement vehicles known as ‘Vibro-Trucks’ are used for the measurements; these transmit controlled vibrations into the ground. The signals reflected off the various rock layers are recorded by thousands of geophones – highly sensitive ground sensors – and subsequently analysed. The measurement data is used to create a high-resolution three-dimensional model of the subsurface, which provides insights into geological structures and areas potentially suitable for deep geothermal energy.
With the GIGA-M project in Munich, DMT is further expanding its role as one of the leading partners in the development of geothermal projects and the exploration of raw materials.
“A 3D seismic survey campaign on this scale poses unique challenges in terms of planning and execution. In the densely populated survey area, a large number of measurement points, the deployment of vibro-trucks and the recording by thousands of geophones must be precisely co-ordinated. It is crucial to generate a consistent data set across the entire survey area, from which the 3D model of the subsurface is subsequently created,” says Dr Christian Henke, Head of Seismic Exploration & Processing at DMT.
DMT has already carried out a large-scale 3D seismic survey campaign in Münster to investigate the deep subsurface for geothermal energy applications. The experience gained there in planning and implementing seismic surveys in urban areas is also being applied to the campaign in the Greater Munich area. Furthermore, DMT has many years’ experience in geophysical exploration and subsurface investigation for raw materials and energy projects worldwide.