Students from the University of Birmingham, along with groundwater professionals and industry partners drill 29-metre borehole on campus
Borehole drilling on campus
In November 2024, the MSc Hydrogeology student cohort joined 10 external groundwater professionals from organisations based the UK, Ireland, Zimbabwe, Spain and Netherlands to attend a drilling course organised and delivered by Groundwater Relief and the University of Birmingham. This activity was carried out with extensive support by the University’s Estates Office, WJ Groundwater, Aquitech, Palintest, In-Situ, Peter Dumble Hydrogeology, and Richard Carter and Associates Ltd.
The drilling supervision course successfully drilled a 29-metre-deep borehole on the University of Birmingham campus. Apart from the unique training experience, this borehole is also part of a growing network of boreholes aimed at advancing groundwater understanding and the University’s decarbonisation plans.
The project adds to the eight boreholes already used on campus for research
The initiative provided several key benefits:
Samples of soil were analysed as part of the drilling process
The drilling process involved advanced techniques to ensure the integrity of the borehole, and it will now be added to the eight boreholes already used on campus for research (including both contaminant transport research and the development of a novel borehole gravimeter logging device by the Cold Atoms Group in Physics).
This was a great opportunity to support the training programme of Groundwater Relief, a life-saving humanitarian organisation, whilst also providing a unique educational opportunity for our MSc Hydrogeology students and furthering our work on understanding the groundwater system below the campus. In the context of the latter, the new borehole will add to the eight already used for research and training on campus and support the collaborative work we are undertaking with the University’s Estates Office to determine the potential of ground source heating as part of their campus decarbonisation programme
This collaboration enriches the education of the Birmingham University students’ and also provides us the opportunity to train humanitarian practitioners in key skills associated with developing water supplies
As the University continues to expand its research capabilities, this borehole marks a significant step forward in both education and environmental stewardship. Future plans include further exploration of groundwater resources and the potential implementation of innovative energy solutions on campus.
This project exemplifies the University of Birmingham’s dedication to integrating practical experience, industry exposure, and careers development with academic learning, preparing students to tackle major challenges including the global freshwater crisis especially in the face of climate change, the role of geoenergy in the energy transition, the global issue of emerging contaminants, secure waste disposal, carbon and energy storage, sustainable and safe engineering construction, technology metal production, and humanitarian relief.
In 2012 Geraint Burrows founded Groundwater Relief (www.groundwater-relief.org) . Groundwater Relief’s core objective is to alleviate poverty and suffering through working with others to provide safe and affordable water supplies. The organisation undertakes this mission though a core team of staff, and a global membership of over 550 groundwater experts.
Professor of Hydrogeology
John Tellam's main research interests are in inorganic, surface-interacting, solute and particle transport in groundwaters, with a particular emphasis on sandstone aquifers.
