TotalEnergies, a partner of the GEODAYS international trade fair

• TotalEnergies has been the main partner of the GEODAYS since they were founded in 2018.
• Our teams in Pau have a robust and long-standing relationship with Avenia, the only competitiveness hub for subsurface industries in France.
• This event was an opportunity to explore the field of possibilities for subsurface industries in Europe by 2030.

On June 20 and 21, the GEODAYS were held at the Palais Beaumont in Pau, an annual event organized by Avenia, in partnership with the Pau Béarn Pyrénées conurbation. It’s around the topic of  "The European subsurface by 2023" that subsurface players such as our multi-energy Company rallied to meet the challenge of a sovereign European industry. On the agenda were conferences, thematic sessions, stands and meetings between professionals, the objective being to draw up a "Subsurface innovation" roadmap for 2030. The subsurface industries are indeed crucial, whether for providing decarbonization solutions, securing the supplies of energy and mining resources, managing multi-purpose water resources, and supporting land use projects.

"Around 300 participants from companies, research laboratories, training organizations and local authorities attend the GEODAYS," explains Thibaut HEIMERMANN, the General Manager of Pôle Avenia. "The partnership between Pôle Avenia and TotalEnergies, which is renewed each year, is important for the visibility and appeal of the event. Being able to rely on the network and competencies of the managers and engineers of the energy group enables us to propose high-quality technical sessions and qualified appointments to a great number of SMEs and laboratories who want to promote their solutions. This partnership also showcases the importance of regional teamwork alongside players such as Teréga, the University of Pau and Helioparc, which all contribute to making Pau one of the strongholds of geosciences in France, and even Europe," he continues. 

An opinion shared by Luc PAUGET, the Head of R&D on CO₂ storage at TotalEnergies: "The GEODAYS are an occasion to bring together the many different subsurface players. For TotalEnergies, this event is an opportunity to forge links with the various local players. The employees involved are happy to take part in the debates and their contributions, and consequently the point of view of TotalEnergies, is eagerly awaited. Over these two days, many topics are addressed, and the most interesting thing is seeing how projects are tackled in other regions (regulations, financing, distribution of roles and responsibilities between the different players) and how they can be put in place locally."

Our experts from the Pau Site gave speeches in three of the six thematic sessions scheduled: The importance and integration of data and subsurface industries, New uses of the ground and subsurface, and Innovative drilling and wells. Jean-Paul Riquet, TotalEnergies’ representative for the region of Nouvelle Aquitaine, reiterated the importance of the relationships between the Company, Pôle Avenia and its local ecosystem during his speech.

A GEODAYS delegation visits the CSTJF

In Southwest France and France as a whole, Avenia brings together the players of the subsurface industries: major groups, SMEs, start-ups, and institutional and academic bodies. Since the creation of the hub, TotalEnergies and Pôle Avenia have forged a strong relationship over the years. Many of the Company’s employees have become actively involved, for example by taking the reins of the innovation clubs, joining the expert committees, and participating in all the events organized. In addition, Pôle Avenia and TotalEnergies are working together to increase the region's appeal by welcoming foreign delegations. For this edition, the CSTJF welcomed a delegation from the Ministry of the Economy, Innovation, and Energy of Quebec. They exchanged views with our experts in subsurface CO₂ storage, reservoirs and energy.