To carry out a minor geothermal project located in an “orange” zone on the regulatory map, it is necessary to obtain a certificate of compliance issued by a certified expert. The procedures for certifying these experts are defined by the decree of June 25, 2015, regarding the certification of experts in minor geothermal projects.
The BRGM has identified 9 geological and hydrogeological drilling risks. Each of these risks is assessed. The combined results of these assessments yield an overall risk rating for a given site, represented by a color: low risk (green), medium risk (orange), high risk (red). For a medium-risk assessment, an expert evaluation is required.
Before filing a drilling report in an orange zone, the driller must request an assessment from a certified expert of their choice. When filing the drilling report, they must upload the expert’s assessment to the platform. Without this assessment, the filing process cannot be completed.
Risks to be assessed during an expert evaluation:
GEOTHERMAQ was accredited as an expert by the Ministry of Ecological Transition, Biodiversity, and International Climate and Nature Negotiations on December 31, 2025, for the Nouvelle-Aquitaine and Occitanie regions.
This decision was officially published in the Official Journal No. 0306 of December 31, 2025.
