GEOLOGY OF GREENLAND SURVEY BULLETIN 176

Pages 6-8, Review of Greenland activities 1996.

by Martin Ghisler, director

CONTENTS: Introduction Activities concerning Greenland that are undertaken by the Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland (Danmarks og Grønlands Geologiske Undersøgelse: GEUS) were maintained at an unreduced level in 1996. Following the merger in 1995 of the former Geological Survey of Greenland (Grønlands Geologiske Undersøgelse: GGU) with the Geological Survey of Denmark (Danmarks Geologiske Undersøgelse: DGU) to form the present institute, 1996 saw the move of the great majority of former GGU staff from the University complex at Øster Volgade to the former DGU office complex at Thoravej, in north-west Copenhagen. The former GGU geochemistry laboratories and some other facilities will remain at Øster Voldgade, together with the Danish Lithosphere Centre (DLC); the latter is a research centre funded by the Danish National Research Foundation and administratively linked to GEUS, and hosted jointly by GEUS and the Geological Institute of the University of Copenhagen. It is planned that GEUS will move to the renovated Øster Voldgade complex, which will house the new GEOCENTER, in the year 2001. This major new geological research centre will comprise GEUS, hopefully including the Danish Lithosphere Centre, together with the Geological Institute, Geological Museum and Geographical Institute of the University of Copenhagen. The final decision to establish the GEOCENTER at Øster Voldgade was made by the Danish Parliament in December 1996, with the passing of the 1997 Finance Law, as an element in Denmark-s National Research Strategy. A grant of 190 million kroner has been allocated for renovation, rebuilding and relocation expenses. As part of an agreement between the Prime Minister of Denmark and the Premier of the Greenland Home Rule Government concerning strengthening of the mineral resources sector in Greenland, two GEUS geologists were seconded to the Home Rule Minerals Office in Nuuk throughout 1996. This arrangement forms part of the strengthening of competence in Greenland in relation to both mineral and oil resources, together with improvements in two-way communication of geological information of special relevance to the non-living resource sector. GEUS, in co-operation with the Mineral Resources Administration for Greenland and the Minerals Office of the Home Rule Government, has continued the joint information services directed at the international oil and mining industries. This activity concentrates on the presentation of geological results and information relevant to resource prospecting on land and offshore at meetings, symposia and exhibitions, in addition to the distribution of publications, newsletters and reports. In the field of mineral resources, particular efforts have been directed at North American companies, and in respect of oil resources to companies in both North America and Europe. GEUS has assisted the Mineral Resources Administrationfor Greenland in geological questions concerning the activities of companies with concessions in Greenland. Of particular interest in 1996 were the negotiations with oil companies with direct interest in the concession distribution in the offshore region of Fylla Banke (Fig. 1), and the monitoring of grønArctic-s onshore drilling programme on Nuussuaq. With respect to mineral concessions on land, area calculation of the very large number of mineral licences granted in West and South-West Greenland was a significant task. The Survey has also monitored the drilling activities of Platinova A/S at Citronen Fjord in North Greenland (Fig. 1), and Nunaoil A/S on Storø near Nuuk, on behalf of the Mineral Resources Administration for Greenland. Geological, geophysical and glaciological investigations were carried out by the Survey in many parts of Greenland in 1996, by a total of 81 scientists and technical personnel, including nine from the Danish Lithosphere Centre. Nearly a third of the Survey-s total staff of c. 350 has been engaged in Greenland activities. During 1996 the reorganisation of staff of the former DGU and GGU departments into new GEUS departments, independent of geographical links to the three countries of the Kingdom of Denmark, was completed. This has strengthened and broadened the expertise which can be applied to Greenland projects, especially in the oil and gas sector. The new statutes governing GEUS include the stipulation that the Greenland Home Rule Government and the Faeroese Government can each delegate one member to the Board of Governors, and thus have direct influence on setting priorities for the institution-s varied projects. Geological mapping Mineral resource investigations Petroleum geology Climate research Publications