Commissioned work
For many years now, SGU has undertaken externally financed commissions. Such work enables us to provide geological services and products that cannot be funded from our regular allocation. Important benefits of commissioned projects include an enhanced service to customers and a better understanding of what geological information society needs and uses. External contracts also allow more efficient use to be made of SGU’s shared resources and help to develop our skills base.
SGU takes on commissioned work in seven areas: Environment and Energy, Contaminated Sites, Physical Planning, Minerals, Groundwater, Courses and International.
Environment and Energy
In the area of Environment and Energy, SGU primarily carries out work under the headings of thematic environmental geology, marine environmental monitoring, radon, geothermal energy and environmental geochemistry.
Examples of commissions include surveys of benthic sediments in the framework of regular coastal water monitoring programmes, and characterization and analysis of the seabed around dredging sites in harbours and fairways. Using modern marine geological equipment, we also undertake contracts to locate old dumping grounds for hazardous waste. Other marine projects include pre-siting studies for offshore wind farms.
Regarding radon, SGU has long experience of ground radon surveys, which in recent years have been modernized using information from new airborne geophysical surveys and digital data on superficial deposits. Our commissioned programme also includes airborne radiometric measurements of uranium and other elements, to monitor caesium levels in soil following the Chernobyl accident.
Contact for Environment and Energy:
Mikael Erlström, tel: + 46 46 311775
Contaminated Sites
SGU’s commissioned programme relating to Contaminated Sites is based on two interim targets under the environmental quality objective A Non-Toxic Environment: targets 6 and 7, which are concerned with remediation of contaminated sites. The authority responsible for the overall objective is the Swedish Chemicals Agency, while the two interim targets are the responsibility of the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency.
SGU undertakes a wide range of work in partnership with the Environmental Protection Agency to achieve the targets for remediation of contaminated sites. It also supports county administrative boards involved in practical projects to meet those targets.
Contact for Contaminated Sites:
Björn Lindbom, tel: +46 8 545 21506
Physical Planning
In the Physical Planning field, SGU takes on commissions that involve adapting or collecting geological information as a basis for decision-making relating to land use planning, infrastructure, and construction and civil engineering.
Extensive work has for example been carried out for the Swedish Nuclear Fuel and Waste Management Company (SKB), as part of site investigations for a deep repository for spent nuclear fuel in the bedrock of Sweden. Apart from collecting basic geological data, SGU has undertaken analysis and modelling of the results.
Other examples of our services and products in the area of Physical Planning include:
- Expert support for emergency planning in relation to radiation risks
- Dating of soil sequences at archaeological sites
- Inventories of aggregate materials (rock and gravel) and features of nature conservation interest
- Aerial photo interpretation
- Marine geological surveys of seabed characteristics
Contact for Physical Planning:
Karin Grånäs, tel: +46 18 179219
Minerals
In this area, SGU provides summaries of data on mineral occurrences etc., arranges ‘mineral hunts’, performs analyses, both rock mechanical studies and mineral determinations, and undertakes some consultancy work. One project in recent years has been the Norrland Mineral Hunt, organized in the five northernmost counties of Sweden.
Contact for Minerals:
Lisbeth Lindebrand, tel: +46 953 346 04
Groundwater
In the area of Groundwater, SGU chiefly takes on commissions relating to environmental monitoring, support for the water authorities, and the environmental quality objective Good-Quality Groundwater. We do work on a regular basis for central government agencies such as the Environmental Protection Agency, the water authorities and the Swedish Road Administration, and also for local authorities. With funding from the Environmental Objectives Council, we undertake a number of projects each year linked to the environmental objectives.
Environmental monitoring
SGU performs environmental monitoring of groundwater for the Environmental Protection Agency, as part of the national subprogrammes for Fresh Waters and Forests.
Support for water authorities
As the expert agency for groundwater and the national authority responsible for the environmental objective Good-Quality Groundwater, SGU has the job of drawing up guidelines and regulations for activities relating to groundwater under the Ordinance on Water Quality Management (2004:660). We also have a responsibility to support groundwater-related activities by providing geological data and information.
Groundwater – other work
Other examples of commissioned work in the area of Groundwater include:
• Locating groundwater supplies
• Assessments of groundwater vulnerability and proposals to protect aquifers
• Impact assessments and risk evaluations of construction and civil engineering
projects
• Studies of possible contamination of wells by road salt
• Water supplies in coastal areas
• Studies of levels of naturally occurring substances, e.g. uranium, in
groundwater
• Data on which to base indicators of progress towards environmental
objectives
Contact for Groundwater:
Lena Blad, tel: +46 18 179248
Courses
SGU provides training in a number of areas. These are just a few examples of courses that have been held:
- Ground radon course for consultancy firms and local authorities
- Geology courses
- Certification courses for drilling contractors’ organizations
- Field trips for mineral prospectors
- Minerals legislation
Contact for Courses:
Anna Hedenström, tel: +46 18 179230
International
International work undertaken on a commissioned basis includes projects, ongoing or recently completed, in Angola, Uganda, the Baltic states, Tanzania, Ghana and Mozambique. The main focus is on developing assistance projects in partnership with other geological surveys and organizations. Projects receive funding from the EU, the World Bank and other sources.
Examples of international assignments led by or involving SGU include:
- Production of a general radon risk map of Estonia
- Map production and development of a reference database covering the geology and mineral deposits of Tanzania
- Processing and interpretation of airborne geophysical data in Ghana
- Geological mapping in Mozambique
- Defence-related environmental projects in Estonia
Contact for International:
Rune Johansson, tel: +46 642 20052