¸£ÀûÔÚÏßÃâ·Ñ

Leading experts on Offshore Freshened Groundwater meet in Larnaca

The , led by Dr Ariel T. Thomas and Mrs Hiba Wazaz from the Marine Geology and Seafloor Surveying group within the Department of Geosciences led a Focus Group in Larnaca to shape the path forward for Offshore Freshened Groundwater (OFG) as a promising new solution for water-stressed coastal regions. This Focus Group gathered international experts in hydrogeology, law, geophysics, and business from 9 different countries.

Hosted at the (CMMI), the Focus Group allowed interactive discussions about the obstacles, opportunities, and necessary partners in utilising OFG as a water resource. The COST Action OFF-SOURCE was presented in details, before discussing OFG potential, opportunities, legal and environmental challenges, and the synergies with other partners such as the Oil and Gas and the Offshore Wind industry.

With 19 attendees representing entities in Cyprus, Norway, the United Kingdom, Italy, Saudi Arabia, Malta, Brazil, Taiwan, and Lebanon, this Focus Group was able to capture perspectives that span different regulatory environments, market conditions, water challenges, and technological contexts.

This international lens is essential as OFF-SOURCE works to position OFG as a viable solution for water-stressed coastal regions worldwide.

The quality of discussion throughout the day was exceptional, with continuous engagement of all partners. Their willingness to share perspectives from their diverse sectors provided the cross-industry dialogue that OFG development needs at this critical stage. The questions raised, the challenges identified, and the opportunities highlighted will directly shape OFF-SOURCE’s strategic pathway forward.