We are facing unprecedented challenges related to earth resources and climate change. On the one hand, the world consumes 18 TW, and projections predict a distressing 1%/year growth in power demand (new 460 million solar panels yearly).¹ On the other hand, 80% of today’s primary energy comes from fossil fuels, causing 37 billion tonnes of CO₂ emissions annually. The field of Energy Geoscience and Engineering addresses this dual challenge. We use the subsurface not only as a low-carbon energy resource (e.g., geothermal), but also as a permanent repository for fossil fuel emissions and seasonal-based storage for renewable energy.
Research Areas
The safe development of these subsurface solutions require a deep understanding of the mechanics and physics of geological materials. To this end, my research focuses on the geomechanical and petrophysical behavior of geomaterials, addressing questions related to pressure and stresses in geological systems, rock strength and mechanics, and fluid flow through the Earth.
Methane hydrates are crystalline solids found in submarine and permafrost settings. They store gigatons of carbon, making it one of the largest mobile carbon reservoirs in the Earth.
Fractures are discontinuities that control the mechanical and hydraulic behavior of rock masses. These fractured rocks serve as the host or foundation for many engineered and geological structures.
Carbonates are born, not made.² Because of this bio-origin, they are unparalleled repositories of past life, construction materials, and important aquifers and hosts for metallic ores and hydrocarbon reserves.