A new report by an independent panel suggests that the science and technology needed for developing engineered subsurface systems are ripe for breakthroughs.
The JASON group –scientific thought leaders who have provided independent consultation to the U.S. government for over 50 years – undertook the study on behalf of the new Subsurface Technology and Engineering Research, Development, and Demonstration (SubTER) Crosscut in the Department's Office of the Under Secretary for Science and Energy.
Successful utilization of subsurface systems – for energy production and management of waste streams – fundamentally hinges on understanding and controlling the state of stress and mechanical deformation of rocks in the upper crust. Examples include creating and sustaining fracture networks in enhanced geothermal systems and unconventional oil and gas reservoirs; predicting and controlling geomechanical stability of reservoir rocks and seals in CO2 storage reservoirs; and predicting geomechanical evolution at the interface between geologic media and engineered materials in nuclear waste storage and disposal settings.
In the new report, the JASON group finds that advances are needed to improve our understanding of the state of stress and proximity to failure in the crust in order to achieve optimized characterization, development, and management of subsurface energy resources and waste storage. Given the importance of length scale in characterizing the stress state, JASON proposes coordinated research that couples theoretical and modeling studies with laboratory and field experiments.
The report highlights specific DOE capabilities that can lead to advances in these critical mission areas, and proposes that "DOE take a leadership role in the science and technology for improved measurement, characterization, and understanding of the state of stress of engineered subsurface systems in order to address major energy and security challenges of the nation."