H51M-1561
The DOE Subsurface (SubTER) Initiative: Revolutionizing Responsible use of the Subsurface for Energy Production and Storage
Friday, 18 December 2015
Poster Hall (Moscone South)
Susan S. Hubbard1, Marianne C Walck2, Doug Blankenship2, Alain Bonneville3, Grant S Bromhal4, Thomas M Daley1, Rajesh Pawar5, Yarom Polsky6, Earl Mattson7, Robert J Mellors8 and SubTER team, (1)Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, United States, (2)Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, NM, United States, (3)Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA, United States, (4)National Energy Technology Laboratory Morgantown, Morgantown, WV, United States, (5)Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM, United States, (6)Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN, United States, (7)Idaho National Laboratory, Idaho Falls, ID, United States, (8)Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA, United States
Abstract:
The subsurface supplies more than 80% of the U.S.'s total energy needs through geothermal and hydrocarbon strategies and also provides vast potential for safe storage of CO2 and disposal of nuclear waste. Responsible and efficient use of the subsurface poses many challenges, many of which require the capability to monitor and manipulate sub-surface stress, fractures, and fluid flow at all scales. Adaptive control of subsurface fractures and flow is a multi-disciplinary challenge that, if achieved, has the potential to transform all subsurface energy strategies. As part of the U.S. Department of Energy’s SubTER (Subsurface Technology and Engineering Research development and demonstration) initiative, a multi-National Laboratory team is developing next-generation approaches that will allow for adaptive control of subsurface fractures and flow. SubTER has identified an initial suite of technical thrust areas to focus work, and has initiated a number of small projects. This presentation will describe early progress associated with the SubTER technical topic areas of wellbore integrity, subsurface stress and induced seismicity, permeability manipulation and new subsurface signals. It will also describe SubTER plans, and provide a venue to solicit suggestions and discuss potential partnerships associated with future research directions.
