Hydrogeology Department researchers are developing a quantitative understanding of the main physical and chemical processes that operate in geologic systems, and providing practically useful modeling tools for recovering, storing, and protecting subsurface fluid resources.
Hydrogeology
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Read MoreAdvanced Process Modeling
Researchers are developing a quantitative understanding of the main physical and chemical processes that operate in geologic systems, and providing practically useful modeling tools for recovering, storing, and protecting subsurface fluid resources.
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Read MoreContaminant Hydrology
Researchers are addressing the national and international need for subsurface contaminant characterization and remediation across a spectrum of approaches.
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Read MoreReservoir Engineering
Researchers are studying ways to enhance production of energy from subsurface reservoirs containing methane gas hydrates, geothermal energy, and oil and gas resources.
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Read MoreImaging Our Earth’s Environment
Concurrent X-ray CT imaging enables process quantification and visualization of the earth materials
Overview
Hydrogeology has been an important component of Berkeley Lab’s former Earth Sciences Division (ESD) since its inception in 1977. Together with geophysics and geochemistry researchers, hydrogeologists addressed subsurface energy challenges at that time, which focused on geophysical characterization and numerical modeling of fracture flow, associated first with fundamental geosciences, geothermal energy exploration, and nuclear waste isolation and research activities heavily relied upon understanding flow and transport in the subsurface.
Today, the broad range of cutting-edge research continues in fundamental and applied hydrology. The Hydrogeology Department has expertise in theoretical, experimental, field, and modeling approaches in a variety of research areas, among which are advanced process modeling, reservoir engineering, vadose-zone and fracture hydrology, contaminant hydrology, and coupled nonisothermal, geochemical, and geomechanical processes. Our researchers address national needs in the areas of subsurface energy resources recovery, subsurface remediation, geological CO2 storage, and nuclear waste disposal, with a continued focus on mass and heat transport through porous and fractured earth materials under saturated and unsaturated conditions.
Currently, the majority of the Hydrogeology Department personnel support the Energy Geosciences Division.
Core Capabilities
Contaminant Hydrology
Hydrogeology Department researchers are addressing the national and international need for subsurface contaminant characterization and remediation across a spectrum of approaches—laboratory experiments, field tests, and theoretical and numerical investigations.
Coupled Processes
Hydrogeology Department researchers are addressing the complex field of coupled processes analysis through an integrated experimental and modeling effort, combining laboratory experiments and in situ tests, using advanced monitoring methods with sophisticated modeling analysis.
Reservoir Engineering
Hydrogeology Department researchers are studying ways to enhance production of energy from subsurface reservoirs containing methane gas hydrates, geothermal energy, and oil and gas resources.
Vadose-Zone and Fracture Hydrology
Hydrogeology Department researchers have made significant contributions to identifying the physical mechanisms, and developing modeling approaches and characterization/monitoring techniques, for flow and transport in fractures in both saturated and unsaturated systems.
Sally M. Benson
Guest Senior Scientist
Affiliate
Phone:
smbenson@lbl.gov
John Henry Beyer
Guest Scientist
Affiliate
Phone:
jhbeyer@lbl.gov
Jens Birkholzer
Energy Geosciences Division Director
Senior Scientist
Hydrogeologist
Phone:
Fax:
jtbirkholzer@lbl.gov
Laura Blanco Martin
Project Scientist
Phone:
lblancomartin@lbl.gov
Sharon E. Borglin
Principal Scientific Research Associate
Frederic Cappa
Project Scientist
Phone:
fcappa@lbl.gov
Chun Chang
Postdoctoral Research Fellow
Phone:
chunchang@lbl.gov
Abdullah Cihan
Research Scientist
Phone:
acihan@lbl.gov
William Dietrich
Senior Faculty Scientist
Phone:
bill@eps.berkeley.edu
Christine Doughty
Staff Scientist
Phone:
Fax:
cadoughty@lbl.gov
Boris A. Faybishenko
Staff Scientist
Phone:
bafaybishenko@lbl.gov
Stefan Finsterle
Guest Scientist
Affiliate
Barry M. Freifeld
Mechanical Engineer
Phone:
bmfreifeld@lbl.gov
Mengsu Hu
Research Scientist
Phone:
mengsuhu@lbl.gov
Pierre Jeanne
Project Scientist
Phone:
pjeanne@lbl.gov
Sallie Johnson
Student Assistant
Phone:
sejohnson@lbl.gov
Preston D. Jordan
Principal Scientific Engineering Associate
Phone:
pdjordan@lbl.gov
Kenzi Karasaki
Guest Scientist
Affiliate
Phone:
kkarasaki@lbl.gov
Kunhwi Kim
Postdoctoral Research Fellow
Phone:
kunhwikim@lbl.gov
Tim Kneafsey
Hydrocarbon Resources Program Lead
Staff Scientist
Phone:
Fax:
tjkneafsey@lbl.gov
Robin D. Lopez
Research Associate
Phone:
rdlopez@lbl.gov
Michael Manga
Faculty Scientist
Phone:
mmanga@lbl.gov
George J. Moridis
Senior Scientist
Phone:
Fax:
gjmoridis@lbl.gov
Michelle Newcomer
Research Scientist
Phone:
mnewcomer@lbl.gov
Curtis M. Oldenburg
Energy Resources Program Domain Lead
Geologic Carbon Sequestration Program Lead
Senior Scientist
Phone:
Fax:
cmoldenburg@lbl.gov
Lehua Pan
Research Scientist
Phone:
Fax:
lpan@lbl.gov
Alejandro Francisco Queiruga
Project Scientist
Phone:
afqueiruga@lbl.gov
Clayton J. Radke
Faculty Scientist/Engineer
Phone:
clradke@lbl.gov
Matthew T. Reagan
Research Scientist
Phone:
Fax:
mtreagan@lbl.gov
Antonio Pio Rinaldi
Project Scientist
Phone:
aprinaldi@lbl.gov
Jonny Rutqvist
Senior Scientist
Hydrogeology Department Head
Phone:
Fax:
jrutqvist@lbl.gov
Tetsu K. Tokunaga
Hydrogeochemical Research Lab
Senior Scientist
Phone:
Fax:
tktokunaga@lbl.gov
Haruko Murakami Wainwright
Research Scientist
Phone:
Fax:
hmwainwright@lbl.gov
Jiamin Wan
Staff Scientist
Phone:
Fax:
jwan@lbl.gov
Hao Xu
Postdoctoral Research Fellow
Phone:
haoxu@lbl.gov
Yingqi Zhang
Staff Scientist
Phone:
Fax:
yqzhang@lbl.gov
Liange Zheng
Staff Scientist
Nuclear Energy and Waste Program Head
Phone:
Fax:
lzheng@lbl.gov
Quanlin Zhou
Staff Scientist
Phone:
Fax:
qzhou@lbl.gov