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New Funding for Enhanced Geothermal Systems Research2 min read

by Christina Procopiou on September 28, 2021

Energy Geosciences Division

The Berkeley Lab Geothermal Systems Program has been recommended for funding for two projects under a recent announcement by the DOE Geothermal Technology Office of a total of $12M in funding for seven research projects to advance the commercialization of enhanced geothermal systems. The first is led by EESA staff scientist Seiji Nakagawa, with collaborators from Sandia National Laboratories, Baker Hughes, and the Geothermal Resources Group, Inc. The second is a project led by Montana State University, with Eric Sonnenthal as Berkeley Lab collaborator.

Project Led by Berkeley Lab (PI Seiji Nakagawa): Reversible Reservoir Permeability Modification Via In-situ Formation of Silicate Gel Plugs from Micro/Nano-Encapsulated Reactant Fluids
Location: Berkeley, California
DOE Award: $1.7 million
Project Summary: The project’s proposed technology uses hydrated silicate gel formed by reaction of microencapsulated chemicals for reversible alteration of EGS reservoir permeability.  Flow-diverting plugs can be created away from wells by delivering one or both of the reactants within encapsulated micro (or nano) particles. The timing of the capsule’s shell degradation is used to control the release of the contents. The finite particle size limits entry into narrow fractures and pores, targeting fast flow paths naturally preferred by the fluid flow. The proposed research will establish this technology by (1) identifying optimal combinations of gel-forming chemicals; (2) producing and characterizing the behavior of encapsulated microparticles; and (3) verifying and demonstrating the technology in the laboratory via scaled experiments.

Project led by Montana State University (Berkeley Lab collaborator Eric Sonnenthal): Thermally Induced Calcite Precipitation (TICP) as a Method to Control Hydraulic Properties in Enhanced Geothermal Systems
Location: Bozeman, Montana
DOE Award: $1.5 million
Project Summary: Under high temperatures, the mineral precipitation process promotes the production of carbonate minerals, which can result in the reduction of permeability. The goal of this project is to investigate thermally induced calcium carbonate precipitation and facilitate technologies that can control the location and magnitude of associated permeability reduction within EGS fracture networks. The proposed effort combines experimental work in the laboratory with computational reservoir scale modeling.

More detailed information can be found here.

News & Events

Second International DECOVALEX Symposium Abstract Submission is Open1 min read

April 26, 2023

The Second International DECOVALEX Symposium on Coupled Processes in Radioactive Waste Disposal and Subsurface Engineering Applications is taking place in Troyes, France on November 14-16, 2023. The symposium is co-hosted by ANDRA, Berkeley Lab, and the DECOVALEX Initiative. The event will feature keynote speakers and researchers that study thermo-hydro-mechanical-chemical (THMC) processes in geological systems. Some…

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After interacting with coastal farming communities who experienced sea level rise and other direct impacts of climate change, Research Scientist Kripa Jagannathan recognized that environmental problems are livelihood issues for many communities around the world. This led her to EESA working as a social scientist, helping to facilitate the co-production of knowledge–a type of research…

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Former Intern Emily Nagamoto Wins AGU Award1 min read

March 27, 2023

Former Science Undergraduate Laboratory Intern (SULI) Emily Nagamoto received an American Geophysical Union (AGU) Outstanding Presentation Award, which honors exceptional presentations given during AGU’s 2022 Fall meeting. She was mentored by Staff Scientist Charuleka Varadharajan and Postdoctoral Research Fellow Mohammed Ombadi during her Summer 2022 SULI term. Currently an undergraduate student in Duke University’s Nicholas…

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