Projects

Subsurface Technology and Engineering Research, Development and Demonstration (SubTER)

• Geothermal Systems

SubTER: The subsurface provides more than 80 percent of the energy used in the US and serves as a vast reservoir for CO2, nuclear waste, and energy storage. Despite decades of research, game-changing advances are needed to revolutionize utilization of the subsurface for energy production and storage while also protecting the environment.

Susan Hubbard sshubbard@lbl.gov 510-486-5266

Helen G. Prieto hgprieto@lbl.gov 510-486-6696

SubTER-kISMET

• Geothermal Systems

Intermediate-Scale Hydraulic Fracture and Stimulation Field Lab in a Deep Mine for Investigation of Fracturing and Induced Seismicity Permeability (k) and Induced Seismicity Management for Energy Technologies (kISMET) Objectives: Investigate relationship between fractures (natural and induced) and stress field, rock fabric, and stimulation approach to inform EGS stimulation. Investigate microseismicity arising from fracturing as analog…

Curtis M. Oldenburg cmoldenburg@lbl.gov 510-486-7419

Patrick F. Dobson pfdobson@lbl.gov 510-486-5373

Terrestrial Ecosystem Science SFA Project

• Terrestrial Ecosystem Science

In this SFA, we conduct basic research on terrestrial biogeochemistry, with a focus on belowground soil carbon cycling and its role in terrestrial biogeochemistry and climate feedbacks.

Margaret S. Torn mstorn@lbl.gov 510-495-2223

Caitlin Elizabeth Hicks Pries cehpries@lbl.gov 510-495-8046

Neslihan Tas ntas@lbl.gov 510-486-5538

Eoin Brodie elbrodie@lbl.gov 510-486-6584

Peter S. Nico psnico@lbl.gov 510-486-7118

William J. Riley wjriley@lbl.gov 510-486-5036

Theoretical and Experimental Geochemistry

• Fundamental Geosciences

We seek to understand and model the effects of salinity on geochemical processes occurring in aqueous environments including nanopores and interlayers in clay media, thin water films in unsaturated porous media, and solutions in which mineral nanoparticles nucleate, aggregate and grow. The overall goal is to identify conceptual models of salinity effects on complex geochemical…

Benjamin Gilbert bgilbert@lbl.gov 510-495-2748

TOUGH Suite of Simulators for Nonisothermal Multiphase Flow and Transport in Fractured Porous Media

The TOUGH (“Transport Of Unsaturated Groundwater and Heat”) suite of software codes are multi-dimensional numerical models for simulating the coupled transport of water, vapor, non-condensible gas, and heat in porous and fractured media. Developed at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) in the early 1980s primarily for geothermal reservoir engineering, the suite of simulators is now widely used throughout the world.

Stefan Finsterle safinsterle@lbl.gov

George J. Moridis gjmoridis@lbl.gov 510-486-4746

Curtis M. Oldenburg cmoldenburg@lbl.gov 510-486-7419

Eric L. Sonnenthal elsonnenthal@lbl.gov 510-486-5866

Yingqi Zhang yqzhang@lbl.gov 510-495-2983

Used Fuel Disposition

• Nuclear Energy and Waste

The Used Fuel Disposition (UFD) Campaign was initiated in 2009 to support the Blue Ribbon Panel review of high-level nuclear waste policy in the United States. Our work is organized in the these areas: Natural Systems Research, Engineered Barrier Research, System-Level Modeling, and International Activities within UFD.

Jens Birkholzer jtbirkholzer@lbl.gov 510-486-7134

Watershed Function SFA

• Environmental Remediation and Water Resources

The Watershed Function SFA is developing a predictive understanding of how mountainous watersheds retain and release water, nutrients, carbon, and metals. In particular, the SFA is developing understanding and tools to measure and predict how droughts, early snowmelt, and other perturbations impact downstream water availability and biogeochemical cycling at episodic to decadal timescales.

Susan Hubbard sshubbard@lbl.gov 510-486-5266

Jacob Gimbel jgimbel@lbl.gov 510-486-7146