Thermal porosity waves

Fast vertical fluid transfers in the crust play a crucial role in transporting elements and energy from deep environments into the shallow subsurface. These fluid transfers also impact magmatic processes, metamorphism, and heat distribution. Heat distribution in the subsurface is key for temperature-dependent geological processes, geothermal energy, and reservoir operations. Therefore, assessing the efficiency of heat transport by localised fluid flow is important.

Nonlinear porosity waves, resulting from hydro-mechanical interactions, provide a mechanism for fast vertical fluid transfers in the subsurface. However, their ability to transport heat has not been fully explored yet.

In this study, we investigate the coupling of hydro-mechanical processes with thermal processes to assess the efficiency of heat transport by porosity waves in a porous subsurface environment. We use numerical simulations to solve the coupled thermo-hydro-mechanical equations and present high-resolution modeling results. We also evaluate the role of a consistent and conservative formulation. Our preliminary findings suggest that porosity waves do not significantly enhance heat transfer in the subsurface. Additionally, we discuss the influence of parameters such as porosity, permeability, and fluid properties on the efficiency of heat transport.