Geoscience underpins many aspects of the energy mix that fuels our planet and offers a range of solutions for reducing global greenhouse gas emissions as the world progresses towards net zero. The aim of this session is to explore and develop the contribution of geology, geophysics and petrophysics to the development of sustainable energy resources in the transition to low-carbon energy. The meeting will be a key forum for sharing geoscientific aspects of energy supply as earth scientists grapple with the subsurface challenges of remaking the world’s energy system, balancing competing demands in achieving a low carbon future.
Papers should show the use of any technology that was initially developed for use in conventional oil and gas industries, and show it being applied to either sustainable energy developments or to CCS, subsurface waste disposal or water resources.
Relevant topics include but are not limited to:
1. Exploration & appraisal of the subsurface aspects of geothermal, hydro and wind resources.
2. Appraisal & exploration of developments needed to provide raw materials for solar energy, electric car batteries and other rare earth elements needed for the modern digital society.
3. The use of reservoir modelling, 3D quantification and dynamic simulation for the prediction of subsurface energy storage.
4. The use of reservoir integrity cap-rock studies, reservoir modelling, 3D quantification and dynamic simulation for the development of CCS locations.
5. Quantitative evaluation of porosity, permeability, reactive transport & fracture transport at subsurface radioactive waste disposal sites.
6. The use of petrophysics, geophysics and geology in wind-farm design.
7. The petrophysics and geomechanical aspects of geothermal reservoir characterisation and exploitation including hydraulic fracturing.
Suitable contributions can address, but are not limited to:
A. Field testing and field experimental/explorational approaches aimed at characterizing an energy resource or analogue resources, key characteristics, and behaviours.
B. Laboratory experiments investigating the petrophysics, geophysics, geology as well as fluid-rock-interactions.
C. Risk evaluations and storage capacity estimates.
D. Numerical modelling and dynamic simulation of storage capacity, injectivity, fluid migration, trapping efficiency and pressure responses as well as simulations of geochemical reactions.
E. Hydraulic fracturing studies.
F. Geo-mechanical/well-bore integrity studies.