Jennifer M. Granholm Secretary, U.S. Department of Energy | Official Website
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has announced the selection of eight new research and development projects to receive a total of $11.5 million in federal funding under DOE’s Subsurface Technology and Engineering Research, Development, and Demonstration Crosscut initiative. The new projects are focused on advancing geothermal energy and carbon storage technologies and will be funded by the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy’s Geothermal Technologies Office (GTO) and the Office of Fossil Energy’s (FE) Carbon Storage program.
“The projects selected today will advance our ability to store captured carbon pollution from the burning of fossil fuels and improve our understanding of renewable geothermal resources – both of which will help us achieve our nation’s climate and clean energy goals,” said DOE’s Under Secretary for Science and Energy Franklin Orr. “The announcement of these selections also underscores the importance of the crosscutting initiatives that Secretary Moniz has encouraged throughout DOE. Sharing expertise and experiences across the Department is helping us make progress on challenging energy science and technology that demand expertise across the science and engineering disciplines.”
Many opportunities exist to use the rocks beneath the earth’s surface to improve energy use – including next-generation geothermal energy, safely storing greenhouse gases contributing to climate change, mitigating impacts of fossil energy development, and nuclear waste storage and disposal. Across these varied challenges, the Subsurface Crosscut addresses several common technical issues. It plans and implements research, development, and field demonstrations emphasizing four pillars: Wellbore Integrity, Subsurface Stress and Induced Seismicity, Permeability Manipulation, and New Subsurface Signals.
Today’s selections fall under two objectives: (1) deploy and validate prototype carbon storage monitoring, verification, and accounting (MVA) technologies in an operational field environment; (2) identify and validate new subsurface signals to characterize and image the subsurface, advancing knowledge in geothermal exploration.
Projects under the first objective are required to deploy technologies or techniques associated with near-surface or subsurface monitoring at a large- or commercial-scale site for validation. These projects include:
- **Robust In Situ Strain Measurements to Monitor CO2 Storage**: Clemson University (Clemson, SC) and Georgia Institute of Technology aim to advance optical fiber borehole strainmeters' design to measure Earth's deformation. They will test improved designs at a commercial-scale injection site. DOE: $1,775,434
- **Advancing Integration of Geophysical/Reservoir Simulation Tools**: Colorado School of Mines (Golden, CO), United States Geological Survey, University of Utah seek to integrate geophysical/reservoir simulation tools for CO2 movement/storage permanence at Farnsworth, TX. DOE: $1,114,398
- **Automated High Power Permanent Seismic Source System**: GPUSA Inc. (Chatsworth, CA), Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory seek validation for GPUSA's automated borehole seismic source systems in an operational field environment. DOE: $683,699
- **Field Demonstration of Krauklis Seismic Wave Method**: University of North Dakota Energy & Environmental Research Center along with partners will deploy a low-impact method using Krauklis wave for monitoring injected CO2 at Bell Creek Field in Montana. DOE: $2,475,424
- **Validation Offshore Carbon Capture/Sequestration Tools**: Gulf Coast Carbon Center at University of Texas at Austin will deploy novel ultrahigh-resolution 3D marine seismic technology at Tomakomai Site offshore Hokkaido for MVA validation. DOE: $2,498,656
The second objective includes projects developing new approaches to characterize/image subsurface systems:
- **Novel Approach via Ambient Seismic Noise Interferometry**: Baylor University with partners will develop computer hardware/software for geothermal exploration/monitoring using a 150-node seismic system augmented by RaPiER device based on Raspberry Pi single-board computer. Validation tests will occur at Baylor University/two Nevada sites. DOE: $879,802
- **Geothermal Fault Zone Dilatancy Imaging through Integrated Analysis**: University of Utah with partners aims to improve mapping fluid-bearing permeable fractures connected to high-temperature heat sources by integrating various geophysical/geological methods. DOE: $620,000
- **Mapping Geothermal Permeability Using Passive Seismic Emission Tomography**: U.S. Geothermal Inc., Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory seek advanced imaging/characterization techniques validated at San Emidio Geothermal Plant/Crescent Valley in Nevada. DOE: $1,497 per 016
The Office of Energy Efficiency/Renewable Energy leads efforts developing/delivering market-driven solutions for energy-saving homes/buildings/manufacturing; sustainable transportation; renewable electricity generation.
The Office Of Fossil Energy funds R&D projects reducing risk/costs advanced carbon technologies/sustainable fossil resource use.
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