This project aims to understand how chemical reactions during underground fluid injection affect rock’s seismic response and stability related to earthquake risk in carbon storage and other energy systems.
Subsurface reservoirs are central to low-carbon energy technologies such as geothermal systems, hydrogen storage, and carbon dioxide sequestration. However, injecting large volumes of fluid underground can trigger unintended effects, including fluid leakage, groundwater contamination, and induced seismic events. These risks arise from complex interactions among geochemical reactions, mechanical rock deformation, and seismic responses, which remain poorly understood. This project investigates how geochemical reactions influence the hydromechanical and seismic behavior of fractured rock, using geologic carbon dioxide storage as a model system. An interdisciplinary team will conduct controlled laboratory experiments under realistic subsurface temperature and stress conditions. Carbon dioxide-saturated brine will be injected into fractured rock samples within a specialized X-ray transparent pressure vessel equipped with piezoelectric sensors for real-time acoustic monitoring. Measurements of fluid chemistry, permeability, and acoustic signals will be collected simultaneously to track coupled changes in rock properties. The resulting dataset will provide new insight into how chemical reactions alter rock structure, fluid flow, and seismic signals, improving understanding of the safety and stability of carbon storage and related subsurface energy systems.
Researchers
Anne Menefee
