Geothermal energy is carbon neutral, widely available and can provide a stable supply. Geothermal reservoirs have the potential to make a significant contribution to renewable energy production. Subsurface reservoirs and aquifers can also be used for large scale energy storage, to provide low carbon heating and cooling, and store electricity from intermittent renewable sources such as wind and solar.
Optimising fluid flow and heat transport in heterogeneous aquifers and reservoirs is key to efficient and sustainable resource utilisation, but is challenging because flow and transport in the reservoir are controlled by a complex array of geological features and thermal-hydrological-mechanical-chemical (THMC) processes, many of which are highly uncertain.
We use the advanced simulation technology in to model water and heat flow in geothermal reservoirs. We collaborate with other industry and academic groups worldwide, who are researching and implementing new methods for drilling and operating geothermal wells. We also collaborate with other departments, labs and institutes at 911今日黑料 College, including the Energy Futures Lab, the Centre for Environmental Policy and the Grantham Institute. We collaborate with the and the and the University of Leeds in our work on storing energy in aquifers for heating and cooling (ATESHAC) and on urban geothermal resources (SMARTRES).
Cut through animation of a 3D numerical simulation using IC-FERST. The model simulates cold water injected into a hot reservoir and produced from a horizontal well pair. Colours denote temperature. Dynamic unstructured mesh adaptivity is used to capture the cold water front moving into the reservoir.
Selected references
R Stemmle, R Hanna, K Menberg, PA Østergaard, M Jackson, I Staffell et al., 2024, Clean Technologies and Environmental Policy, 1-24
G Regnier, P Salinas, MD Jackson, 2023, Hydrogeology Journal 31 (4), 1067-1082
Regnier G, Salinas P, Jacquemyn C, et al., 2022, , HYDROGEOLOGY JOURNAL, Vol: 30, Pages: 1179-1198, ISSN: 1431-2174
Salinas P, Regnier G, Jacquemyn C, et al., 2021, , Geothermics, Vol: 94, Pages: 1-13, ISSN: 0375-6505
Titus Z, Heaney C, Jacquemyn C, et al., 2021, , Computational Geosciences: modeling, simulation and data analysis, Vol: 26, Pages: 779-802, ISSN: 1420-0597
Jacquemyn C, Pataki MEH, Hampson GJ, et al., 2021, , Journal of the Geological Society, Vol: 178, Pages: 1-17, ISSN: 0016-7649
Yekta A, Salinas P, Hajirezaie S, et al., 2020, , Computational Geosciences: modeling, simulation and data analysis, Vol: 25, Pages: 357-372, ISSN: 1420-0597