Subsurface Stress

Strainmeters at Avant Field, Oklahoma. Photo courtesy of Clemson University DE-FE0028292.

Subsurface Stress Overview:

Subsurface Stress focuses on development of technologies to predict and assess geomechanical impacts of carbon dioxide (CO₂) injection related to potential induced seismicity and to detect and analyze microseismic events should they occur. In situ stress is one of the key variables in predicting the geomechanical impacts, including potential induced seismicity, of pressure migration due to injection into a storage complex. In situ stress refers to the magnitude and direction of the stresses that exist in the subsurface before injection begins. Research is needed to reduce uncertainty in knowledge of the state of stress and resulting strains at potential storage sites and to improve the accuracy of tools and methods used to determine in situ stresses. Also, in many areas with potential storage opportunities, there is little existing data on in situ stresses, particularly in the basement. Subsurface Stress research includes the development of tools and methods to determine the subsurface state of stress, and geomechanical modeling to analyze the potential for slip-on fractures and faults and predict potential induced seismicity. In addition, tools and methods for acquisition, processing, modeling, and interpretation of microseismic events are being developed to continuously monitor CO₂ storage sites.

Subsurface Stress Project Landing Pages
Improving Subsurface Stress Characterization for Carbon Dioxide Storage Projects by Incorporating Machine Learning Techniques	New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology (NMIMT)
	FE0031684
Identification of Faults Susceptible to Induced Seismicity	University of Illinois
Identification of Faults Susceptible to Induced Seismicity	FE0031685
Refining Principal Stress Measurements in Reservoir Underburden in Regions of Induced Seismicity Through Seismological Tools, Laboratory Experiements and Theory	Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI)
	FE0031687
Development of Thermal Breakout Technology for Determining In Situ Stress	RESPEC Company, LLC
	FE0031688
Casing Annulus Monitoring of CO₂ Injection Using Wireless Autonomous Distributed Sensor Networks	University of Texas at Austin
	FE0031856
Seismic Elastic Double-Beam Characterization of Faults and Fractures for CO₂ Storage Site Selection	University of Houston
	FE0032063
Managing a Gigatonne CCS Future: A Framework for Basin-scale Storage Optimization Based on Geomechanical Studies	Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL)
	FWP-FP00015629

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