Earth Sciences Division Berkeley Lab
Annual Report 2000–2001
RESOURCE DEPARTMENT
GEOPHYSICS AND GEOMECHANICS Ernest L. Majer 510/486-6709 elmajer@lbl.gov
The Geophysics and Geomechanics Department performs a wide variety of work, ranging from fundamental to applied research.
SCIENTIFIC THRUSTS The department is organized into three diff e rent re s e a rc h areas: • Seismology (including the Center for Computational Seismology) • Electrical and Potential Methods • Rock and Soil Physics These groups work closely together to address issues in subsurface imaging over a wide range of scales. The scientific t h rusts have been in joint inversion, wave propagation in complex media (seismic and electromagnetic), coupled-pro c e s s definition, and heterogeneity definition. New areas of research are in fluid imaging and “smart” reservoir exploitation. Much of the work focuses on developing and applying high-re s o l u t i o n geophysical methods to derive physical, chemical, and biological properties affecting flow and transport in heterogeneous media. A prime example is the work funded by the Department of Energy’s Natural and Accelerated Bioremediation Researc h (NABIR) program for bacterial injection work. Another primary thrust involves using geophysical methods for fracture quantification. This thrust is evident in the range of studies (from fundamental to applied) that we carry out for DOE’s Fossil Energ y, Environmental Restoration, Nuclear Waste, and Geothermal programs.
The Geophysics and Geomechanics Department is unique within the national laboratory and academic communities in having equally strong theoretical, modeling, lab, field/data acquisition, and pro c e s s i n g / i n t e r p retation capabilities. The department also works very closely with industrial partners in oil and gas and geothermal applications. This both strengthens the applied work and provides feedback into the fundamental studies.
INTEGRATED APPROACH TO FUTURE WORK The future thrusts of the department are to continue to develop, test, and apply high-resolution geophysical methods not only for characterizing static properties of the subsurface, but for estimating dynamic properties as well. We plan to accomplish this through an integrated effort of theoretical, laboratory, and field programs. A specific thrust will be in the joint use of seismic and electrical methods for subsurface imaging and fluid-properties characterization. We have found that to a d d ress complex issues such as site remediation, flow and transport in fracture systems, vadose zone transport, CO2 sequestration, and reservoir stimulation, we must use an integrated approach to geophysics and geomechanics.
FUNDING The work of the Geophysics and Geomechanics Department is derived from a variety of U.S. Department of Energy and Work For Others sources. The primary sources of funding are the DOE’s Office of Science (Basic Energy Sciences/Chemical Sciences and Office of Biological and Environmental Researc h ) , O ffice of Fossil Energ y. Other funding sources include the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Air Force Office of Scientific Research, and the U.S. Geological Survey’s Earthquake Hazard Reduction Program. Support has also been received f rom a variety of oil and service companies, including BP, Chevron, Conoco, Exxon, Schlumberger, and Shell Oil.
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