SPRING 2025 SPRING 2025
EGI & University of Houston
EGI & University of Houston Joint Technical Joint Technical Conference on Energy Conference on Energy Geosciences and the Geosciences and the Energy Transition Energy Transition
Message from Message from the Director, the Director, Milind Deo, Ph.D. Milind Deo, Ph.D.
Geothermal Geothermal Consortium at the Consortium at the University of Utah University of Utah
Dr.MilindDeo,
EGI Director and Peter D. and Catherine R. Meldrum Professor of Chemical Engineering
I’m excited to share many of the research achievementscurrentlyunderwayattheEnergy& Geoscience Institute (EGI). These successes are rooted in the outstanding work of EGI’s researchers,whosededicationovertheInstitute’s more than 50-year history has established a strong foundation of research excellence. Our researchers continue to earn well-deserved recognition for their extraordinary accomplishments In the 2025 Utah Legislative Session, the Utah Legislature presented Dr. Joe Moore with an official Utah Citation of Recognition for his transformational impact on geothermal research, including his leadership of Utah FORGE, the U.S. Department of Energy’s flagship enhanced geothermal research project. AnotherrecognitioninvolvedDr.JohnMcLennan, Utah FORGE Co-Principal Investigator, received The University of Utah’s 2025 Distinguished Research Award for his exceptional research accomplishmentsinsubsurfaceenergyrecovery.
Our2024AnnualTechnicalConference,co-hosted with the University of Houston in Houston America’s energy capital was a powerful reflection of this momentum. The conference brought together leading minds from both academia and industry to explore the latest advances in enhanced geothermal systems, hydrocarbon research, grid modernization, natural hydrogen, and carbon capture and sequestration. It was a clear demonstration of how collaborative research can drive the next generationofenergyinnovation.
EGI’s pioneering work in geothermal energy continues to propel the development of enhanced geothermal technology. It’s no coincidence that the FORGE project, based in Milford, Utah, now finds itself at the center of a rapidly growing hub of geothermal industry activity and investment. On April 29, EGI hosted the launch of its new Geothermal Research Consortium,aneventthatfeaturedpresentations on cutting-edge research on high- and lowtemperature resources, deep geothermal systems, and energy storage technologies. The eventwasattendedbyfifteenleadinggeothermal companies and showed how EGI can serve as a catalystforindustryresearchcollaboration.
Beyond geothermal energy, EGI remains at the forefront of critical energy research in hydrocarbons,naturalhydrogen,gridtechnology, carboncapture,energyefficiency,andrenewable energy. EGI is also building its educational programs, including our webinar series, our Resilient Energy Geoscience & Engineering CoursesandResilientEnergyCertificateProgram.
As you explore our newsletter and website, we encourage you to connect with our team Please reach out to us if you’re interested in collaborating, supporting our initiatives, or learningmoreaboutourtransformativeresearch.
developments on modern energy technologies, from oil and gas exploration to natural hydrogen, energyefficiencyandgridresilience,carbondioxide captureandsequestration,andgeothermalenergy.
The conference aimed to bridge the gap between academiaandindustry,showcasinghowinnovative research can drive practical solutions and advancements. Attendees gained valuable insights into how these emerging technologies and methodologies can enhance operational efficiency, reduce environmental impact, and create new opportunitiesintheenergysector
Over two days, industry professionals connected with leading researchers, exchanged ideas, and explored collaborative efforts that can propel the energyindustryforward.
Speaker agenda consisted of presentations by Dr. RamananKrishnamoorti,VicePresidentforEnergyand Innovation and Professor of Petroleum Engineering at University of Houston along with EGI Director Dr MilindDeo,amongmanyothersfromtheUniversityof Houston and University of Utah. Keynote speaker Dr. ScottTinker,oftheBureauofEconomicGeologyatUT AustinandTinkerEnergyAssociates,discussedEnergy Poverty and the Energy Transition to a crowd of interestedexperts.
On Friday, Feb 14, Dr Joseph Moore, Managing Principal Investigator of Utah FORGE, part of the U’s Energy & Geoscience Institute, received a Citation of RecognitionfromtheUtahstateSenateandUtahstate House of Representatives. Utah FORGE is one of the largest grants the U has ever received. Dr. Moore was recognized for his over 50 years of dedication to researchingandadvancinggeothermalenergyinUtah, theU.S.,andaroundtheworld.
The Citation was sponsored by Sen. Nate Blouin and Rep. Colin Jack, and additionally signed by President StuartAdamsandSpeakerMikeSchultz.
University of Utah President Taylor Randall was in attendancefortheceremony.
EGI’s Dr. John McLennan, USTAR Professor with the DepartmentofChemicalEngineering,isnamedoneof the 2025 Distinguished Research Award recipients at theUniversityofUtah.
Since2009,USTARProfessorJohnMcLennanhasbeen a faculty member in the Department of Chemical Engineering at the University of Utah. Before joining theU,McLennanhadnearlythirtyyearsofexperience withpetroleumserviceandtechnologycompanies.
An expert in such diverse energy research as coalbed methane recovery, mechanical properties determinations, produced water and drill cuttings reinjection, he has worked on hundreds of subsurface energy recovery and storage projects As co-principal investigatoroftheUtahFORGEgeothermalproject,he hasbeenaleaderinenhancedgeothermalscienceand engineering, including developing innovative directional drilling and stimulation techniques for the UtahFORGEproject.
The 2025 Distinguished Research Awards honor four University of Utah faculty members whose work exemplifies lasting impact, discovery, and public good.
AttheUniversityofUtah,researchdoesn’tjuststayin the lab it moves into the world. The 2025 Distinguished Research Award honors four faculty members whose work exemplifies this mission: advancing knowledge while improving lives. Their research has led to new technologies, therapies, tools,andunderstanding bothlocallyandglobally. Presented by the Office of the Vice President for Research, the Distinguished Research Award recognizes sustained contributions to discovery, creativity, and public impact Winners receive a $10,000 grant and will be honored at General CommencementinMay.
This year’s recipients are leaders in neuroscience, biochemistry, energy systems, and mental health innovation. They represent what’s possible when researchisrigorous,purpose-driven,andrelentlessly curious.
The first recipient of the Distinguished Research Award was Professor Leroy J. Robertson in 1965. Professor Robertson was a pivotal scholar in the Department of Music who pioneered music training andcultureintheIntermountainWest.Overthenext six decades, we have honored faculty across the university,thoughtheawardremainsquiteselective Fewer than 170 faculty have received the DistinguishedResearchAwardsinceitbegan
Seethefulllistof2025DistinguishedResearchAward recipientshere. OfficeoftheVicePresidentforResearch
The Energy & Geoscience Institute (EGI) at the University ofUtahhasbeenengagedingeothermalresearchforover 50 years. The basic research includes resource assessment and engineering analyses of conventional hydrothermal and unconventional enhanced geothermal systems (EGS) EGI manages FORGE – Frontier Observatory for Research in Geothermal Energy, a signatureUSDepartmentofEnergyEGSproject
EGI is creating an Industrial Geothermal Consortium to facilitatethenextgenerationofgeothermaltechnologies
The kick-off meeting was held on April 29th For those attendinginperson,thegrouplaterleftforafieldtripto MilfordwithatriptotheUtahFORGEsiteplannedforthe nextday.
Apart from deep geothermal resource exploitation, the consortium will also explore energy storage, groundsource heat pump applications, and thermal energy networkapplications.
The event was led by distinguished geothermal research and industry leaders partnering with EGI on the developmentofEGI'sGeothermalConsortium.
EGIDirector,Dr.MilindDeo,openedthemeetingwithan overviewoftheconsortium'svisionandgoals,followed byaseriesofhigh-poweredtechnicalsessions,including:
Deep,High-TemperatureResources
Dr.JoeMoore,FORGEPrincipalInvestigator
GregLeveille,CEOofTidalWaveTechnologiesand formerCTOofConocoPhillips
Dr.KristinePankow,inducedseismicityleadatthe UniversityofUtah
EnergyStorageInnovations
Dr ThomasKohl,KarlsruheInstituteofTechnology, Germany
Low-TemperatureResources
Dr.JohnMcLennan,FORGECo-PI
Thesesessionsrepresentedauniqueopportunityto engagedirectlywithrenownedexpertsanddiscuss opportunitiestoadvanceyourcompany'sobjectives throughEGI'sGeothermalConsortium.
1 Regions discussed in the conferences and workshops Natural hydrogen occurrences from Setoyama et al (2024, StoryMaps)
In the last quarter of 2024 and the first quarter of 2025,IhadtheprivilegeofattendingtheUniversity of Utah & University of Houston joint technical conference, H-NAT 2024, the Surf’Hy symposium organised by USGS and IFPEN, the GeHyGeNet workshop at the Edinburgh Climate Change Institute, and the Natural Hydrogen Workshop in JapanbyJOGMEC,JAPT,andNEDO.
Each event attracted unique groups of presenters andattendees,offeringavarietyofperspectiveson natural hydrogen research and commercialisation. H-NAT, being the largest and most international, coveredabreadthoftopics,includingupdatesfrom exploration and prospectivity programs in various countries (Figure 1) and panel sessions on finance and regulatory issues. The Surf’Hy symposium focused more on exploration strategies, with emphasis on methodologies for hydrogen seepage monitoring and isotope analyses for source identification.
EGINATURALHYDROGENRESEARCHTEAM
TheGeHyGeNetworkshopfeaturedpresentationsfrom CO2 and H2 storage experts and panel sessions on commercialisation and global hydrogen generation potential. It also explored topics such as microbial hydrogen metabolism, hydrogen leakage risks, and its environmentalimpacts.TheworkshopinJapanopened with keynotes by Geoffrey Ellis (USGS) and Douglas Wicks (ARPA-E), followed by technical presentations and a panel discussion regarding natural hydrogen potentialinJapan.
DuringtheUU&UHjointtechnicalconference,we had presentations and a brainstorming session that addressed various aspects of natural hydrogen, including economics and a new multispectral image analysis method to identify naturalhydrogenseeps
At H-NAT, over 30 exhibitors showcased cuttingedgeequipment,software,andconsultingservices for natural hydrogen exploration. Following the event, Vinci Technologies kindly gave me a tour of theirlabs,whereIhadanopportunitytoseeHNATEvalinoperationandacorefloodingsystemready for hydrogen experiments Both are bespoke adaptations of equipment widely used in petroleum exploration for natural hydrogen explorationworkflows.
The five events provided me with valuable opportunitiestonetworkandshareideaswithnew and familiar acquittances and keep myself up-todate with the rapid developments happening around the globe. Here are five of my key takeawaysfromtheconferencesandworkshops:
1)Thepublishedinformationandthepresentations from the conferences and workshops (Figure 1) indicate many studies and exploration programs have been dictated by the availability of existing data, such as gas composition data from vintage well reports and sub-circular depressions. Prospectivity/favourability mapping, which integrates subsurface geology (eg, Gelman et al, 2025, USGS Professional Papers) and the application of remote sensing technology, may shed light on prospects in unexplored areas for furtherstudy.
2) Lab experiments and basin-scale modelling in various studies demonstrated that water movement is crucial for the generation, migration, and accumulation of natural hydrogen at the moleculartobasinscales.
3)Equipmentandsoftwareforcharacterisationand modelling of the components and processes of natural hydrogen systems are rapidly becoming available
4) Globally, there are now more than 100 natural hydrogen-related companies (Wicks, 2025, Natural HydrogenWorkshopinJapan) Whilealltheevents gathered attendees from both the industry and academia, my impression is that there is more enthusiasm in the industry than in academia, indicating room for closer industrial–academic cooperation.
5) Successful exploration and exploitation of natural hydrogen require a team of experts from various fields, including oil & gas, porous media storage (CO2, CH4, and H2), geothermal energy, hydrogeology, mining, microbiology, and remote sensing. By combining our knowledge and experience, we can expedite natural hydrogen research and exploration, generating more data and information to deepen our understanding of the complex systems, and the technical and commercial feasibility of natural hydrogen exploitation can finally be assessed based on much-desired production data from large-scale commercialprojects.
Most of the research and exploration programmes wereinprogressatthetimeoftheevents.Wecan expect substantial results and exciting developments in natural hydrogen research in the comingmonths.
IfyouareinterestedinlearningabouttheNatural HydrogenKnowledgePlatform,pleasecontactthe projectteam.
EiichiSetoyama(esetoyama@egiutahedu) BryonyRichards(brichards@egiutahedu) ChristopherKesler(ckesler@egi.utah.edu)
By Steve Handy, Joseph Moore
Steve Handy is a former Utah legislator and the Utah director for The Western Way. Dr. Joseph Moore is a research professor at the Energy & Geoscience Institute at the University of Utah and the managing principal investigator of the Utah FORGE project.
America’s next energy revolution isn’t a distant dream;it’srightatourfeet.Ortobemoreaccurate, it’s right beneath our feet, in the same geological depths where we currently produce oil and natural gas.
U.S. Department of Energy Secretary Chris Wright, who knows this industry well, recently spoke at a geothermal event and said that a mature geothermal industry could “better energize our country and improve the quality of life for everyone. It could help enable AI, manufacturing, reshoringandstoptheriseofourelectricityprices.”
Geothermal energy a reliable, 24/7 power source offers a clear path to strengthening our grid, lowering costs and securing true energy independence Not only that, but geothermal energy also draws on the same oil and gas production technologies that transformed Americaintoaglobalenergysuperpower.
A new education and workforce development initiative offered by the University of Utah.
Astheenergytransitionunfolds,geoscienceand engineeringstudentsandtheexistingworkforcewillneed tobetrainedinthescienceandtechnologyofnewer energyextractionandcarbonmanagementconcepts
Theseconceptswillbedevelopedthroughfive modularizedcoursesatthegraduatelevels
This course will cover all aspects of renewables including hydrogen, wind, solar, bio-gas, geothermal, and nextgenerationnuclear ThisrecognizesUtah’sRenewableEnergy corridorandhighlightstheUniversityofUtah’sleadershipin high and low-temperature geothermal energy For example, EGI’sFORGEprojectisaone-of-a-kindresearchproject.Italso providesanunmatchedteachingandtrainingopportunity.
CCUS is encompassed by carbon management. Carbon management is becoming an important skillset for all. This coursewillprovideabackgroundintechnical,environmental, and policy issues relevant to carbon capture, as well as CO2 utilizationtechnologiesandsequestration.
Complementary to exposure to carbon management concepts, the workforce should appreciate managing energy. This course will focus on energy optimization, alternative energy usage, and smart grid technologies. Studies will be introduced to cyber security considerations relevanttothegridandenergysecurity.
Energy, mineral, water, soil and food resources are generated through complex, interacting sets of materials and processes operating at the Earth’s subsurface, land surface,oceansandtheatmosphere Thiscoursepresentsan in-depth understanding of Earth’s dynamic systems and substances, how geoscience techniques are employed for energy and mineral exploration and extraction, and how geoscienceskillsetsareessentialtoenergytransitiontolowcarbon economies with environment-friendly and secure energysupplies
The energy business landscape is changing. Startups, entrepreneurial ventures, and social consciousness are transforming as well. This course will cover the growing world of energy startups and monetization of energy technologiesincludingpolicyandsocietalissues.
Rasoul Sorkhabi, Ph.D., Professor, Research Scientist
AtthebeginningofMay,Dr. SorkhabiledawebinarforThe UniversityofUtahon geoscienceeducationand workforcedevelopment.While preparingforthepresentation, hecameacrossacoupleof newreportsongeoscienceeducation,research,and professionaldevelopment
Thisarticleoriginallyappearedin Core Elements onaapg.org. 5May,2025Edition57
TheAmericanGeosciencesInstitute(AGI)recently publishedareportontheeconomicanalysisofthecosts andbenefitsofgeologicalmappingintheUnitedStates from1994to2019.
Governmentspendingongeologicalmapping conductedbytheU.S.GeologicalSurveyandState GeologicalSurveys from1994to2019totalednearly$2 billion(in2020dollars).Let’sseewhatthenationwas abletoaccomplishwiththatmoney
Surveymethod:AGIsentaquestionnairetomorethan 81,000 stakeholders to assess how they used, and benefited from, the geological maps Researchers received responses from 4,779 individuals from all 50 states
Findings:
About 63 percent of respondents worked in the privatesectorand37percentinthepublicsector. Roughly 81 percent of respondents used 1:62,500 maps, 37 precent used 1:24,000 maps, and 35 percentpreferredmoredetailedmaps
The “most conservative cumulative monetary value of maps” that stakeholders used was seven to 10 times higher than their production cost of $1.99 billion. The “maximum value estimates” ranged 23 to35timestheproductioncosts.
Users from California topped the list followed by Nevada, Utah, Illinois, Colorado, Texas, and Pennsylvania
Howdidtheyusethegeologicalmaps?Themaps wereusedinthefollowingsectors:
Resourceexploration(groundwaterandsurfacewater, industrial minerals and metals, oil and gas, coal, and geothermalpower)
Environmental consulting (environmental impact assessment, environmental management and conservations,pollutionprevention,andremediation)
Hazard assessment and mitigation (floods, soil, erosion,subsidence,landslides,andactivefaults)
Engineeringprojects(roads,highways,bridges,dams, wastedisposalsites,pipelines,etc.)
City planning (zoning and building codes, and landscapedesign)
Regional planning (waste disposal sites, distribution routes for utilities, land-use planning for parks and wildernessareas)
Property evaluation (hazard identification, land acquisition, conservation, mining claims, petroleum andgeothermalleasing,andtaxestimation)
Researchandeducationinschoolsanduniversities
Public activities (hiking, field trips, recreation parks, rockhoundingandmineralprospecting)
Godeeper:ReadthefullAGIreportonline
Thegeosciencessupportavibranteconomy,national securitystrategies,futureinnovationsandinfrastructures, publicprotection,andbuildingU.S.diplomaticinfluence acrosstheworld.Howdoesthistakeshape?The AmericanGeosciencesInstitute’s2025CriticalNeeds Reportprovidessomeanswers.
Geoscience-drivenindustries:Thereportstatesthattwo major industries petroleum and minerals are driven by geoscientists’knowledgeandexpertise
In 2023, these two sectors employed more than 650,000 jobs and accounted for nearly $700 billion of U.S.grossdomesticproducts.
Otheractionareas:Accordingtothereport,geoscientists contribute directly and significantly to the following efforts:
Mineralandenergysecurity
Mitigatingtheimpactofnaturalhazards
Leadingsustainableagriculture
Wateravailability
Securingsupplychains
Supportingtheinsuranceindustry
Catalyzinganinnovativeworkforce
Environmentalcompliance
Doyouseeanymissingfromthislist?Anythingyouwork onorstudythatyoufeelwasoverlooked?
Natural disaster research: Another key impact area for geoscienceisinnaturaldisasterresearchandprediction.
The number of natural disasters in the United States causingatleast$1billiondollarsindamagehasincreased from three in 1980 to 24 in 2024; however, improved forecasting, risk management, and infrastructure resiliencehavemitigatedtheirimpacts.
Severestormsarethemostfrequentdisastersfollowedby hurricanesandfloods.
Ifsuccessful,theUS GeologicalSurvey’snextgeneration of Landsat satellites will be able to assist in identifying natural hazards For instance, new wildfires can be identifiedinlessthan30minutes
Godeeper:Readthe2025AGICriticalNeedsReporthere.
TheWorldEconomicForumhaspublishedits“Futureof Jobs Report” that analyzes skills employers feel will be critical to future employment. The results offer important insights and recommendations for geoscientistsandgeoscienceteachersandstudents
Wheredidtheygettheirdata?Thereportisbasedona surveyofmorethan1,000leadingglobalemployerswho collectively represent more than 14 million workers across22industriesand55countries.
Macrotrends: The employers identified several macrotrendstransformingthebusinesslandscape.Many of these drivers pertain to the geoscience community, including:
Broadeningdigitalaccess
Increasedeffortsandinvestmentsinreducing carbonemissionsandadaptingtoclimatechange
Aginganddecliningworkforcepopulations
Increasedgeopoliticaldivisionandconflicts
Increasedrestrictionstoglobaltradeand investments
Trending technologies: Several technologies are transformingthebusinesslandscape,including:
Artificialintelligenceandinformationtechnology
Energygeneration,storage,anddistribution
Newmaterials
Satelliteandspacetechnologies
Core skills: The report argues that workers should expect 39 percent of their existing skills will be transformed or outdated by 2030 It then names eight skills that more than 50 percent of the employers surveyedsaywillbecriticaltoemploymentby2030:
AIandbigdatatechnologyproficiencyand management
Technologicalliteracy
Curiosityandlife-longlearning
Creativethinking
Resilience,flexibility,andagility
Talentmanagement,leadership,andsocial influence
Analyticalandsystematicthinking
Self-motivation
Why it matters: These skillsets can inform how we educate, train, and mentor future generations of geoscientists
Godeeper:Readthereporthere.
Core Elements is a weekly, free, and online news bulletin on the latest developments in geoscienceandenergybroughtbytheAAPGto thecommunity
Sign up to directly receive the future editions ofCoreElementseveryMonday here.
EGIconductsnumerousprojectsincarbonsequestrationwhereinlargeamountsofanthropogenicCO₂emissions aretargetedforinjectionintodeepsalineaquifersorothersuitablegeologicformations.EGI'sresearchportfolio onlow-carbontechnologiesincludesworkincarboncapture,utilizationandstorage.
InternationalJournalofGreenhouseGasControl Volume143,May2025,104359
TingXiao,Ph.D.,Research AssistantProfessor
Carbondioxide(CO2) capture,utilization,and storage(CCUS)is consideredakeysolution tomitigategreenhousegas emissionsandlimit climatechange.Risk assessmentand managementareessential forCCUSprojects.
This article presents a case study of the Uinta Basin CarbonSAFE Phase II project to identify and assess potential risks associated with the development of commercial-scaleCCUSintheUintaBasin,easternUtah, UnitedStates(U.S.),byanonlinequestionnairefromsix categories: economy, legal/policy, environment, social, management, and technicality. Specifically, 138 features,events,andprocesses(FEP)areidentifiedand evaluated by feedback from project participants, experts,andresidents
Financial viability and CCUS legislation/policy are recognized as the highest-ranked risks. These are not uniquetotheUintaBasin,buttotheU.S.andtheworld. Updated legislation and policy incentives are expected to drive further development of CCUS, reduce the cost, andachieveclimateexpectations.
Technical concerns include potential faults/fractures and their activation/growth, which require further quantitative assessment. In contrast, job loss is considered as a low risk, indicating potential economic growthwiththedeploymentofCCUS.
The results also suggest that preventive and mitigative activities should include technical assistance to operators and stakeholders regarding the most recent CCUS policies and requirements, and training programs for the next generationoftheworkforce.
This study provides an example of identifying potential risks at an early stage for CCUS deployment, and the responses of Uinta Basin residents can help establish effective communication channels between the project teamandthelocalcommunity.
Readfullarticlehere: sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S175058362500057X
KevinMcCormak,Directorofthe CarbonScienceInitiative,hosted EGIwebinarinMarch
In March, Dr McCormack participated in our spring EGI webinar series with a discussion on: Geologic carbon sequestration, geomechanics, and induced seismicity for theenergytransition.
“The injection of supercritical carbon dioxide into the subsurface is a proposed strategy to help mitigate the release of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. Much of the science and engineering of the process of geologic carbon sequestration (GCS) is mature, but still the risks need to be assessed on a site-by-site basis. ”
YoucanreadmoreaboutDr.McCormack’spresentationon page14,alongwiththeotherwebinarsthattookplacethis spring.Allrecordingsarenowavailable.
KEVIN L. MCCORMACK, PH.D. DIRECTOR OF THE CARBON SCIENCE INITIATIVE
Geologiccarbonsequestration, geomechanics,andinduced seismicityfortheenergy transition
The injection of supercritical carbon dioxide into the subsurface is a proposed strategy to help mitigate the release of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. Much of the science and engineering of the process of geologic carbonsequestration(GCS)ismature,butstilltherisksneed to be assessed on a site-by-site basis. One technical risk is thechanceofinducingearthquakesfromtheinjection.This risk poses an existential threat for the industry where induced earthquakes could cause the social license to operatetoberevoked,whichlendsimportancetoourwork. In the webinar, Dr. McCormack explored a strategy that has been developed over the last several years to identify and characterize faults for their geomechanical stability and hence hazard for induced seismicity. While this science has beendevelopedforGCS,itisapplicableinothersectorssuch as wastewater disposal, enhanced geothermal, and hydrogen storage. The talk began with an overview of the present-day GCS landscape. Next, two case studies were used to demonstrate the efficacy of the hazard forecasting. Followingtheforecastingwillbeadetaileddescriptionofthe granularityanalysisthatallowshazardtobeassessedbased onthelocationwithinafault.Thefourthsectionofthetalk discussed maximum magnitude prediction within injection operations, and finally, concluded with a synopsis and future directions. In sum, the talk depicted the state-of-theartofinducedseismicityhazardforecasting.
PENGJU XING, PH D RESEARCH ASSOCIATE
Thermalcoolingeffectoflong-
Understanding the injectivity change associated with longterm injection is relevant for geothermal operations. Chemical, thermoelastic, and poroelastic effects can all result in injectivity changes. In EGS, cold water is continuously injected into the injection well. This study investigated the data from the Raft River Enhanced Geothermal System (EGS) project and showed that the injectivity increase can be explained as a result of thermoelastic stress and aperture changes. This study focuses on interpreting the injectivity increase from the perspectiveofthethermalcoolingeffect.Whencoldwateris circulated through a fracture in a geothermal reservoir, the adjacent rock’s temperature is reduced and a tensile thermoelastic stress change is imposed. There is rock contraction and fracture aperture increase. Fracture apertureincreasesneartheinjectionpointduetothermally induced stresses, causing a reduction in the fluid injection pressure and hence injectivity increase. A similar injectivity increase phenomenon was also observed in a circulation test at the Utah FORGE site. The increase in injectivity suggests that cooling could play an important role in the development of reservoir conductivity and could be an importantmechanismforEGSreservoirdevelopment.
RASOUL SORKHABI, PH D PROFESSOR, RESEARCH SCIENTIST
GeoscienceEducationand WorkforceDevelopment:
Prospects
Although major universities and colleges currently offer geoscience programs in the USA and overseas, the geoscience community, in general, and geoscience education, in particular, face pressing challenges in these changing times Please join us for a discussion on this important topic as geoscience skillsets and workforce are criticaltomeettheincreasingneedsforenergyandmineral resources, environmental sustainability, and societal resilience, and it is high time to strengthen geoscience education
Bitter-sweet day Last day as State Geo Director of the Utah Geological Survey Th come to retire. It has been an amazing working such a wonderful group of passi andscientists.
Thanks to all who made my career a adventure.Weplantohavemoreadventure willbeatriptoIcelandinamonthwithagr geologyalumniandstudents.
In April, EGI hosted a short course on Machi Methods in Science which consisted of le explain the high-level concepts under connected neural networks, convolution networks (CNN), clustering methods, Recur Networks,andChatGPT
ThecursewastaughtbyDr.GerardSchuster, learning expert, and Professor of Ge gy Geophysics. The goal was for attendees to learn the basicsofsomeMLmethodsandtheirimplementationon free software that can be used for solving real-world problems.
AlisoCanyonBlowout&Recovery
OnOctober23,2015,thelargest methaneleakfromanaturalgas storagefacilityinUShistorywas discovered by the Southern California Gas Company (SoCal Gas)attheSS-25wellinitsAliso CanyonStorageFacilitynearLos Angeles.
The blowout continued for 111 days and the well was permanently plugged and abandoned after emitting approximately 5 BCf of natural gas and extracting the failedcasingtoapproximately890feetsubsurface.The failurewasthetopicoflengthyreportsbyUSDOEand DOT and Root Cause Analyses by Blade Energy and Californiastateagencies.
Alan Walker was in his first week as a Supervising PetroleumEngineeroftheCaliforniaDivisionofOil,Gas, andGeothermalResources(DOGGR)whentheleakwas discoveredandwasselectedtobeDOGGR’semergency response technical lead. He provided regulatory oversightforsevenkillattempts,reliefwelldrilling,the Control-Cement-Confirm operation, requirements to return the facility to service, and developing storage operationsregulations.
Alanwillprovideafrankdiscussionoftheblowoutand thefive-yearefforttoimproveintegrityofunderground storage. This talk has applicability for repurposing and retrofitting projects globally. Alan will motivate the audience to develop a safety culture including Management of Change, Root Cause Analysis, and to “NeverWasteaCrisis.”
Bryony Richards, Ph.D., Senior Research Scientist
The Whirlpool Galaxy, also known as Messier 51 (M51) or NGC 5194, is a stunninggrand-designspiralgalaxywith two prominent, well-defined arms. It lies in the constellation Canes Venatici, near the handle of the Big Dipper (Ursa Major), at a distance of roughly 25–30 millionlight-yearsfromEarth.
Appearing nearly face-on, M51 showcases long, graceful lanes of stars and gas laced with dust, characteristic of its spiral class ItwasfirstcatalogedbyCharlesMessierin1773andlater became the first galaxy identified with a spiral structure (by Lord Rosse in 1845) M51’s spiral arms are not just beautiful, they are stellar nurseries, compressing hydrogen gas and birthingclustersofnewstars.
InteractionwithGalaxyNGC5195andStarFormation
M51’s beauty is enhanced by its cosmic dance with a smaller companion galaxy, NGC 5195, which appears near the tip of one of M51’s spiral arms. Astronomers have long suspected thattheWhirlpool’sgrandspiralarmsowetheirprominenceto thiscloseencounter.ThegravitationaltugofNGC5195creates tidal
forcesthatcompressgasinM51’sdisk,triggeringburstsofstar formationalongthespiralarms.Indeed,Hubbleobservations showNGC5195currentlypassingbehindM51,havingglided pastitforhundredsofmillionsofyears.
ObservingM51intheSpringandSummer
M51isafavoritetargetforamateurastronomers,especiallyin thespringmonths FromtheNorthernHemisphere,the WhirlpoolGalaxyisbestobservedduringMarch,April,andMay whenitrideshighintheeveningsky.(AroundMay,it culminatesnearzenithbyabout10to11PMMST)Observersat mid-northernlatitudes(above~40°N)canseeM51formuchof theyear,itevenstayscircumpolar(neversetting)fromabout 42°Nnorthward.DuringsummereveningsM51isstillvisiblein thenorthwesternsky,thoughitwillbelowerandbestobserved earlieratnight.
Above: A detailed, high-resolution image of the Whirlpool Galaxy (M51) captured over approximately 30 hours of exposure at the scientist’s private observatory in Emigration Canyon, Utah. This striking image clearly reveals the intricate structure of the galaxy’s spiral arms, star-forming regions (highlighted in pink and red), and the interacting companion galaxy, NGC 5195, visible at the bottom of the frame. The image provides an exceptional view of cosmic interactions driving star formation and shaping galactic structures.
Althoughitsintegratedbrightnessisaboutmagnitude8.4, M51’s light is spread over a ~11′ area, so dark skies and a finderchartareinvaluable.TolocateM51:
1.First, identify Alkaid (η Ursae Majoris), the end star of theBigDipper’shandle.
2. From Alkaid, look about 3° to the west (roughly a binocular field) to find the 4th-magnitude star 24 Canum Venaticorum.
3. Then, move about 1° north-east to a 6th-magnitude star,andcontinueabout2°southtoasmalltriangleof7thmagnitude stars M51 is located just west of the southernmoststarinthattriangle
Dvory,N.(2025).OptimizinghydraulicfracturingintheParadoxformation:AgeomechanicalstudyoftheCane Creekplay. World Oil.
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