Subsurface fluid flow through fractures in sedimentary basins. This project aims to improve understanding of subsurface fluid transport through fractures. Fractures in rock provide interconnected, hydraulically conductive networks enabling large-volume fluid transport through sedimentary basins. The ability of a fracture to transmit fluid is primarily controlled by the in situ stress field, but also by rock strength, fracture plane orientation and roughness and pore-fluid pressure. We have a goo ....Subsurface fluid flow through fractures in sedimentary basins. This project aims to improve understanding of subsurface fluid transport through fractures. Fractures in rock provide interconnected, hydraulically conductive networks enabling large-volume fluid transport through sedimentary basins. The ability of a fracture to transmit fluid is primarily controlled by the in situ stress field, but also by rock strength, fracture plane orientation and roughness and pore-fluid pressure. We have a good understanding of in situ stress within many sedimentary basins, but know very little about the nature and origin of natural fractures. This project aims to provide a detailed, quantitative understanding of the nature and origin of natural fractures in the subsurface, which is critical for predicting fluid migration within aquifers, carbon dioxide storage sites, and geothermal and hydrocarbon reservoirs.Read moreRead less
Multiscale physics theory to understand secondary migration of hydrocarbons. This project aims to derive mathematical models to reveal the geological history of how petroleum accumulates at laboratory, reservoir, and basin scales. The project will identify secondary migration trajectories of hydrocarbons from source rocks to stratigraphic traps, to optimise exploration for energy resources. By enabling multiscale analytical modelling, the new model will improve the reliability of reservoir chara ....Multiscale physics theory to understand secondary migration of hydrocarbons. This project aims to derive mathematical models to reveal the geological history of how petroleum accumulates at laboratory, reservoir, and basin scales. The project will identify secondary migration trajectories of hydrocarbons from source rocks to stratigraphic traps, to optimise exploration for energy resources. By enabling multiscale analytical modelling, the new model will improve the reliability of reservoir characterisation at the crucial initial exploitation stage, and prediction of oil-gas distribution in petroleum basin. The novel multiscale approach is expected to significantly improve exploration and exploitation and create highly skilled jobs to incorporate such modelling into the energy sector.Read moreRead less