Basic Research Needs for Geosciences - Energetics Meetings and ...

GRAND CHALLENGE:INTEGRATED CHARACTERIZATION, MODELING, AND MONITORING OF GEOLOGIC SYSTEMSgeomechanical and geophysical datasets into a cohesive subsurface understanding of dynamicsystem behavior. Particular challenges are associated with:• The ability to use remote datasets to provide quantitative estimates of subsurface processes• The integration of multiple types of monitoring datasets that sample different parametersover different time and space scales• The coupling of advanced monitoring and multiphase modeling to improve ourunderstanding and predictability of subsurface responses to large-scale anthropogenicmanipulations over decadal to century time scalesSuch a revolutionary improvement in geosystem modeling will require breakthroughs in appliedmathematics, computational science, numerical methods, and inverse theory; a simple retoolingof existing codes will not achieve the desired results. Coupling relationships between criticalgeophysical, geochemical and geological properties need to be established and quantifiedthrough new efforts in laboratory studies, a priori modeling, and examination of field data. Theimpact of this work will be an ability to generate meaningful interpretations from large anddisparate datasets through a data-driven modeling approach, along with model-driven datacollection and monitoring focused by insights obtained from the modeling. Examples ofscientific impacts include:• An unprecedented quantification of coupled hydrogeological-geochemical-geomechanicalprocesses under both natural and perturbed conditions that will lead to a new understandingof critical behavior at relevant scales• Improved imaging, inverse, and coupled monitoring-simulation capabilities that promote abetter understanding and prediction of complex and coupled subsurface responses toperturbations over decadal to century time scales• Identification of rare, extreme mechanisms that may be triggered by large-scalemanipulations, but may not have been recognized during the development of the initialconceptual modelAn important technological advance of integrated characterization and monitoring will be thedevelopment of systems that can be routinely used to detect and quantify phenomena that providethe earliest indication of processes that are unexpected in the manipulated system. Aparticularly important example is the development of monitoring technology and strategies forearly identification and quantification of CO 2 leaks, so that the hazard can be mitigated orremediated before the overall storage system integrity is compromised.SCIENTIFIC CHALLENGESOptimal detail in geological modelingEnergy-related problems in the geosciences involve consideration of a multitude of physical andgeochemical processes that are active over a wide range of spatial and temporal scales. Acomprehensive simulation framework must be flexible enough to exploit and adapt actively tointegrated coupling of processes over this continuum of scales. The characteristics of such aframework are described elsewhere in this report. There are currently fundamental limitations inthe ability of models to represent all necessary scales and processes of interest in an integrated80 Basic Research Needs for Geosciences: Facilitating 21 st Century Energy Systems