This is a past event.

This event will be held in the GLRC. Refreshments and a social will be held at 3:30pm in the GLRC Lobby, with the lecture to follow at 4:00pm in GLRC 202.

Dr. Daisy Ning, Assistant Professor in the Department of Geological and Mining Engineering and Science at Michigan Tech, will give a talk on Monday, September 15. The title of the talk is "Integrating Subsurface Modeling and Monitoring for Sustainable Geoenergy Futures."

Abstract: Achieving a sustainable geoenergy future requires the safe and efficient use of the subsurface for a variety of applications, including geothermal energy, hydrogen storage, and geological carbon sequestration (GCS). This requires a deep understanding of subsurface processes, predictive modeling, and real-time monitoring to ensure environmental safety and system reliability. Among these, GCS has emerged as a critical strategy for mitigating climate change by securely storing CO₂ in deep saline aquifers. This seminar will explore how integrating subsurface fluid flow simulation, coupled fluidgeomechanical modeling, and advanced fiber optic sensing can address key challenges in GCS and contribute to broader geoenergy applications. It begins by establishing the fundamentals of subsurface fluid flow simulation, emphasizing numerical modeling approaches for geological reservoirs. The discussion extends to coupled fluid-geomechanical simulations, essential for estimating reservoir deformation and ensuring long-term storage integrity. An integral component of the seminar is the application of distributed fiber optic sensing (DFOS) to monitor potential
fractures induced by CO₂ injection, a key factor in preventing leakage and induced seismicity. By integrating computational modeling with real-time monitoring, this work advances not only secure, large-scale CO₂ sequestration but also builds a foundation for broader subsurface resources management.

Bio: Daisy Ning is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Geological and Mining Engineering and Sciences (GMES) at Michigan Technological University. She earned her PhD in Petroleum Engineering from the Colorado School of Mines, where she later served as a Research Assistant Professor in the Department of Geophysics. Her research spans carbon capture and storage (CCUS), geothermal energy, subsurface hydrogen storage, and critical minerals, with an interdisciplinary approach that integrates geoscience, engineering, and data science. She applies multiphase flow modeling, geomechanics, and fiber-optic sensing to advance subsurface energy systems and currently leads an $11 million DOE-funded carbon sequestration project in California focused on field-scale monitoring and predictive modeling for safe, long-term CO₂ storage.