As a low carbon, clean, non-intermittent energy source, geothermal energy delivery is the centre of our study in this strand. Our group focuses on constraining the amount of energy that is accessible from geothermal systems and investigating other novel forms for energy storage in the subsurface. Research in this area involves further developing and applying coupled process (thermal, hydraulic, mechanical and chemical) numerical models to evaluate the amount of energy accessible in geothermal systems. Current projects The Edinburgh Imaging Project (EIP) The Edinburgh Imaging Project (EIP) explores the exciting fields of imaging and monitoring the Earth’s subsurface. EIP often uses methods from: inverse theory migration tomography data science The fundamentals of imaging methods span a broad range of disciplines. For example, it requires expertise in: mathematics physics wave theory signal processing exploration geophysics earthquake seismology ambient noise theory inverse theory machine learning numerical and experimental modelling and imaging There is a wide range of researchers from around the world involved in this project. In addition, PhD and postdoctoral positions are often available for the brightest students and researchers. Visit the EIP website Key staff: Dr Mark Chapman, Professor Andrew Curtis, Professor Ian Main, Dr Alexis Cartwright-Taylor, Dr Maria-Daphne Mangriotis, Dr Giorgos Papageorgiou Investigating geothermal heat resources of legacy mine workings, why are some mine waters hotter than others? Our researchers are investigating the controls on mine water heat resources to understand why some mines are hotter than others. When mines are abandoned and the pumps which kept them dry are switched off, the roadways, galleries and fractures fill with ground water, which is heated by geothermal energy from the Earth’s core to temperatures of 11 to 20 degrees Celsius close to the surface and up to 46 degrees Celsius in deeper coal seams. This difference in temperatures between mines has always been known and a recent Scottish government study on the geothermal potential of Scotland showed that there is a significant variation down to a depth of about 1,500 metres. Key staff: PhD student Mylene Mylène Receveur, Professor Chris McDermott, Dr Stuart Gilfillan, Dr Andrew Fraser Harris Techniques and facilities We use our GREAT Cell Laboratory to support our research. The GREAT Cell is designed to enable true triaxial experimental investigation of coupled thermo-hydro-mechanical-chemical processes in subsurface applications. It represents an important new development in experimental technology, by uniquely creating a truly polyaxial rotatable stress field, facilitating fluid flow through samples, and employing state of the art fibre optic strain sensing, capable of thousands of detailed measurements per hour. Explore our GREAT Cell Laboratory Publications * Affiliated members highlighted in bold (2020) Imaging the Deep Structures of Los Humeros Geothermal Field, Mexico, Using Three‐Component Seismic Noise Beamforming. Seismological Research Letters. 91 (6): 3269–3277. *Authors: Löer, K., Toledo, T., Norini, G., Zhang, X., Curtis, A, Saenger, E.H. View publication (2019) Coupled hydraulic and mechanical model of surface uplift due to mine water rebound: implications for mine water heating and cooling schemes. Scottish Journal of Geology, 55, 124-133. *Authors: Todd, F., McDermott, C., Harris, A. F., Bond, A., Gilfillan, S. View publication (2018) Controls on geothermal heat recovery from a hot sedimentary aquifer in Guardbridge, Scotland: Field measurements, modelling and long term sustainability. Geothermics. 76, 125-140. *Authors: Comerford, A., Fraser-Harris, A., Johnson, G., McDermott, C.I. View publication (2018) Induced Seismicity at the UK “Hot Dry Rock” Test Site for Geothermal Energy Production. Geophysical Journal International, 135. *Authors: Xun. L, Main, I., Jupe, A. View publication This article was published on 2024-07-01
