CAREER: Identifying a New Source of Lithium for Sustainable and Renewable Energy Storage

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While water produced from organic–rich (e.g. petroleum and natural gas) source rocks has been considered wastewater, it has been recently revealed as a potential source of substantial amounts of lithium (Li). This opens new pathways to address the entire petroleum system and Li geochemical cycle. This project will develop a transformative characterization framework for Li in source rock brines, thus laying the foundation for converting source rock brines into a sustainable source of Li. Thus, the goal of this project is to identify a new source of Li–rich brines in organic–rich source rocks for sustainable energy storage. This outcome will help address the urgent need to enhance and diversify the domestic supply of Li, given the recently found potential of organic–rich source rocks as a source of Li.To attain the goal, the research objectives are to (1) experimentally determine the reaction mechanisms of Li originating from kerogen (solid organic matter of source rocks creating oil and gas) in natural geologic systems, (2) enhance modeling capability for characterizing the transport of Li as a function of mineral compositions and structures through pore–scale modeling, and (3) promote the identification and utilization of Li–rich brines by integrating this information into basin–scale modeling. This research program is integrated with the educational goal of enlightening students in subsurface processes related to sustainable resources for energy storage. Students will be engaged in the research program by conducting basin–scale modeling and compositional characterization of source rock brines to find optimal locations for Li recovery. The PI plans to disseminate the findings of these integrated research and educational efforts to industrial collaborators through the development of short courses, panel discussions, and e–newsletters. Additionally, the educational program will build upon the PI’s existing mentoring program for high school students on the topic of sustainable subsurface energy systems with computer programming applications and leverage a Program for Mastery in Engineering Studies to engage with various other students from underrepresented groups in STEM. This project will integrate geochemical experimental characterization techniques and multiscale modeling approaches for addressing the fate and transport of Li originating from kerogen in geologic systems. Merging elemental, isotopic, pyrolytic, kinetic, and thermal–compositional theories into a finite volume pore–scale model and an integral finite difference basin–scale model is targeted to provide an insight into observed laboratory behavior and help progress toward a solution to a complex and expensive problem. The PI will utilize integration of a suite of experimental characterization techniques and advanced pore and basin scale modeling techniques to guide engineering efforts that aim to successfully recover sustainable resources for energy storage. Results from the research program are intended to create new opportunities of supplying Li for sustainable energy storage by transforming the source of oil and gas into a source of Li. The successful demonstration of an advanced approach to characterize Li in the subsurface energy systems may give rise to field–scale Li recovery from the source rock brines and potentially unlock vast new Li reserves.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.