Computing Energy Advancement: Computational Engineering for Geomechanics and Fracture

点击翻译按钮获取中文摘要

Canada's energy industry is under threat both domestically and internationally from sustainability and economic force which are propelling change. This research program will provide the tools to dramatically improve existing technologies like Hydraulic Fracturing (HF) and to advance new Geothermal Energy and Carbon Sequestration operations. High rate pulsing injection into porous and/or fractured rock offers great potential; however, the existing simulation tools needed to tune process inputs to the complex wave behavior of the fluid-rock-fracture system are completely inadequate. Existing analyses tools inappropriately neglect fluid inertia and momentum in (i) porous media and (ii) fluid flow in fractures. Furthermore, (iii) these traditional tools are often too expensive computationally (i.e., time) for practical use in industry. This Computing Energy Advancement research program will develop novel computational engineering (CE) tools to innovate simulation technology for geomechanics and fracture processes for Canada's energy sector. The objectives of this program are to develop: I) innovative numerical methods for the simulating dynamic phenomena in porous rock; 2) novel fracture flow and HF models suitable for non-steady and dynamics conditions; 3) advanced techniques to overcome the computational intractability of many multiphysics geomechanic simulations. To make these necessary advancements in simulation technology, all three of these objectives must be realized. Not only will this research program create new knowledge, theory, and technology, it will also provide vital training in computational engineering and geomechanics of highly qualified personnel (HQP) for the future of Canada's energy industry. This program will support 6 PhD and 10 undergraduate students. Research will be conducted in an equitable and inclusive environment in which the diverse team will mobilize knowledge through the publication of HQP-lead manuscripts in top-tier journals and presentations at international conferences. The on-going 10 year vision of this Computing Energy Advancement research program is to expand the foundations of CE needed to simulation of thermo-hydro-mechanical processes in both porous and naturally fractured rock to enable discovery the new geomechanics knowledge needed to innovate, optimize, and operate Canadian energy projects. The aims of this research program are to make Canada's energy industry operationally more efficient and increasingly more sustainable.