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Research

Nanopore Characterization for H2 and CO2 Geologic Storage

For hydrogen and carbon geologic storage, the caprock is a barrier seal above and around the reservoir that stops injected gases from leakage. This project will study the fundamental mechanisms of buoyant fluid trapping by nanoporous caprocks and the coupled processes that could compromise gas storage.

This project is funded by the U.S. Department of Energy.

Research Interests

My research focuses on using advanced imaging, geochemistry, and numerical modeling methods to understand the mineral assemblage, diagenesis, porosity evolution, reactivity, and their impacts on fluid-flow in sedimentary rocks. I examine microstructures of rocks with scanning electron microscope (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), focus ion beam (FIB) SEM, and nano computed tomography (microCT). My specialties also include seismic and well-log interpretation. I have been involved in several regional studies including Appalachian basin, San Joaquin basin of California, and the North Slope of Alaska.

Selected Research Projects

U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), Basic Energy Sciences - Reaching a New Energy Sciences Workforce (BES-RENEW) Program, Nanopore Characterization for H2 and CO2 Geologic Storage, 2023~2026, PI, $2,250,000.

National Science Foundation (NSF), Major Research Instrumentation (MRI) Program, Acquisition of a Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscope with EDS for Interdisciplinary Research and Teaching at California State University, Bakersfield, 2022 ~ 2024, PI, $520,050.

California Energy Research Center (CERC) Interdisciplinary Energy Research Program: Evaluation of flow characteristics of CO2 in a sandstone core sample using Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD), 6/1/2021 ~ 8/20/2022, PI, $25,000.