PhD opportunities

Experimental investigation of the coupled THMC response of the caprock to CO2 injection in a pilot test site

Thesis proposal

Area of expertiseGéosciences et géoingénierie
Doctoral SchoolGéosciences, Ressources Naturelles et Environnement
SupervisorBLANCO MARTIN Laura
Research unitCentre de Géosciences
Keywords., .
AbstractGeo-energies, such as geothermal energy, CO2 storage and underground energy storage, have a great
potential to contribute to meet the Paris Agreement targets on climate change. Yet, their deployment
has been hindered by a lack of a full understanding of the processes that are induced in the subsurface
by large-scale fluid injection/extraction. The various processes involved (e.g., fluid flow,
geomechanical, geochemical and thermal effects) imply complex interactions that cannot be predicted
without considering the dominant coupled processes, which is rarely done. As a result, some early geoenergy
projects have occasionally developed unpredicted consequences, such as felt and damaging
induced earthquakes, gas leakage and aquifer contamination, dampening public perception on geoenergies.
SMILE (MultidiSciplinary and MultIscale approach for coupLed processes induced by geo-
Energies) is a EU Marie Marie Skłodowska-Curie Doctoral Network whose main target is to overcome
these challenges in developing geo-energy solutions by training a new generation of young researchers
that will become experts in understanding and predicting coupled processes. Thus, they will be
capable of proposing innovative solutions for the successful deployment of subsurface low-carbon
energy sources while protecting groundwater and related ecosystems. To achieve this ambitious goal,
the early-stage researchers will be exposed to an interdisciplinary training on experimental,
mathematical and numerical modeling of coupled processes, upscaling techniques and ground
deformation monitoring using field data from highly instrumented pilot tests and industrial sites. While
hosted at one institution (in this case, Mines Paris/Armines), the students will make secondments in
other institutions of the consortium.
ProfileContinuum solid mechanics
Strong background in mathematics
Underground modeling experience
Hydrogeology
Fluent in English and ideally French (oral, spoken, written)
Eager to work in a multidisciplinary environment

The successful candidate is expected to join our team in October 2023. Please note the EU mobility rule: “At the time of selection by the host organization, researchers must not have resided or carried out their main activity in the country of their host organization for more than 12 months in the 3 years immediately prior to their recruitment”
FundingFinancement sur programme européen ou multilatéral