Predicting earthquakes caused by deep fluid injection for geothermal energy production:
We need a combination of multiple solutions for reaching carbon neutrality to mitigate climate change. An innovative one is to combine carbon capture and storage (CCS) and exploitation of supercritical geothermal systems (SCGS) in volcanic areas. One hurdle of this promising geo-energy is the seismic risk resulting from deep fluid injection. Assessing its seismic hazard is challenging due to the complexity of the problem. This is why the EU-funded ARMISTICE project will couple CO2 flow models with high-temperature rheology of rock and faults. It will also extend current models of subsurface CO2 and water flow to very high temperatures, above 375 ºC. Ultimately, it will determine the potential for induced seismicity in CCS-SCGS and the conditions for safe exploitation.
European Union’s Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Programme under Marie Sklodowska-Curie Action ARMISTICE with grant agreement No. 882733
