DeepNL grant for Dr. Miocic
Dr. Johannes Miocic of the Energy and Sustainability Research Institute Groningen ( ESRIG ) has been awarded a DeepNL grant by the Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research (NWO). The grant of EUR 750,000 is for his project ‘The role of heterogeneity in controlling the geomechanical behaviour of sandstone reservoirs’.
The earthquakes in the Groningen area are due to sandstone compacting as a result of gas removal. The compaction process depends on the type of sand grains, their shape, the space between the grains, and minerals cementing the grains together – in other words, the petrography. Miocic will use microscopical and chemical analyses as well as compaction experiments to study these aspects in Groningen sandstone samples. This will allow computer predictions of the petrography of the whole area. The results will help forecast where the sandstone is likely to compact in the future and thus where subsidence could occur.
DeepNL
The aim of DeepNL is to contribute to a better understanding of how the deep subsurface behaves under the influence of human interventions.
![Scanning-elektronenmicroscopie opname van een Rotliegend Zandsteen op enige afstand van de Nederlandse kust. Kwartscement groeit op zandkorrels. Dit type cement versterkt het gesteente en resulteert minder snel in verdichting tijdens uitputting van het reservoir.Scanning-electron microscopy image of a Rotliegend Sandstone from offshore the Netherlands. Quartz cement growing on top of sand grains. This type of cement strengthens the rock and is less likely to result in compaction during reservoir depletion.](/fse/news/sem-image-1-deep-nl-miocic.jpg)
![Scanning-elektronenmicroscopie opname van een Rotliegend Zandsteen op enige afstand van de Nederlandse kust. Filigraan-kristallen van kleimineralen vullen de ruimte tussen zandkorrels. Dergelijke kristalvormen zullen waarschijnlijk vervormen tijdens uitputting van het reservoir en kunnen dus bijdragen aan verdichting en verzakking van het reservoir.Scanning-electron microscopy image of a Rotliegend Sandstone from offshore the Netherlands. Filigrane crystals of clay-minerals fill the space between sand grains. Such crystal shapes are likely to deform during reservoir depletion and thus may contribute to compaction and subsidence of the reservoir.](/fse/news/sem-image-2-deep-nl-miocic.jpg)
Last modified: | 05 March 2021 1.15 p.m. |
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