Gonzalo Zambrano Narvaez, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Engineering
Project Location: Edmonton, AB
Project Abstract
As Canada and the world move towards using cleaner energy, many upcoming technologies will depend on using resources beneath the ground in a responsible and secure way for storing energy for the long term or periodically. The Subsurface Energy Research Group (SERG), led by Dr. Gonzalo Zambrano Narvaez, an Assistant Professor specializing in Geotechnical Engineering, focuses on Subsurface Energy. Dr. Zambrano and the SERG team’s research is about making sure we can rely on resources below the surface for different ways of transitioning to cleaner energy, like H2, geothermal energy and storing compressed air with renewable energy (e.g. wind and solar).
Dr. Zambrano is also dedicated to teaching the next generation of students and engineers to handle the current challenges in the energy world. The Subsurface Energy Research Group, working with the Reservoir Geomechanics Research Group, is starting an internship program. This program will give Indigenous communities the ability to deal with the environmental challenges that come with transitioning to cleaner energy. The program will be integrated into the existing framework for understanding what’s below the surface, which is a crucial part of evaluating risks.
The Subsurface Energy Research Group, along with the Reservoir Geomechanics Research Group (PI: Rick Chalaturnyk), will provide access and training for this internship I-STEAM Pathways program to advanced laboratory facilities like GeoREF (a lab for high temperature and pressure experiments), GeoCERF (a facility for beam centrifuge research), GeoPrint (for 3D printing of rocks and fractures), and GeoRMT (a platform for modeling reservoir geomechanics).
Anticipated Student Involvement
This program offers an amazing chance for students to learn and get hands-on experience in a wide range of experimental, numerical, and field studies. We’re really dedicated to helping the next generation of researchers grow. The center also has training opportunities for students who are working part-time and focusing on instrumentation and process control. Students in the I-STEAM Pathways will collaborate with co-op students, research engineers, and Dr. Chalaturnyk and Dr. Zambrano on projects related to Subsurface Energy, like Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) and understanding rocks mechanical properties.
Anticipated Indigenous Community Benefits
Discover the research endeavors of engineers, scientists, and students focused on understanding the current and future impacts of the subsurface on the transition to clean energy. The program is committed to combining outreach efforts and building relationships with Indigenous communities, fostering collaboration between engineering students and researchers.
