Research project title
Propagation of fault aseismic slip due to non-isothermal fluid injection in the subsurface
Education level
Doctorate
Director/co-director
Director: Antoine Jacquey
End of display
May 31, 2025
Areas of expertise
Geotechnical engineering (including engineering geology)
Primary sphere of excellence in research
Energy, Water and, Resources
Secondary sphere(s) of excellence in research
Modeling and Artificial Intelligence
Unit(s) and department(s)
Department of Civil, Geological and Mining Engineering
Geotechnical Research Group (GRG)
Conditions
- A good academic record.
- Experience in numerical modeling using finite element, finite difference, finite volume or boundary element is required.
- Knowledge of at least one programming language (Julia, Python, or C++) is required.
- Experience in modeling thermo-hydro-mechanical processes in porous media is recommended.
- Strong communication skills in English (a minimum IELTS score of 7.0 is required for international applicants).
Detailed description
Fluid injection in the subsurface is recognized as a potential source of induced seismicity, notably aseismic slip along geological faults, and potentially – if not controlled – major induced seismic events that can endanger the population and cause considerable damage
to infrastructure. To foster the development of energy technologies known to help mitigate the impacts of climate change, such as geothermal energy production or geological storage of carbon and hydrogen, it is essential to understand and prevent the risk of
induced seismicity during field operations.
This doctoral project will study the propagation of aseismic slip along faults in response to transient fluid injection, taking into account thermal effects. The results of this project will contribute to the design of injection scenarios to mitigate the risk of induced
seismicity and ensure sustainable and responsible use of subsurface resources. This work is primarily theoretical and numerical.
This doctoral position is funded by the NSERC Discovery Grant “Mitigating the risk of fluid-induced seismicity for the development of sustainable subsurface technologies” held by Prof. Antoine B. Jacquey.
Financing possibility
Funding ranging from $35 000 to $40 000 per year for a -year period is secured.
Scholarship proposals (FRQNT, NSERC or other) are encouraged and will be supported.
