Hydrogeology Department

Hydrogeology Department

Core Capabilities ESD scientists Tim Kneafsey and Barry Friefeld igniting a methane hydrate sample using ice as a starting material to investigate wettability and water and gas flow properties through hydrate-containing media.

 The five areas above are considered the Hydrogelogy Department's Core Capabilities. Photo right:  ESD scientists Tim Kneafsey and Barry Friefeld are igniting a methane hydrate sample using ice as a starting material to investigate wettability and water and gas flow properties through hydrate-containing media.

Overview

Established in 1998, the Hydrogeology Department (HD) withinLBNL’s Earth Sciences Division (ESD) currently consists of more than 50 scientists, postdocs, research associates, and graduate students, carrying out a broad range of cutting-edge research in fundamental and applied hydrology. The Hydrogeology Department has expertise in theoretical, experimental, field, and modeling approaches in a variety of research areas, among which are advanced process modeling, reservoir engineering, fracture hydrology, contaminant hydrology, and coupled nonsothermal, geochemical, and geomechanical processes. The Hydrogeology Department addresses national needs in the areas of subsurface energy resources recovery, subsurface remediation, geological CO2 storage, and nuclear waste disposal. The current Hydrogeology Department Head is Tim Kneafsey (pictured above with Barry Freifeld in the background).