The EAGE Annual workshop in Aberdeen on 'Maximising Subsurface Recovery: From Hydrocarbons to Energy Storage for a Sustainable Energy Future' highlighted how emerging tools are reshaping workflows for hydrocarbons, CCS, geothermal, and underground hydrogen storage.
The workshop evolved as an informal gathering of energy professionals discussing how subsurface expertise can be enhanced from different perspectives. For example, participants agreed that automation and AI are accelerating interpretation while demanding new frameworks for physical consistency. Moreover, hydrogen and CO2 storage requires pore-to-field-scale integration and improved modelling of heterogeneity. Geophysics is also expanding beyond hydrocarbons into waste-to-energy, CCS monitoring, and environmental applications. Finally, uncertainty quantification is becoming central to optimisation and risk management.
Coming to these conclusions from the session, academics presented their different research findings on pore-scale to field-scale covering the entire energy transition spectrum: CCS, UHS, CO2-enhanced oil recovery, geomodelling and 4D seismic applications.
The workshop demonstrated that subsurface disciplines are not only adapting but actively shaping the future of low-carbon energy systems. As one session summary noted, ‘subsurface assets are at the heart of the energy transition, meeting these demands requires approaches that are more accurate, integrated, automated, and scalable’.
Subsurface assets are at the heart of the energy transition. Meeting these demands requires approaches that are more accurate, integrated, automated and scalable.
The morning workshop session started with a dive into the geological outcropping modelling using semi-automated tools designed by John Wood. Kamal Singh presented a pore-space rock experiment to predict pore-network prediction after CO2 and hydrogen injection. From a geophysics perspective, Florina Tuluca showed how landfill can be imaged by resistivity surveying. A more quantitative interpretation approach from Tanya Colwell presented a workflow integrating a spectral decomposition and an amplitude‑versus‑frequency (AVF) attributes case study on the Sleipner field. The session ended with Ines Cecilio with AI on recent designing of subsurface workflows that aim to help run timing of modelling and taking decisions.
In the afternoon, Ali Rasisdata presented his PhD research on 4D seismic joint amplitude–time-shift (JAT) inversion for better geological prediction compared with NLI. Similarly, Zhou Yinglang examined how geochemical reactions alter porosity, permeability, and mechanical strength. Mark Lakod presented a multi-objective optimisation framework combining production targets with CO2-emissions minimisation and Prashant Jadhawar outlined a practical framework for coupling pore, core, reservoir and field-scale physics of CCS and hydrogen storage. The session was closede by Adriana Comanescu discussing how oil produced through CO2‑EOR has up to 63% lower lifecycle emissions compared to conventional production extending the life of the field and proving the economic and environmental case for CO2‑EOR.
“The workshop reinforced that geoscience is becoming more monitoring‑driven and embedded in integrated subsurface workflows, with the key challenge being how to link processes across scales while maintaining geological fidelity” Tanya Colwell mentioned.
This workshop became a great opportunity for academics and industry professionals to continue sharing their knowledge as they dove down on ideas that are key for the future of energy transition. As these communities found a space to discuss and enhance their knowledge, collaboration among them has become a characteristic that sets the path for innovation, team work and vision for a better future.
This panel was organised by EAGE’s Technical Community on Enhancing Hydrocarbon Recovery for Sustainability. Also interested in this community, please join this group on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/13026321/
