Research
Understanding subsurface rock-fluid systems is fundamental to engineering safe solutions for permanent CO₂ storage, geothermal energy extraction, and sustainable hydrocarbon production. At DTU Offshore, our petrophysicists perform laboratory measurements and develop physics-based models to de-risk and optimise subsurface operations for the energy transition.
Geomechanical Testing and Acoustic Wave Analysis
Meanwhile, Ermis combines geomechanical testing with ultrasonic wave measurements to study how rocks deform under stress. “We apply stress to rock samples and measure how they respond,” he says. “At the same time, we send acoustic waves through them. This tells us about the rock’s strength, elasticity, and how it will behave under changing reservoir conditions.”
Such insights are essential not only for predicting deformation during CO₂ injection but also for understanding long-term compaction, subsidence and mechanical stability in subsurface operations.
Calibrating Logging Data
As Ida Lykke Fabricius notes, the bridge between laboratory and field data is vital: “Logging data gives us information across large vertical sections of rock. But to understand what those signals mean, we need laboratory data for calibration. That’s where petrophysics becomes essential - it connects what we measure in the lab with what we detect downhole.”
Partnering Across Disciplines and Institutions
Petrophysics is inherently multidisciplinary, and at DTU Offshore, it thrives through collaboration across departments and institutions.
Within DTU, the group works closely with:
“Petrophysics sits at the intersection of geology, physics, and engineering,” says Ida. “We can’t work in isolation. For example, we’re collaborating with GEO on CO₂ storage monitoring - combining our borehole measurement expertise with their knowledge of stress and deformation.”
Finn Engstrøm adds, “The oil industry built incredible expertise in subsurface characterisation. Now, we need to transfer that knowledge to new applications - CO₂ storage, geothermal, and foundation engineering. That requires partnerships across disciplines and institutions.”
The group also maintains connections with universities and service companies specialising in surface geophysics. “We focus on borehole data - what happens right around the well,” Ida explains. “But if you want to understand the full reservoir picture, you need surface geophysics too. That’s where collaboration becomes crucial.”
CO₂ Storage: Monitoring Integrity and Distribution
Ensuring that injected CO₂ remains securely stored underground is one of the most critical challenges in carbon management. “The biggest risk is leakage along the wellbore,” explains Finn.
To address this, the team is developing real-time borehole monitoring techniques. “We’re creating methods to track CO₂ distribution and wellbore integrity using elastical and acoustic measurements,” Ida notes. “These systems can be installed permanently in wells, providing continuous data without costly repeat surveys.”
Reservoir Characterisation for Sustainable Production
Understanding reservoir properties - porosity, permeability, and fluid flow behaviour - is essential for a range of applications. “The same principles apply whether you’re storing CO₂, producing geothermal heat, or managing aquifers,” Shohreh explains. “We need to understand how fluids move and how rocks respond.”
Foundation Stability for Offshore Wind
Ermis highlights another emerging area: “Constructing an offshore wind foundation means imposing a heavy, long-term load on soil or seabed. Predicting how much it will settle or shift over decades is critical. Petrophysics can help answer that - especially when the seabed interacts with seawater and variable external loads.”
Ida adds, “We’ve studied subsidence at the Tyra gas field in the North Sea, where the seabed sank several metres due to production. That same understanding of rock deformation applies directly to foundation engineering.”
Facts
Hamid Nick holds a PhD from Imperial College London and works at the intersection of THMBC processes, subsurface engineering, and energy‑transition technologies.
His research covers CO2 storage, geothermal systems, and integrated subsurface management.
AI, Innovation, and Knowledge Transfer
The future of petrophysics at DTU Offshore is both diverse and data-driven.
“Petrophysics is evolving,” says Shohreh. “In the past, it was almost synonymous with the oil industry. Today, it’s essential for CO₂ storage, geothermal energy, environmental remediation, and even mineral exploration. We’re seeing the field broaden in exciting ways.”
Ermis sees opportunities in digitalisation and automation: “Artificial intelligence can help us analyse large datasets and recognise patterns. But interpreting those results and understanding the geological context still requires a petrophysicist. AI should complement our work, not replace it.”
For Finn and Ida, the focus is also on continuity. “We’ve built up decades of expertise in the oil industry,” Finn reflects. “Now we need to make sure that knowledge isn’t lost - that it’s transferred to the next generation working on CO₂ storage, geothermal, and other sustainable technologies.”
Ida agrees: “That’s why we’re here. We want to ensure that young researchers understand how subsurface systems work - because that knowledge will be critical for decades to come.”
And as new data challenges established models, the team remains open-minded. “We’re constantly questioning existing theories,” Ida says. “Some of the models we rely on were developed decades ago. When data doesn’t fit expectations, that’s when we learn the most - it pushes us to innovate.”
Ida Lykke Fabricius Professor Emerita Mobile: +45 23397265 ilfa@dtu.dk
Ermis Proestakis Postdoc ermpr@dtu.dk
Rasoul Mokhtari Tenure Track Researcher Mobile: +45 81901526 rasoulm@dtu.dk
Michael Welch Senior Researcher Mobile: 9351 1572 mwelch@dtu.dk
Finn Engstrøm Guest Researcher finneng@dtu.dk
