Dr David McNamara PhD

The Hikurangi Subduction Margin, east coast New Zealand, is the source of shallow slow slip earthquakes and submarine landslides and has been identified as a potential resource site for both offshore wind and unconventional petroleum. This project, in association with the International Ocean Discovery Program (IODP) and GNS Science (New Zealand) sets out to enhance our knowledge of the offshore Hikurangi Subduction Margin and better understand better the geological influences on landslides and slow slip earthquakes occurring there. This theme includes research being carried out by PhD researchers Effat Behboudi and Benjamin Couvin (University College Dublin).

This theme uses experimental and microanalytical approaches to investigate the mechanisms that facilitate mineralisation in fractured energy-critical geosystems such as geothermal reservoirs, mineral and metal ore bodies with energy-critical-element concentrations, and systems with potential for mineral capture and storage of CO2. Research in this theme aims to better understand how, and why mineralisation processes impact the Earth's subsurface, and develop new tools for the environmental and sustainable exploration and utilisation of energy-critical geosystems. This research collaborates with Dr Joshua Einsle (University of Glasgow), and includes research carried out by PhD researchers Aisling Scully (University College Cork) and Mahesh Kajendran (University of Liverpool).

This research theme seeks to understand and better characterise the interrelationships between faults, fractures, tectonic stresses, and fluid flow in important geological resources identified as way to decarbonise our society, including geothermal and CO2 storage resources. Current projects in this theme include looking at the feasibility of carbon capture, utilisation, and storage (CCUS) in Ireland, collaborating with Dr Rory Monaghan and Dr Tiernan Henry (NUI Galway) to investigate the role of fault stability in Irish reservoirs identified as potential CCS sites, working with postdoctoral researcher Dr John Conneally (NUIG). It also includes research on structural controls on geothermal systems in Chile with PhD researcher Steve Beynon.