
What we do
The Stress and Crustal Mechanics Group uses knowledge of the state of stress in the Earth and the mechanical properties of Earth materials to investigate a variety of geophysical problems.

Register for online classes
Registration is open for the first of our group's two free online courses:
Reservoir Geomechanics
(SOEEES-YGEORESGEO202)
Registration will open soon for the other class:
Unconventional Reservoir Geomechanics
(SOEEES-YGEORESGEO208)
Research Topics

Rock Deformation and Fluid Transport
Using state-of-the-art laboratory facilities, we investigate why natural rocks deform, and how this changes local fluid transport. We perform mechanical and permeability tests in combination with micro and nanoscale analysis/imaging to identify the mechanisms that control bulk deformation, fault movement and fluid transport at the crustal & reservoir scale.

Faulting and Crustal Mechanics
Our group carries out a variety of studies that approach problems of faulting and crustal mechanics in geologic environments by integration of various types of data. Typically, these studies involve working with data on the magnitude and orientation of in situ stresses, seismological data, geodetic data, etc.

Reservoir Geomechanics
We are carrying out a series of studies, usually in close collaboration with the oil and gas industry, on problems in oil and gas reservoirs, potential CO2 repositories and geothermal reservoirs. The emphasis of this research recently has been on shale gas, tight gas and tight oil reservoirs.
News
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Many Dallas-Fort Worth Area Faults Have the Potential to Host Earthquakes, New Study Finds
Researchers have mapped more than 250 faults, where the majority of faults underlying the Ft Worth Basin are sensitive to changes in stress that could cause earthquakes
July 23, 2019
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Lund Snee and Zoback win award for Best Paper in The Leading Edge journal
The Society of Exploration Geophysicists (SEG) has awarded Jens-Erik Lund Snee and Prof Mark Zoback the Best Paper award in The Leading Edge for their 2018 article
July 19, 2019
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March 20, 2019