Basin Analysis
Drone image from Brian F. Gootee
The AZGS Basin Analysis team’s mission is to identify and characterize the subsurface geologic resources in Arizona. To this end, the team, led by Brian F. Gootee and including Lisa A. Thompson and Tawnya C. Wilson, develops and executes research projects focused on surface and subsurface geologic resources in Arizona’s many sedimentary basins. These resources include shallow groundwater; deep saline groundwater; bedded salt deposits; subsurface and on-surface carbon dioxide utilization, storage and mineralization; subsurface hydrogen and other gas storage; critical mineral resources (e.g. helium, potash, etc.); and geothermal energy.
Ongoing projects include:
- Southern Arizona CO2 storage complex feasibility in Harquahala basin (CO2HQ)
- Distributed mafic rock resources for carbon mineralization in Arizona (MMRI)
- Southwest Regional Direct Air Capture (SWRDAC) Hub
- Four Corners Regional Initiative
- Carbon Utilization and Storage Partnership (CUSP)
- Arizona Orphaned Oil and Gas Well Program - Data Preservation Project (ADEQ)
Learn more about our research projects here
A top priority of the Basin Analysis team’s research is to collaborate with industry stakeholders, energy companies, and state agencies, and to increase public awareness of Arizona’s subsurface geologic resources. These efforts include geologic risk assessments to ensure wise and prudent use of our state’s natural resources.
The goals of this group are to:
- Provide scientific outreach, education and two-way engagement with Arizona stakeholders.
- Identify and characterize suitable sites in Arizona for a large-scale gas storage complex that evaluates distributed energy systems such as: durable long-term underground hydrogen storage (UHS), enhanced geothermal system (EGS), carbon capture and storage (CCS), saltwater disposal potential, direct air capture and mineralization (DAC to mineralization), and critical minerals.
- Continue to close data gaps in priority basins by collecting new data such as geophysics, drilling, geologic mapping, and analyses.
