Committee on Earth Resources

Meeting

Subsurface Data and Machine Learning

June 6 - 7, 2019

Past

Materials

About

Collection and analysis of data on the contents and structure of the Earth’s subsurface have been important throughout U.S. history for the identification, development, and stewardship of the nation’s energy, mineral, and water resources, and for monitoring and mitigating potential natural and environmental hazards. However, ownership and development of these datasets are dispersed across private industry, government, academic researchers, and others, each with different use cases and approaches to data collection and processing. The lack of data sharing and common data collection, curation, and analysis standards presents a serious barrier to improved scientific understanding of the subsurface.

Development of advanced data analyses such as machine learning and artificial intelligence further open the opportunities for examining rich subsurface datasets to improve scientific and public understanding of the subsurface and to support development, stewardship, and management of subsurface resources in an economically and environmentally sound way. Our discussion will focus on progress, challenges, and opportunities in machine learning and artificial intelligence applied to subsurface datasets.

Video Resources:

Keynote

Machine Learning with Subsurface Datasets--Current State of the Science and Practice
Paul Johnson, Los Alamos National Laboratory

Panel 1: Advances and Opportunities for Machine Learning/AI for Understanding and Stewarding Subsurface Resources in the Private Sector

John McGaughey, Mira Geoscience
Smaine Zeroug, Schlumberger Research
Shaunna Morrison, Carnegie Science

Panel 2: Basic research to applications

Grant Bromhal, National Energy Technology Laboratory
B ill Vandermeer, Department of Energy
W endy Harrison, Colorado School of Mines
Lance Waller, Emory University

National Academies initiative on Subsurface Data Roundtable

Watch Video

Contact

Elizabeth Eide

(202) 334-2392
eeide@nas.edu

Disclaimer

It is essential to the National Academies mission of providing evidence-based advice that participants in any of our meetings or events avoid political or partisan statements or commentary and maintain a culture of mutual respect. The statements and presentations during our meetings or events are solely those of the individual participants and do not necessarily represent the views of other participants or the National Academy of Sciences, which is a non-partisan, tax exempt organization that includes under its Charter the National Academy of Engineering and National Academy of Medicine, and that operates the National Research Council.

Meeting

Process, Challenges, and Opportunities for Research on Upstream Aspects of U.S. Coal Production

October 25 - 26, 2018

Past

Materials

About

Coal continues to play a vital role in the global energy mix, accounting for nearly 30% of the world’s primary energy supply and approximately 40% of its electricity generation, as well as serving as an important feedstock for industries such as steel and cement production. While China and India are the world’s largest consumers of coal, the U.S. holds the world’s largest proven coal reserve base and continues to rely upon coal to fuel approximately 30% of its electricity supply. The National Research Council published a report in 2007 (titled “Coal: Research and Development to Support National Energy Policy”) that focused on upstream aspects of the coal industry and made specific recommendations regarding coal resource/reserve assessments, mine productivity and resource optimization, environmental protection and reclamation, and mine worker health and safety. A key finding was that of more than $538 million spent by federal government agencies for coal-related research and technology deployment in 2005, less than 10% was directed toward these important upstream aspects of the coal fuel cycle. The intent of this meeting of the Committee on Earth Resources is to provide a forum to discuss progress made regarding the recommendations in the 2007 NRC report, to identify upstream coal issues still requiring attention, and to explore potential next steps and implications for the future utilization of our Nation’s coal resources.

In recent years, the outlook for U.S. coal production and use has become less certain as a result of concerns about its environmental impacts and technological advances that have improved the cost-competitiveness of other energy sources such as natural gas and renewables. Against this backdrop, a substantial research and development effort has focused largely on controlling air, water, and waste emissions from coal-fired power plants and on improving the efficiency of coal-fired power generation. However, in addition to these downstream issues, the future utilization of our vast coal reserve base depends upon our ability to extract, transport, and beneficiate these reserves in a sustainable, efficient, and economically-competitive manner, and to approach reclamation practices for retired mine sites using best-available science. The cost of the coal feedstock is a major factor in determining the competitiveness of coal-fueled power generation and other coal-based processes, and the upstream portions of the supply chain factor prominently in coal’s overall environmental, health, and safety profile. Our discussion will focus on progress, challenges, and opportunities in all of these areas.

Contact

Elizabeth Eide

(202) 334-2392
eeide@nas.edu

Disclaimer

It is essential to the National Academies mission of providing evidence-based advice that participants in any of our meetings or events avoid political or partisan statements or commentary and maintain a culture of mutual respect. The statements and presentations during our meetings or events are solely those of the individual participants and do not necessarily represent the views of other participants or the National Academy of Sciences, which is a non-partisan, tax exempt organization that includes under its Charter the National Academy of Engineering and National Academy of Medicine, and that operates the National Research Council.

Meeting

Critical Minerals and Materials

May 9 - 10, 2018

Past

Materials

About

The Committee on Earth Resources held their Spring 2018 meeting on May 9, 2018. The topic of discussion for this event was Critical Minerals and Materials: Opportunities, challenges, and needs for U.S. manufacturing, economy, and security.

The Committee on Earth Resources explored the issue of critical minerals and materials at its spring meeting. Invited experts from across sectors in federal and state government, industry, and academia shared their knowledge regarding

the mineral and material needs of manufacturers and mineral commodity flows and drivers; and
the nature and understanding of the U.S. mineral endowment and supply of minerals and materials for a variety of end-users.

Contact

Elizabeth Eide

(202) 334-2392
eeide@nas.edu

Disclaimer

It is essential to the National Academies mission of providing evidence-based advice that participants in any of our meetings or events avoid political or partisan statements or commentary and maintain a culture of mutual respect. The statements and presentations during our meetings or events are solely those of the individual participants and do not necessarily represent the views of other participants or the National Academy of Sciences, which is a non-partisan, tax exempt organization that includes under its Charter the National Academy of Engineering and National Academy of Medicine, and that operates the National Research Council.

Meeting

Geoscience in Four Dimensions; Seafloor Mining

November 13 - 14, 2017

Past

Agenda

Download the Agenda

About

Geosciences are critical for the economic growth of the United States, and also provide a vital contribution to national security. Geological, geophysical and geospatial data have fundamentally enhanced the nation’s growth and security through the identification, development, and stewardship of mineral, energy, and water resources; identification of potential hazards; location and development of new infrastructure; and transformation of geospatial intelligence. When combined with elevation and deformation data more recently available from lidar and InSAR technologies, geological and geophysical data are essential for decisions and planning from local to national levels. Additionally, the advent of new sensors and technologies for collecting and storing information about rock properties and fluid flow from the deep Earth to the shallow subsurface have greatly expanded our capacity to address geotechnical engineering and design problems, location and extent of mineral and energy resources, well and mine construction, water infrastructure issues, flow and quantity of groundwater, and hazardous waste monitoring and cleanup. The potential to combine, analyze, visualize, and interpret both surface and subsurface data through space and time offers the potential for new insights and information that can support economic growth and societal and security needs.

Contact

Elizabeth Eide

(202) 334-2392
eeide@nas.edu

Disclaimer

It is essential to the National Academies mission of providing evidence-based advice that participants in any of our meetings or events avoid political or partisan statements or commentary and maintain a culture of mutual respect. The statements and presentations during our meetings or events are solely those of the individual participants and do not necessarily represent the views of other participants or the National Academy of Sciences, which is a non-partisan, tax exempt organization that includes under its Charter the National Academy of Engineering and National Academy of Medicine, and that operates the National Research Council.

Meeting

Hard-Rock Mines

April 10, 2017

9:30 AM - 5:00 PM (ET)

Past

Materials

Contact

Elizabeth Eide

(202) 334-2392
eeide@nas.edu

Disclaimer

It is essential to the National Academies mission of providing evidence-based advice that participants in any of our meetings or events avoid political or partisan statements or commentary and maintain a culture of mutual respect. The statements and presentations during our meetings or events are solely those of the individual participants and do not necessarily represent the views of other participants or the National Academy of Sciences, which is a non-partisan, tax exempt organization that includes under its Charter the National Academy of Engineering and National Academy of Medicine, and that operates the National Research Council.

Meeting

Mineral and Energy Resource Issues for the Coming Decade

November 14, 2016

9:00 AM - 3:30 PM (ET)

Past

Agenda

Download the Agenda

About

The Autumn 2016 meeting of the Committee on Earth Resources provided a forum for discussion of pressing mineral and energy resource issues and key scientific and technical challenges for the coming decade. The meeting included an update of existing work under the committee’s and Academies’ oversight in this area, advanced the conversation about collection, access, and management of subsurface data, and highlighted the topics of interest within mineral and energy resources within the energy and mineral resource community. The morning of day one included a public session with presentations and discussion to better understand subsurface data access for research. The afternoon focused on cataloging a broad set of energy and mineral challenges/issues in which scientific and technical analysis would advance policy development. Topics included abandoned mine lands; science and technology for resource characterization, production, and monitoring; legacy environmental issues for the extractive industries, geothermal energy, and workforce and education challenges and opportunities for the energy and mineral sectors.

Contact

Elizabeth Eide

(202) 334-2392
eeide@nas.edu

Disclaimer

It is essential to the National Academies mission of providing evidence-based advice that participants in any of our meetings or events avoid political or partisan statements or commentary and maintain a culture of mutual respect. The statements and presentations during our meetings or events are solely those of the individual participants and do not necessarily represent the views of other participants or the National Academy of Sciences, which is a non-partisan, tax exempt organization that includes under its Charter the National Academy of Engineering and National Academy of Medicine, and that operates the National Research Council.

Meeting

Next Generation Oil and Gas Research: Science and Technology to Drive Innovation

May 4, 2016

9:00 AM - 3:30 PM (ET)

Past

Materials

About

The National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine’s Committee on Earth Resources (CER) organized its standing committee meeting on May 4, 2016 at the Keck Center with an informational session entitled, “Next Generation Oil and Gas Research: Science and Technology to Drive Innovation.” The meeting focused on two areas of science and technology in the oil and gas arena: (1) Innovations in the environmental and regulatory framework, and (2) technology and research challenges and opportunities. Two panels of three experts each were assembled to discuss their research and perspective to cover the two science and technology research foci. The meeting featured three keynote presentations from the industry, governmental research, and energy information and analysis sectors.

Contact

Elizabeth Eide

(202) 334-2392
eeide@nas.edu

Disclaimer

It is essential to the National Academies mission of providing evidence-based advice that participants in any of our meetings or events avoid political or partisan statements or commentary and maintain a culture of mutual respect. The statements and presentations during our meetings or events are solely those of the individual participants and do not necessarily represent the views of other participants or the National Academy of Sciences, which is a non-partisan, tax exempt organization that includes under its Charter the National Academy of Engineering and National Academy of Medicine, and that operates the National Research Council.

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My Academies

Committee on Earth Resources

Subsurface Data and Machine Learning

Process, Challenges, and Opportunities for Research on Upstream Aspects of U.S. Coal Production

Critical Minerals and Materials

Geoscience in Four Dimensions; Seafloor Mining

Hard-Rock Mines

Mineral and Energy Resource Issues for the Coming Decade

Next Generation Oil and Gas Research: Science and Technology to Drive Innovation