Advancing the science of subsurface engineering to enable secure, scalable, and sustainable energy systems.

About Us

SUETRI-A (Subsurface Engineering for Sustainable Energy) is a multidisciplinary industrial affiliates program (typically referred to as a university–industry consortium at other institutions) advancing the engineering science of subsurface energy systems. We bring together researchers, students, and industry partners to develop the knowledge, technologies, and workforce needed to address some of the most complex challenges at the intersection of energy, sustainability, and the environment.

The global energy transition depends both on new energy technologies and on our ability to utilize effectively the subsurface. Geological formations offer enormous potential for carbon dioxide storage, hydrogen generation & storage, geothermal energy production, critical mineral resource recovery, and management of conventional energy resources. Unlocking these opportunities requires a predictive understanding of coupled processes spanning scales from nanometer-scale interactions within porous materials to reservoir-scale fluid flow and geomechanical behavior. Education and workforce development are central to our mission. We provide students and early-career researchers with opportunities to engage in collaborative, interdisciplinary research informed by industry leaders. By training the next generation of scientists and engineers, we contribute to building the expertise required for the evolving energy landscape.

Our research integrates fundamental science with engineering innovation. By combining advanced experiments, high-resolution imaging, computational modeling, machine learning, and data-driven discovery, we seek to develop predictive frameworks for complex subsurface systems. This convergence of disciplines enables us to address critical questions in carbon management & utilization, energy storage, reservoir engineering, and environmental sustainability.

A hallmark of SUETRI-A is the close collaboration between academia and industry. Our consortium model creates an environment where fundamental research is informed by real-world challenges and where new scientific insights rapidly translate into practical solutions. Through these partnerships, we help accelerate the deployment of technologies that advance the reliability and affordability of energy systems.

Principal Investigators and Key Technical Staff

Tony Kovscek is a Professor of Energy Science and Engineering, senior fellow with the Precourt Institute for Energy, and has directed SUETRI-A since 1996.

Tapan Mukerji is a Professor of Energy Science and Engineering, Tapan Mukerji co-directs the Stanford Center for Earth Resources Forecasting (SCERF) research groups.

Our lab is supported by several research staff members:

• Bolivia Vega is a Research Associate. She holds an MS in Petroleum Engineering from Stanford and BS in Chemical Engineering from Universidad Simon Bolivar.
• Cindy Ross is a Research Associate. She holds M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Geology from the University of South Carolina.
• Tae Wook (Elliot) Kim is a Research Associate. He holds B.S and M.S. degrees in Chemical Engineering from Inha University and Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from the University of Southern California.

Click here to see the students and staff also affiliated with SUETRI-A.

Research

At SUETRI-A, we combine laboratory experimentation, advanced imaging, computational modeling, data science, and field-scale analysis to develop practical solutions for energy and environmental challenges. We explore the interplay of chemistry, phase behavior, reaction, mechanics, and transport processes in porous media. Our research spans pore-scale phenomena to basin-scale systems, enabling us to connect fundamental observations with technologies that can be deployed in the real world.

Explore how SUETRI-A is improving our understanding and predictive capabilities for coupled processes in subsurface systems across scales—from pore-scale mechanisms to field-scale performance.

• Microfluidics: observation of coupled processes at the pore scale.
• CO₂: understanding of storage efficiency and permanence.
• Hydrogen: engineering the coupled processes governing generation and storage.
• Geomechanics: understand how coupled processes create system-scale risk.

Industrial Affiliate Membership

Membership in SUETRI-A Subsurface Engineering for Sustainable Energy is open to everyone. Current industry partners within SUETRI-A include both domestic and international oil companies and we are open to all companies in the greater energy industry. The membership fee is $48,000 per year, renewed annually, although we are interested in multiple-year, long-term interactions. The membership fee is used primarily to support graduate students, post-doctoral fellows, and computer facilities. These companies take an active part in the yearly advisory committee meeting, last held in February 2026.

Affiliates may send 1-2 representatives to Stanford University as visiting scholars or visiting student researchers (see below for link to policy) to carry out collaborative research. Appointments do not exceed 1 year.

Current members:

For information on joining the consortium, please contact Prof. Kovscek. Please read the Stanford University Policies Affecting Industrial Affiliates Program Memberships here.

Release of Computer Code

The SUETRI-A Program researchers will use and develop open-source software, and it is the intention of all SUETRI-A Program researchers that any software released will be released under an open-source model, such as BSD. The Program is open to all Stanford faculty who share this goal.

Affiliate Benefits

The benefits of formal affiliation with the SUETRI-A program are:

• Invitations to meetings/workshops/symposia.
• Opportunities to engage with Program faculty and students.
• Opportunities to recruit students.
• Invitations to send Visiting Scholar(s) to the Program research policy.

Please visit Stanford University’s Industrial Affiliates Program website for more information on approved Industrial Affiliate Program Benefits.