Weiyu Zheng

Ph.D. candidate, Department of Geophysics

Research Interests:
Weiyu focuses on oil and gas industry related geohazards with a specific interest in detectable ground subsidence, or uplift induced by wastewater injection, and their underlying geophysical mechanism. Wastewater disposal into injection wells is the most common way to manage the produced water in the oil and gas industry. Sometimes it can cause surface uplift and influence the ground stability. The surface deformation is mainly controlled by local hydro-geomechanical properties and injection volumes. Weiyu’s research measures the time-series deformation in west Texas using satellite radar images, and then inverted for the hydro-geomechanical properties with numerical methods. This study provides a scientific basis for wastewater disposal management and regulation.