Grand Challenges for earth resources engineering

The primary objective of Earth resources engineering is to apply engineering principles to the discovery, development, and environmentally responsible production of subsurface Earth resources. That the solid Earth is opaque is a major obstacle in all aspects of Earth resources engineering. The challenge for subsurface engineering is similar to the imaging problem in medicine. We need tools that will allow us to see into the subsurface just as medical tools allow doctors to see into the human body. Better imaging will enable better estimates of the Earth's potential resources. In addition, it will enable geoscientists to monitor both anthropogenic and natural changes in the subsurface. Monitoring subsurface fluid flow in real time provides invaluable input to the management and optimization of the recovery of oil and gas resources.