Professor Sebastian Geiger
Education
- 2004: PhD., ETH Zürich, Switzerland
- 2000: M.Sc., Oregon State University, U.S.A.
- 1996: Vordiplom, University of Freiburg, Germany
Biography
- Since 2010: CMG Industry Research Chair in Carbonate Reservoir Simulation, Heriot-Watt University
- August 2009 - October 2010: ECOSSE Senior Lecturer, Heriot-Watt University
- February 2006 - August 2009: ECOSSE Lecturer, Heriot-Watt University
- January 2006 – June 2006: Academic Visitor, Imperial College London
- July 2004 – December 2005: Postdoctoral Researcher, ETH Zürich
- April 2000 – June 2004: Ph.D. student, ETH Zürich
- February 2001 – April 2001: Visiting fellow, Australia National University
Research
My research focuses on computational hydrodynamics to improve the basic understanding and predictability of non-linear multi-phase flow processes in structurally complex porous media. I am interested in high-resolution (space-time-physics) simulations combined with high-performance computing, mathematical algorithm development, and laboratory experiments. These are applied to challenging reservoir engineering problems, namely improving production of oil and gas from complex hydrocarbon reservoirs, predicting subsurface storage of CO2, and exploiting geothermal energy.
Simeon Agada
Education
- 2012 – present: PhD in Petroleum Engineering, Institute of Petroleum Engineering, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, UK.
- 2010 – 2011: MSc (with Distinction) in Petroleum Engineering, Heriot-Watt University, U.K.
- 2001 – 2006: BSc Chemical Engineering, Federal University of Technology, Nigeria
Biography
- 2007 – 2010: Baker Hughes. Petroleum Engineer.
Research
Simeon is working on numerical well testing in heterogeneous, fractured carbonate reservoir analogues to analyse how complex geological structures affect well-test signatures, identify key flow mechanisms, and investigate how upscaling approaches for fractured porous media can affect model calibration.
Mohamed Ahmed
Education
- 2011 – present: PhD in Petroleum Engineering, Institute of Petroleum Engineering, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, UK.
- 2008 – 2009: MSc (with Distinction) in Reservoir Engineering, Heriot-Watt University, U.K.
- 2005 – 2006: BSc (Hons) Petroleum Engineering, University of Khartoum, Sudan
Biography
- 2009 – 2011: Schlumberger. Reservoir Engineer.
- 2007 – 2008: White Nile (5B) Petroleum Operating Company Ltd, Sudan. Reservoir Engineer.
Research
Mohamed is working on upscaling of EOR processes in naturally fractured carbonate reservoirs, comparing classical industry approaches (e.g. Oda's method and dual-porosity models) with new modelling approaches (e.g., flow based upscaling and multi-scale methods).
Nosa Akhimiona
Education
- 2009 – present: PhD in Petroleum Engineering, Institute of Petroleum Engineering, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, UK.
- 2004: MSc in Petroleum Engineering, University of Oklahoma, U.S.A.
- 2000: B.Eng. (Hons) in Petroleum Engineering, University of Benin, Nigeria
Biography
- 2011 – present: Senior Staff Reservoir Engineer Devon Energy, Oklahoma City, U.S.A.
- 2005 – 2011: Senior Reservoir Engineer, Chevron North America, California, U.S.A.
- 1998 – 2002: ExxonMobil Nigeria, U.S.A.
Research
Nosa works on the efficient simulation and modelling of oil recovery in a low permeability, highly compactible siliceous shale reservoir to identify key production and recovery drivers and investigate EOR techniques that can improve recovery from diatomaceous reservoirs.
Adnan Al-Dhahli
Education
- 2009 – present: PhD in Petroleum Engineering, Institute of Petroleum Engineering, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, UK.
- 2008 – 2009: MSc (with Distinction) in Petroleum Engineering, Heriot-Watt University, U.K.
- 2005 – 2008: BEng (Hons) in Mechanical Engineering, University of Manchester, U.K.
Research
Adnan is using pore-scale simulation to reconstruct physically consistent capillary pressure and relative permeability functions for two- and three-phase flow, which will be used to simulate multiphase displacement processes in mixed-wet fractured carbonates reservoirs at the macro-scale.
Robert Annewandter
Education
- 2009 – present: PhD in Petroleum Engineering, Institute of Petroleum Engineering, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, UK.
- 1998 – 2007: MSc in Physics, University of Hamburg, Germany. Thesis title: "Modelling pressure response and propagation of the concentration front of tracers indicating underground Nuclear Explosions induced by barometric pumping".
Research
Robert is studying the fundamental mechanical processes and associated risks caused by the hydrodynamic effects of storing realistic quantities of CO2 underground. These are little known but must not be neglected when evaluating potential storage sites because the huge volumes of injected CO2 increase the reservoir pressure, which can reactivate faults and open new fractures, causing CO2 to escape to the surface, or even induce earthquakes.
Shanti Chandra
Education
- 2010 – present: PhD in Petroleum Engineering, Institute of Petroleum Engineering, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, UK.
- 2009 – 2010: MSc in Reservoir Evaluation and Management, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, UK.
- 2004 – 2008: Bachelor of Technology (B.Tech), Indian Institute of Technology, Roorkee, India.
Research
Shanti is working on near-wellbore upscaling in carbonates, trying to calibrate geological models of multi-porosity systems containing, for example, fractures, vugs, and a rock matrix, by combining dynamic data such as well tests and tracer tests with petro-physical data and core logs. The aims are to obtain more realistic representations of the subsurface, address the issue of upscaling and calibrating multi-scale heterogeneities in static and dynamic models, and develop an efficient model calibration workflow.
Fuzhen Chen
Education
- 2010 – present: PhD in Petroleum Engineering, China University of Petroleum and Institute of Petroleum Engineering, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, UK.
- 2007 – 2010: MSc in Petroleum Engineering, China University of Petroleum.
- 2004 – 2007: BSc in Petroleum Engineering, China University of Petroleum.
Research
Fuzhen is investigating how fluid properties, well completions, and injection strategies impact hydrocarbon production in carbonate reservoir analogues. Using the CMG software suite, the ultimate aim is to develop optimisation strategies for a geologically complex carbonate reservoir analogue.
Claudia Fricke
Education
- 2008 – present: PhD in Petroleum Engineering, Institute of Petroleum Engineering, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, UK.
- 2004 – 2008: Mathematics (enhancing studies in Numerical Simulations, Differential Geometry, Quantum Mechanics) Darmstadt University of Technology
- 2000 – 2004: Diplom in Mathematics, University of Applied Sciences Darmstadt, Germany. Thesis title: "Simulation of Anisotropic Non-Linear Magnets".
- 1997 – 2000: Undergraduate studies in Mathematics, Fachhochschule Flensburg, Germany.
Biography
- Jan - May 2011: Internship at Exxon Mobil Upstream Research Company, Houston (TX), USA
- 2004 – 2008: Hochschule Darmstadt – University of Applied Sciences, Department of Mathematics and Natural Sciences (Laboratory for Numerical Mathematics). Scientific staff member.
- 2001 – 2003: Fraunhofer-Institute for Computer Graphics (IGD), Darmstadt, Germany. Student assistant.
Research
Claudia combines X-Ray computer tomography experiments of multiphase flow in cores of fractured carbonates with novel discrete-fracture modelling techniques to understand how to improve the accuracy of multiphase fluid flow simulations in fractured hydrocarbon reservoirs.
Christine Maier
Education
- 2010 – present: PhD in Petroleum Engineering, Institute of Petroleum Engineering, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, UK.
- 2002 – 2010: MSc in Mathematics, University of Paderborn, Germany. Thesis title: "Integration of one-dimensional gas dynamics equations in a model to simulate the intake in engines".
Research
Christine is developing new numerical methods based on discrete-fracture-and-matrix (DFM) techniques to study three-phase flow processes in fractured hydrocarbon reservoirs with spatially varying wettability; a particular focus is on enhanced oil recovery processes such as gas-gravity drainage or water-alternating-gas injection.
Yan Zaretskiy
Education
- 2008 – present: PhD in Petroleum Engineering, Institute of Petroleum Engineering, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, UK.
- 2006 – 2008: MSc in Applied Physics and Mathematics, Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology. Thesis title: "Electromagnetic and acoustic coupling in saturated porous media governed by electrokinetic effect".
- 2002 – 2006: BSc with distinction in Applied Physics and Mathematics, Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology. Thesis title: "The study of pluronics influence on the lipid membranes structure".
Research
Yan uses direct simulations of reactive solute transport at the pore-scale to study controlled-salinity waterflooding, a promising EOR technique, in carbonate rocks. He obtaines the pore geometry directly from high-resolution X-Ray CT-scans and solve the stationary Stokes equation on these, which provides the velocity profile in the porous sample for subsequent transport problems.
Dr Zeyun Jiang (Affiliated, with Dr. Rink van Dijke)
Education
- 2007: PhD in image processing and analysis, Institute of Petroleum Engineering, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, UK.
- 1991: MSc in Applied Mathematics, Sichuan University, China.
- 1987: BSc in Mathematics, Southwest Normal University, China
Biography
- 2008 – present: Research Associate, Institute of Petroleum Engineer, Heriot-Watt University, UK.
- 1994 – 2004: Associate professor in Applied Mathematics Department of UESTC university of China.
- 1987 – 1991: Lecturer, Mathematics Department of Tibet University of China, teaching in Advanced Mathematics, Symbolic Logic and Statistics.
Research
Zeyun is working on pore- to core pore-network reconstruction and upscaling of single- and multiphase flow in multi-porosity carbonates as part of the POREOR project at the International Centre of Carbonate Reservoirs in Edinburgh.
Grant Nicoll (Affiliated, at School of Geosciences, University of Edinburgh)
Education
- 2007 – present: PhD in Geology, School of Geosciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.
- BSc and MSc degrees in petroleum geoscience from University of Aberdeen.
Research
Grant is developing an improved prediction methodology for the future modelling of CO2 migration in sedimentary basins and risk evaluation purposes by identifying, evaluating and quantifying areas of current uncertainty in existing models. The main focus is on the Utsira storage site in the North Sea.
Tannaz Pak (Affiliated, at School of Geosciences, University of Edinburgh)
Education
- 2011- Present: PhD in Petroleum Engineering, Institute of Petroleum Engineering, Heriot-Watt University and School of GeoSciences University of Edinburg, UK.
- 2008-2010: MSc. in Reservoir Geoscience and Engineering, Institut Français du Pétrole (IFP-School), France - Petroleum University of Technology, Iran.
- 2003-2007: BSc. in Chemical Engineering- Major in HSE & Technical Inspection, Petroleum University of Technology, Iran.
Research
Tannaz is using X-ray tomographic and SEM techniques in combination with pore-scale simulations to understand how oil and brine saturations are (re-)distributed in carbonate cores as a function of wettability, pore structure and brine and oil composition. The results of X-ray and SEM will be used to build a pore scale network in order to quantify the displacement processes by computing physically consistent relative permeability and capillary pressure curves.
Daniel Stone (Affiliated, at Department of Mathematics)
Education
- 2010 – present: PhD in Mathematics, Department of Mathematics, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, UK.
- MSc degree in Applied Mathematics, Department of Mathematics, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, UK.
Research
Daniel is developing parallel exponential time integrators to simulate porous media flow with unstructured grids and stochastic forcing. The focus is on real-world applications such as flow, transport, and chemical reactions at the pore-scale.
Former members
Matteo Lupi
Education
- Current position: Postdoctoral Research Associate at the Department of Geodynamics and Applied Geophysics, University of Bonn, Germany
- 2006 – 2010: PhD in Geoscience, Institute of Petroleum Engineering, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, UK.
- 2002 – 2008: MSc in geology, University of Pisa, Italy. Thesis title: "The review of hazards at Stromboli with tephrostratigraphic and geochronological methods".
Research
Matteo analysed how transient permeability variations during earthquake cycles affect the large-scale fluid flow in geothermal systems in Iceland. A particular focus was on understanding the time-scales of regional fluid flow and localised permeability variations due to overpressuring.
Karen Schmid
Education
- Current position: Postdoctoral Research Associate at the Institute for Modelling Hydraulic and Environmental Systems, University of Stuttgart, Germany
- 2008 – 2012: PhD in Petroleum Engineering, Institute of Petroleum Engineering, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, UK.
- 2002 – 2008: MSc in Mathematics, Technical University of Munich, Germany. Thesis title: "Theory and Numerics for a reconstruction algorithm of acoustic microscopy".
Research
Karen analysed the scaling behaviour of chemical transport during immiscible two-phase flow including capillary effects using analytical and numerical solutions, with applications to chemically enhanced oil recovery.
Antoine Tambue (Affiliated, at Department of Mathematics)
Education
- Current position: Postdoctoral Research Associate at Department of Mathematics, University of Bergen, Norway
- 2007 – 2010: PhD in Mathematics, Department of Mathematics, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, UK.
- MSc degree in Mathematics from African Institute for Mathematical Sciences, South Africa.
Research
Antoine developed new time integration schemes for advection-diffusion equations with stochastic forcing and reaction terms to simulate solute transport in heterogeneous porous media more accurately.
