New Tools in Energy Resources Engineering
While NMR scanning opens new frontiers for reservoir geologists, chemical engineers now have improved modeling tools for scaling, electrolytes, and deep oil exploration available. As always, the annual Discussion Meeting was an opportunity to obtain valuable input from CERE’s industry stakeholders.
In energy resources engineering, industry’s desire to explore ever more complex natural conditions and develop advanced chemical engineering solutions goes hand in hand with academic aspirations. This is especially evident at CERE’s Discussion Meeting, where members of the industrial Consortium meet up with the scientific staff. As usual, the 2015 version of the annual event was well attended with 25 external participants representing 11 nationalities and 19 companies or external institutions.
Since the inclusion in 2009 of geological faculty, this field has grown steadily in CERE. At this years’ Discussion Meeting both Professor Ida L. Fabricius, CERE, and Dr. Niels Christian Onno Van Gilse, DONG Energy, presented new petrophysical insight obtained through NMR (Nuclear Magnetic Resonance) scanning. While this method is still relatively new to oil and gas exploration, both presenters were confident that we will see a growing number of studies over the coming years.
As usual several sessions were devoted to new tools in chemical engineering. CERE has developed new software for simulations including scaling, electrolytes and refinements to thermodynamic models involving complex mixtures. Further, new tools for reservoir simulations and extensions of existing models to include HPHT (High Pressure, High Temperature) conditions were presented.