New Research Chair Established at the

University of Texas at Austin

November 2011

A new Iive year, US$1.35 million Iunding package Irom CMG Reservoir Simulation
Foundation (Foundation CMG) will establish an Industrial Research Chair in
Reservoir Engineering at The University oI Texas at Austin (UT).

The new Foundation CMG Iunding support through a Chair in Reservoir Engineering
to be held by Dr. Quoc P. Nguyen, will support Dr. Nguyen's team oI research
associates and students in undertaking leading edge research in innovative
hydrocarbon recovery processes in Iractured, tight, and unconventional petroleum
reservoirs.

Proposed Strategic Research Areas

Chemical Recovery Processes
Alkali-SurIactant-Polymer (ASP) or SurIactant-Polymer (SP) Ilooding are attractive
chemical enhanced oil recovery (EOR) methods. While extensive experimental
studies oI these processes have been well documented, mechanistic process modeling
remains challenging due to the complexity oI interactions oI chemical components
that govern chemical reactions, emulsiIication, phase partitioning and transIer , and
Ilow behaviors. The current empirical modeling oI these processes could be improved
based on Iluid mechanics, colloid and interIace sciences, and thermodynamics. The
Iirst appropriate step towards a Iully mechanistic modeling approach is to evaluate the
adequacy oI the current empirical models Ior bulk (e.g. phase viscosity and density)
and interIacial properties (e.g. interIace tension and wetability) based on the existing
large body oI experimental database most oI which has been developed at UT. The
dynamics oI these properties strongly aIIect petrophysical properties such as capillary
pressure and phase relative permeability that need to be properly modeled and used to
evaluate the behavior oI the chemical recovery processes on a Iield scale.

Phase trapping including trapping oI Ioam and emulsions are oI great importance in
modelling chemical EOR processes. UT proposes starting with a pore level model oI
the phase trapping to serve as the basis Ior a continuum model suitable Ior reservoir
simulation.

Cas Recovery Processes and Disposal: CO
2
, Flue Cas and Aitrogen
Recent innovations in Ioam design have made Ioam the most promising mobility
control method Ior gas Ilooding. CO
2
Ioam is weaker than N
2
Ioam regardless oI rock
types. UT proposes using solvation theory and dynamic IFT to model the eIIect oI gas
properties on Ioam. They have recently developed and tested new and better
surIactants that are soluble in supercritical CO
2
and make excellent Ioams Ior multi-
contact miscible Iloods. Several Iield pilots are planned based on our promising
laboratory results. The eIIect oI CO
2
soluble surIactants on asphaltene stability has
also been experimentally and theoretically investigated. UT proposes development,
validation and implementation oI a new uniIied Ioam model Ior diIIrent Iluid mobility
control concepts in CMG's GEM simulator.

Carbonate Reservoirs
The complexity oI carbonate reservoirs is mainly associated with natural Iractures and
geochemistry. In EOR processes, chemical and phase exchanges between Iractures
and matrix are not well understood. Empirical transIer Iunctions that are commonly
expressed in Iorm oI capillary pressure are very limited in describing kinetics oI mass
transIer across Iracture surIaces. The charactersitic oI dispersed Ilow such as Ioamed
and emulsiIied Ilows in Iractures diIIers Irom that in porous media. A large body oI
theoretical development on bulk dispersion generation in narrow slits with rough
surIaces can be adopted to model dispersed Ilow behaviors in Iractures. UT proposes
the development and validation oI a signiIicantly diIIerent dispersion model Ior Ilow
in Iractures associated with mass trasnIer between Iractures and matrix based in part
on this theoretical knowledge.

Improved 1hermal Recovery Process: Heavy Jiscous Oils, Bitumen
Steam Ilooding, SAGD, and cyclic steam stimulation have been employed worldwide
as successIul thermal methods Ior viscous oil recovery. However, the subsurIace
geology may limit the perIormance oI steam injection technologies. Reservoir
permeability should be suIIiciently high to allow the steam Iront to advance through
the reservoir. High steam mobility in heterogeneous viscous oil Iormations with
borehole complexities signiIicantly reduces steam utilization and energy eIIiciency,
and increases CO
2
emission induced environmental impact. A major Iraction oI
viscous oil Iormations are relatively shallow. The ensuing low pressure in such
Iormation limits the use oI high temperature steam, reducing oil production rate. New
ways to extract viscous oil are needed.

UT proposes novel approaches to reduce both cost and environmental impact would
be to synergistically mildly heat the oil and displace it with alkaline-surIactant -
polymer (ASP), alkaline-surIactant-gas/vapor (ASG or ASV) chemical solutions. The
perIormance oI either polymer or dispersed gas/vapor could be optimized with respect
to the oil temperature that is controlled by the level oI heating. UT proposes a parallel
program oI experiments and modelling to evaluate the Ieasibility oI these novel EOR
techniques. CMG/STARS could be used Ior large-scale simulation and complex well
conIigurations provided essential Ieatures are available in it and veriIied with
laboratory data and/or UTCHEM as needed. The improvement oI oil displacement
with in-situ upgrading, Ioamy oil, and novel nanoparticle induced mobility control
techniques will also be our areas oI interest.

University of 1exas, Cockrell School of Engineering
The Cockrell School oI Engineering at The University oI Texas at Austin is a top
ranked epicenter oI engineering education, and knowledge creation and distribution.
Comprised oI renowned educators, researchers and thought leaders, the Cockrell
School addresses the grand challenges oI the world, drives economic progress and
improves quality oI liIe. With nine internationally recognized undergraduate programs
and nine acclaimed graduate degree programs, the Cockrell School propels research
and innovation, develops transIormative technologies and cultivates solutions to
advance society.

The Cockrell School oI Engineering`s mission is to educate leaders oI the Iuture in
technology, industry, business and other proIessions, who will thrive in a globally
competitive environment. Research is central to achieving the Cockrell School oI
Engineering`s vision to become a global center Ior technology innovation,
engineering education, and entrepreneurship. The Cockrell School oI Engineering
aspires to be a top global leader in innovative engineering education while engaging
in research that addresses global challenges oI the 21st century, drives economic
progress and improves quality oI liIe.


Foundation CMC
Founded in 1978, Foundation CMG (original name Computer Modelling Group) was
Iounded at the University oI Calgary, Chemical and Petroleum Engineering
Department. CMG Reservoir Simulation Foundation (Foundation CMG) promotes
and Iinancially supports research & development and students through research grants
at universities. This is in regards to the technology oI Iluid Ilow and biochemical
reactions in porous media, particularly oil & gas reservoirs. Foundation CMG has a
rich history oI over 30 years working in 25 countries around the world.

Dr. Quoc P. Aguyen
Dr. Quoc Nguyen joined the Iaculty oI The University oI Texas at Austin in 2005 as
Assistant ProIessor at the Department oI Petroleum & Geosystems Engineering. He
holds a BSc in Chemical Engineering, MBA in industrial management, MSc in
Environmental Sciences, and PhD in Petroleum Engineering. Dr. Nguyen's recent
research has Iocused on Colloid and InterIace Science and the engineering oI complex
Iluids, such as Ioam, nanoparticle dispersion, emulsion, surIactant and polymeric
solutions. His research program with elements oI modeling and experimentation has
been aimed at understanding subsurIace transport phenomena (including dynamics oI
colloids and complex Iluids in porous media, reactive Ilow, and heat transIer), and
developing optimum control methods Ior subsurIace processes. His research has
applications in enhanced oil recovery (EOR), conIormance control technology,
hydrocarbon production stimulation, in-situ thermal and chemical conversion oI tar
sand and oil shale, and nanoparticle EOR and nano-sensing. In previous research in
the downstream petroleum industry, he led several projects on oil reIining (distillation
and extraction) and petrochemical (cracking and reIorming) processes. In the
environmental area, Nguyen was involved in numerous industrial research projects on
hazardous waste treatment and the development oI clean production technologies.
His current Iunded research projects are in the Iollowing areas
Chemical and gas Ilooding Ior EOR
ConIormance control with complex Iluids
Production stimulation oI unconventional resources
Thermal and chemical conversion oI tar sand and oil shale
Functionalized nanoparticles Ior subsurIace applications


or further information please contact:

Duke Anderson
President
CMG Reservoir Simulation oundation
Suite 700, One Executive Place
1816 Crowchild Trail NW
Calgary, Alberta, Canada T2M 3Y7
Ph. (403) 450-8399

Dr. Quoc P. Nguyen
The University of Texas at Austin
Dept of Petroleum and Geosystems Engineering
1 University Station
Texas, USA, 78732
Ph. (512)471-1204