Petroleum Engineering & Rock Mechanics Group (PERM)
Providing affordable energy in an environmentally sustainable way is a key issue for the world. Despite recent developments there is still a significant global reliance on oil and gas. Research into efficient and effective recovery methods is, therefore, a very high priority. In the Petroleum Engineering and Rock Mechanics Research Group (PERM) we perform research in all areas of petroleum engineering. We focus predominantly on the subsurface upstream end of the industry, including flow in porous media, reservoir simulation, reservoir characterisation, hydrocarbon thermodynamics and rock mechanics. This research has applications to many industry problems such as well testing, heavy oil recovery, enhanced/improved recovery, CO2 sequestration, drilling and so on. Funding for these activities is from international oil and service companies, UK government and Research Councils, and the EU.
Head of Group Peter King
Current research:
Outcrop Modelling
Development of high resolution 3D models derived from outcrop analogues, to provide insight into the geological processes that control reservoir architecture, obtain quantitative data to constrain subsurface models, and improve understanding of the interaction between heterogeneity and flow during production. | Pore Scale Modelling
Pore-scale Modelling develops network models as practical reservoir description and simulation tools to study a variety of two- and three-phase displacement processes.
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Reservoir Characterization
Development of novel models to represent geological structures and heterogeneity in reservoirs including object based and geostatistical models. Research into modeling only those features which influence flow. Use of neural networks to predict petrophysical properties. | Reservoir Modelling/Upscaling
Numerical studies of flow at various scales in reservoirs and the development of new techniques for upscaling single and multiphase flow using techniques like wavelets and renormalization.
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Rock Mechanics
Development of constitutive models for the deformation and failure of rock; macroscopic and microscopic study of borehole instability; development of models for the hydromechanical behavior of rock fractures and fractured rock masses; coupled thermo-hydro-mechanical modelling of nuclear waste repositories. | Smart Wells
Development of downhole monitoring and control techniques for smart wells, which incorporate feedback between near- and in-well measurements and inflow control valves. Application of these to improve sweep efficiency and mitigate against uncertain reservoir behaviour. |
Fluid Characterization | Fractures |
Granular/Particulate Systems
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Multicomponent Flow(CO2/EOR/Heavy Oil)
| Well Testing |
