Chemical and Petroleum Engineering

College of Engineering and Physical Sciences

Education

• B.E., University of Queensland - Chemical Engineering
• Ph.D., University of Queensland - Chemical Engineering

Specializations:

Reservoir Engineering & Simulation, Enhanced Oil Recovery, Natural Gas Processing, Wax Deposition, Phase Behavior.

Textbook:

• Brian F. Towler, “Fundamental Principles of Reservoir Engineering”. 2002, Society of Petroleum Engineers, Richardson Texas.
• David Bell, Brian F. Towler and Maohong Fan “Coal Gasification and its Applications”, Elsevier 2010.

Selected Journal Publications:

1. Saeid Mokhatab F.Vejahati, M.B. Nikoo, and B.F. Towler "Simple Correlation Estimates ofthe Critical Properties of Alkanes" Journal of Petroleum Science andTechnology, 2007, 25, 1115-1123.
2. Saeid Mokhatab and Brian F. Towler, "Nanomaterials Hold Promise in the Natural Gas Industry",  International Journal of Nanotechnology, 2007, 4(6), 680-690
3. A. Bahadori, S. Mokhatab, and B.F. Towler, "Rapidly Estimating Natural Gas Compressibility Factors", Journal of Natural Gas Chemistry, Vol. 16, No. 4,  349-353 (2007).
4. Cong H.L., Radosz M. , Towler B.F. , Shen Y.Q. , "Polymer-inorganic nanocomposite membranes for gas separation", Separation And Purification Technology 55 (3): 281-291 Jul 1 2007.
5. Wang, H., Towler, B.F. and Mohamed, S.Y.: "Near Wellbore Stress Analysis and Wellbore Strengthening for Drilling Depleted Formations," SPE 102719, 2007 SPE Rocky Mountain Oil & Gas Technology Symposium, Denver, Colorado, 16–18 April 2007, published in the proceedings.
6. Brian F. Towler, Ashok K. Chejara, and Saeid Mokhatab, "Experimental investigations on the effects of ultrasonic waves on petroleum wax deposition during crude oil production", SPE 109505, presentation at the 2007 SPE Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition held in Anaheim, California, U.S.A., 11–14 November 2007, published in the proceedings.
7. Brian F. Towler, Deepak Agarwal, and Saeid Mokhatab, "Modeling Wyoming's Carbon Dioxide Pipeline Network", Energy Sources: Part A, Vol. 30, No. 3, 259-270 (2008).
8. A. Bahadori, S. Mokhatab, and B.F. Towler, "Simple Correlation Accurately Predicts Hydrate Forming Conditions of Light Alkanes and Sweet Natural Gases" Hydrocarbon Processing, Vol. 87, No. 1, 65-68 (2008).
9. Wang, H., Towler, B.F., Mukai, D. and Mohamed, S.Y.: "Avoiding Drilling Problems by Strengthening the Wellbore while Drilling", 2008 Rock Mechanics Symposium, June 29 – July 2, 2008, San Francisco, Ca.
10. Wang, H., Towler, B.F., Whitfill, D.,and Mohamed, S.Y.: "Case Histories Show Wellbore Strengthening as an Alternative to Drilling Narrow Mud Weight Windows", 2008 AADE Fluids Technical Conference and Exhibition, April 8-9, 2008, Houston, proceedings published.
11. Hong  Wang, Ronald Sweatman, Bob Engelman, Wolfgang Deeg, Don Whitfill, Mohamed Soliman, and Brian F. Towler, "Best Practice in Understanding and Managing Lost Circulation Challenges", SPE Drilling & Completion Journal, 23(2) 168-175, June 2008.
12. Wang, H., Towler, B.F., Shan, Z., and Mohamed, S.Y.: "Geomechanics Modeling for Better Drilling Performance", 2008 AADE Fluids Technical Conference and Exhibition, April 8-9, 2008, Houston, published in World Oil June 2008, vol 229, no. 6.
13. Towler, B.F., Victorov, H., Zamfir, G., and Ignat, P., "Plugging Wells With Hydrated Bentonite, Part 2: Bentonite Bars" SPE-115524, presented at the 2008 SPE Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition 21-SEP-08 to 24-SEP-08 in Denver, CO, proceedings published.
14. Wang, H., Towler, B.F. Shan, Z., and Mohamed, S.Y.: "Investigation on Factors for Strengthening a Wellbore by Sealing Fractures.". IPTC-12280-PP presented at 2008 International Petroleum Technology Conference, 3-5 December 2008, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, proceedings published.
15. Goual, L., Schabron, J; Turner, T; and Towler, B.F., "On-column Separation of Wax and Asphaltenes in Petroleum Fluids", Energy and Fuels, 22, 4019-4028, 2008.
16. Wang, H., Towler, B.F., Shan,Z., and Mohamed, S.Y., "Strengthening a Wellbore with Multiple Fractures: Further Investigation of Factors for Strengthening a Wellbore" The Proceedings of 43rd U.S. Rock Mechanics Symposium, June 28 – July 1, 2009, Asheville, North Carolina.
17. Yin, S., Towler, B.F., Dusseault M., and Rothenburg L.,"Numerical Experiments on Oil Sands Shear Dilation and Permeability Enhancement in a Multiphase Thermoporoelastoplasticity Framework", Journal of Petroleum Science and Engineering, 69 (2009) 219-226.
18. Wang, H., Towler, B.F. and Mohamed, S.Y.: "Investigation on Factors for Strengthening a Wellbore by Propping Fractures", SPE 112629, 2008 IADC/SPE Drilling Conference, March 4-6, 2008, Orlando Florida, and published in the "SPE Drilling & Completion Journal", 24 (September 2009) 441-451.
19. Mokhatab, S., and Towler, B.F., "Wax Prevention and Remediation in Subsea Pipelines and Flowlines", World Oil, Vol. 230, No. 11, PP. 55-58 (Nov. 2009).
20. Towler, B.F., and Behzadi, S. H.,  SPE-123866, "ASPaM, A New EOR Method", presented at the 2009 SPE Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition 4-7 October 2009 in New Orleans, LA, proceedings published.
21. Towler, B.F., Nie, C.P. and Ye D.S., SPE- 124506, "A Study of a Low-Frequency Downhole Hydraulic Pulsing Cementing Device and Its Field Application" presented at the 2009 SPE Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition 4-7 October 2009 in New Orleans, LA, proceedings published.
22. Towler, B.F., Jaripatke, O., and Mokhatab, S., "Experimental Investigations of the Mitigation of Paraffin Wax Deposition in Crude Oil Using Chemical Additives", Petroleum Science & Technology, Vol. 29, No. 5, PP. 468-483 (2011).
23. Seth, S., Towler, B.F., and Mokhatab, S., "The Effect of Tube Orientation and Pour Point Depressant on Paraffin Wax Deposition", Petroleum Science & Technology, Vol. 29, No. 4, PP. 378-392 (2011).
24. Gao, P., Towler, B., SPE-138786, "Strategies for Evaluation of the CO2 Miscible Flooding Process", presented at the 2010 Abu Dhabi International Petroleum Exhibition and Conference held 1-4 November 2010 in Abu Dhabi, UAE.
25. Gao, P., Towler, B., Jiang, H., SPE-133598, "Feasibility Investigation of CO2 Miscible Flooding in South Slattery Minnelusa Reservoir, Wyoming", presented at the 2010 SPE Western North American Regional Meeting held 27 - 29 May 2010 in Anaheim, California.
26. Gao, P., Towler, B., Zhang, X., SPE-129590, "Integrated Evaluation of Surfactant-Polymer Floods", presented at the 2010 SPE EOR Conference at Oil & Gas West Asia, 11-13 April 2010 in Muscat, Oman.
27. Bin Gong, Guan Qin, Brian F. Towler and Hongyan Wang, "Discrete Modeling of Natural and Hydraulic Fractures in Shale-Gas Reservoirs" SPE 146842-MS presented at the Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition, 30 October-2 November 2011, Denver, Colorado.
28. Wang, H., Mohamed, S.Y., Meng F., Towler, B.F., and Shan, Z.: "Will a Leak-off Test Weaken Your Wellbore?" SPE-132981-PP presented at the 2010 SPE Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition (ATCE) held 19-22 September 2010 in Florence, Italy. Published in SPE Drilling and Completions 26(4) (December 2011) 531-539
29. Brian F. Towler,  "Peak Oil Theory", Oil and Gas Journal 109(18) November 7, 2011, 90-97.
30. Gao, P., Towler, B.: "Integrated Investigation of Enhanced Oil Recovery in South Slattery Minnelusa Reservoir, Part 1: Polymer Injection", J. of Petroleum Science and Technology, accepted, to appear 2012.
31. Gao, P., Towler, B.: "Integrated Investigation of Enhanced Oil Recovery in South Slattery Minnelusa Reservoir, Part 2: CO2 Miscible Injection", J. of Petroleum Science and Technology, accepted, to appear 2012.
32. David A. Wood, Chikezie Nwaoha and  Brian F. Towler, "Gas-to-liquids (GTL): A review of an industry offering severalroutes for monetizing natural gas", Journal of Natural Gas Science andEngineering, Vol. 9 (November 2012) 196-208