Research
Energy and Petroleum Engineering
The Department of Energy and Petroleum Engineering continually strives to explore
the research frontier. Our faculty have very high research activity, meaning students can contribute to groundbreaking
discoveries alongside world-class researchers and scholars.
Our Research Specialties
- 4D Seismic Analysis and Reservoir Monitoring
- Azimuthal Seismic
- Big Data Analytics
- Coalbed Methane
- CO2 Enhanced Oil Recovery
- CO2 Sequestration
- Drilling Techniques
- Enhanced Oil Recovery
- Formation Evaluation
- Geomechanics
- Geostatistics
- Imbibition/Wettability
- Interfacial and Pore-Scale Transport in Porous Media
- Machine Learning
- Petrophysics
- Produced Natural Gas Flaring Mitigation
- Production of Crude Oil and Natural Gas
- Reservoir Engineering
- Reservoir Fluid Thermodynamics (PVT)
- Reservoir Simulation
- Seismic-Based Porosity Detection/Characterization
- Spontaneous Imbibition
- Tectonic Inheritance
- Waterflooding
- Wax Mitigation in Well Bores
- Wildfire Suppression
- Wyoming Petroleum Systems
Department Affiliated Research Centers
As the world’s premier facility of its kind, the Center of Innovation for Flow Through
Porous Media (COIFPM) is focused on developing cutting-edge technologies and discoveries
that can transform the energy industry and change the world for the better.
Contact: Dr. Mohammad Piri
Located in the state-of-the-art Engineering Education and Research Building, the Drilling
and Completions Simulation Facility provides advanced simulation training using industry-leading
technology from 3T Drilling Systems.
- Dual Cyber Chair DrillSIM 6000
- Conventional Brake Handle DrillSIM 5000
- CTS 5000 Coiled Tubing
- WL5000 Wireline Simulators
Contact: Dr. Tawfik Elshehabi
The Subsurface Energy and Digital Innovation Center (SEDI) is posed to spearhead the
modernization of Wyoming's energy sector by integrating cutting-edge digital technologies
and sustainable practices.
Research Areas:
- Blockchain for Sustainable Energy
- AI and Data Analytics for Energy
- Scientific Machine Learning
- Novel Fluids for Energy Applications
- Digital Twins and Virtual/Augmented Reality
Contact: Dr. Soheil Saraji
Hydrocarbon Lab
The Hydrocarbon Laboratory provides advanced analytical testing and characterization
of hydrocarbons, rocks, and their interactions using advanced spectrometry, chromatography,
microscopy, and fluid/rock property analysis techniques.
- FTIR Spectrometry
- UV-vis Spectroscopy
- Raman Spectroscopy
- Optical Microscopy
- Dynamic Light Scattering Analyzer
- Densitometer
- Viscometer
- Refractometer
- Elemental Analyzer
- Acid and Base Titrator
- Vapor Pressure Osmometer
- Cloud/Pour Point Chamber
- Flash Tester
- High Pressure Liquid Chromatography
- High Temperature Gas Chromatography
- HPHT Interfacial Tension & Contact Angle Measurement
- Spinning Drop Tensiometer
- Permeameter/Porosimeter
- Capillary Pressure Machine
- Surface Force Apparatus
Contact: Dr. Lamia Goual, Dr. Soheil Saraji
Integrated Fluid Dynamics/Geomechanics Research Lab
Coming Soon: In collaboration with the School of Energy Resources, the new Integrated Fluid Dynamics/Geomechanics
Research Lab will be one of the most resourceful and well-equipped lab facilities
on the energy frontier. In addition to housing UW’s PVT Cell Z16 CSZ valued at over
$500k, the lab will accommodate several new cutting-edge assets:
- Rock Mechanics True Triaxial Cell
- Nano-indentor G200X
- HPHT Foam Rheometer
- Rock Compressibility Unit
- Gas Adsorption Analysis
- Mineral Spectrometry Unit
Contact: Dr. Vamegh Rasouli, Dr. Tawfik Elshehabi, Dr. Soheil Saraji
The Next-Gen Drilling and Completions Fluids Lab supports advanced research in sustainable
drilling and completions fluids, featuring advanced instrumentation aligned with API
Recommended Practices 13B-1 and 13B-2. Key capabilities include precise particle characterization
(Microtrac Sync: laser diffraction and dynamic image analysis), high-pressure, high-temperature
rheology and filtration, and shale swelling assessment. The lab enables solutions
for challenging petroleum, geothermal, and carbon storage drilling applications.
Contact: Dr. Tawfik Elshehabi
Employing two state-of-the-art experimental setups, this laboratory generates high-resolution
data for the investigation of reservoir fluid properties, with a particular focus
on the phase transitions of pure fluids and mixtures confined in nanopores.
Contact: Dr. Morteza Dejam
Dedicated to conducting research for multiphase flow in porous media, this laboratory features two state-of-the-art high-pressure high-temperature multiphase
core flooding systems (HPHT-MCFS), one dedicated to oil-related investigations while
the other is designed for gas flow studies.
Contact: Dr. Morteza Dejam
EN 2018
The EN 2018 Lab specializes in fluid and rock characterization under extreme conditions
with High-Pressure-High-Temperature (HPHT) instrumentation.
Contact: Dr. Soheil Saraji
University of Wyoming Research Facilities
Geology and Geophysics Research Facilities
The Geology and Geophysics Department supports several laboratories with advanced
instrumentation for characterization of chemical composition, crystalline structure,
and morphology of both natural and man-made solid materials.
Chemistry Research Facilities & Instrumentation
The University of Wyoming Department of Chemistry boasts six primary facilities
containing state-of-the-art instrumentation. Additionally UW the Materials Characterization
Laboratories, Robert A. Jenkins Microscopy Facility, and High Resolutions Transmission
Electron Microscopy Facility (HRTEM).
NCAR-Wyoming Supercomputing Center
The NCAR-Wyoming Supercomputing Center is a high-performance computing and data science
resource for research in the Earth system sciences. Supercomputing can assist in simulating
geological processes, such as seismic activity, tectonic plate movement and landform
evolution.
Located in the Science Initiative Building, the Center for Advanced Scientific Instrumentation
(CASI) is a staffed core facility that houses state-of-the-art instrumentation that
enables analyses of a diverse range of specimens. The center is committed to serving
the UW faculty, students, and other stakeholders in Wyoming and beyond for research
and educational purposes.
- ZEISS Xradia Versa 610 high-resolution 3D X-ray microscope (XRM)
- Olympus Spinning Disc Confocal Microscope with Total Internal Reflection Fluorescence
- Olympus IXplore SpinSR Super Resolution Microscope
- Thermo Fisher Scientific Talos F200X Scanning Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM/STEM)
- Thermo Fisher Scientific Helios 5 UX DualBeam Focus Ion Beam/Scanning Electron Microscope
(FIB-SEM)
- ZEISS LSM 980 Laser Scanning Confocal Microscope
- D8 VENTURE X-ray Diffractometer
Research Resources at UW
WyoLearn Safety Training Courses
The UW Safety Office helps researchers comply with the important rules and regulations
for risk management, environment, health, and safety. Visit their website to learn
about the required training and regulatory guidance for laboratory researchers.
University of Wyoming Libraries
UW Libraries provides resources and services to support your success as a graduate
student in research, scholarship, and teaching. In addition UW library offers extensive
support for distance students, offering access to online databases, e-books, research
assistance via Zoom meetings, email or chat, interlibrary loan services for materials
not available online, and online guides tailored to assist with research and citation.
College of Engineering and Physical Sciences Tier-1 Initiative
The Wyoming state government has made a significant investment in a historic initiative
to propel UW to the realms of excellence. Visit this page to learn about the efforts
to become a a top-ranked educational institution with a reputation for academic excellence,
research, and teaching.
UW Oral Communication Center
The Oral Communication Center (OCC) provides free in-person and Zoom consultations
for students to improve their presentation and public speaking skills.
UW Writing Center
The UW Writing Center provides free writing consulting services to support all students.
You can meet face-to-face, online or submit your work for feedback asynchronously.
