Energy & Petroleum Engineering | University of Wyoming

Graduate Education in EPE

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

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Center of Innovation for Flow Through Porous Media

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.

ETEM
FIB-SEM
QEMSCAN

X-ray Medical CT Scanner
X-ray Micro-CT Scanner
More Instrumentation

Contact: Dr. Mohammad Piri

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Subsurface Energy and Digital Innovation Center

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

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Drilling & Completions Simulator Lab

Located in the state-of-the-art Engineering Education and Research building, the Drilling and Completions Simulation Laboratory features advanced Drilling Systems technology.

Dual Cyber Chair DrillSIM 6000
Conventional Brake Handle DrillSIM 5000

CTS 5000 Coiled Tubing
WL5000 Wireline Simulators

Contact: Dr. Tawfik Elshehabi

Peabody Energy Advanced Coal Technology Lab

The Peabody Energy Advanced Coal Technology Laboratory supports research in the conversion of natural gas and coal into various manufactured products and liquid fuels. Projects currently active in this lab include studying the behavior of coal to develop and improve coal conversion system designs and reactors and the conversion of synthetic gas to ethylene glycol and diesel fuel with an emphasis on commercialization.

Contact: Dr. Maohong Fan

Research Laboratories

Engineering L31 and 4006

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Contact: Dr. Morteza Dejam

High-Pressure Low/High-Temperature BT2.15 Differential Scanning Calorimeter (DSC) and Accessories
Two-Stream Dynamic Gas and Vapor Sorption Intelligent Gravimetric Analyzer equipped with Interchangeable Inlet-Pressure Dynamic Sampling Mass Spectrometer (DSMS)

JULABO Presto Highly Dynamic Refrigeration System and Accessories
High-Pressure High-Temperature Multiphase Coreflooding System and Accessories

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).

School of Energy Resources Research Centers of Excellence

The School of Energy Resources (SER) brings together faculty and graduate students from multiple disciplines to develop important energy research programs in their Center of Excellence (COE) model. With SER funding, the COE are expected to capture external funds and attain financial independence within a few years. COE evolve with time; new groups may form to work on emerging challenges, while some centers may disband as their programs are completed.

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.

Integrated Microscopy Core (IMC)

The IMC of the Wyoming Sensory Biology Center is a federally-listed active research core facility.

Full List of UW Research Facilities

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Center for Advanced Scientific Instrumentation

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.

Research and Economic Development Student Resources

UW’s Research and Economic Development Division has a plethora of resources to enable you to successfully apply for support to see your project through to a successful outcome.

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.