UW’s Saraji Publishes Book Examining Blockchain Technology in Oil and Gas Industry

Soheil Saraji, a University of Wyoming associate professor of energy and petroleum engineering, recently co-wrote a book examining blockchain technology and its applications in the energy industry.

The book, “Sustainable Oil and Gas Using Blockchain,” was written in collaboration with Si Chen, president of Open Source Strategies Inc., and is part of the “Lecture Notes in Energy Series” published by Springer Nature.

Focusing on the development of a sustainable oil and gas industry, the book delves into the role of blockchain in sustainable energy development and the technical and regulatory challenges of applying this technology.

“I am excited about the release of this book, as the oil and gas industry is focusing more and more on its environmental, societal and governmental impacts,” Saraji says. “I believe the book can attract a wide audience, including professionals working in the oil and gas industry looking for a fresh perspective on how to manage the energy transition successfully using digital technologies, and blockchain experts outside of the industry curious about the potential of working with the industry to mitigate its environmental impacts.”

The book provides insight into how the energy industry is already working to reduce carbon emissions and paving the way for a sustainable future, with detailed examples of reducing methane emissions, carbon credit markets, sustainable aviation fuels and plastics. It also examines how oil and gas companies could further their sustainability initiatives using blockchain technology for emission data monitoring; carbon capture, utilization and storage; and supply-chain management to develop clean products.

Other contributing authors of the book include Fred McLaughlin, director of the UW School of Energy Resources (SER) Center for Economic Geology Research. McLaughlin provided insights in a chapter dedicated to carbon storage.

“At the University of Wyoming, we are uniquely positioned to lead education and research in blockchain applications for sustainable energy development,” Saraji says. “In collaboration with other UW faculty, the School of Energy Resources, the School of Computing and the Center for Blockchain and Digital Innovation, I plan to advance applied blockchain technology with novel energy applications.”

In addition to his faculty appointment in the College of Engineering and Physical Sciences at UW, Saraji is the co-director of the Hydrocarbons Research Laboratory and an adjunct professor at SER. He has more than 18 years of research experience in subsurface energy extraction, storage and carbon geosequestration.

After earning his B.S. in petroleum engineering from the Petroleum University of Technology, followed by his M.S. in petroleum engineering from Sharif University of Technology, he came to UW, where he completed his Ph.D. He has taught courses in enhanced oil recovery, petroleum economics and blockchain in energy; and he is a prolific author, publishing substantially in his areas of expertise.

In addition to his pivotal research related to oil recovery from conventional and unconventional reservoirs, and underground carbon and hydrogen storage, Saraji is a pioneer in applied blockchain research for the oil and gas industry. He has developed new courses and research initiatives on the topic at UW.

“Sustainable Oil and Gas Using Blockchain” is currently available for preorder and will be available June 19 in hardcover and as an e-book.