Tianen Chen’s Comps Presentation
Monday, April 4th
8:30 am in Olin 04
Oil: From Basic Reservoir Simulation to Offshore Oil-Rig Power Delivery
Despite the necessary push for renewable energy sources, oil is still the lifeblood behind the world’s economy and infrastructure. This talk explores the field of petrophysics and explains the process behind the formation of hydrocarbons to the extraction of petroleum in chronological order. First, the geophysics behind the different rock formations and factors necessary to produce a reservoir of oil is introduced. Additionally, the physics behind the determination of rock porosity, a key factor in petroleum harvesting, is explained. Next, particular attention is paid to the numerical reservoir simulation and fluid dynamics of the flow of the reservoir rock. Reservoir simulation computing methods that bolster the numerical methods are introduced and computing capability is discussed. The talk concludes with a brief examination on how wells are designed and power is supplied to offshore oil rigs.