Dr. Jenn-Tai Liang and Dr. Duane McVay of the Harold Vance Department of Petroleum Engineering at Texas A&M University have been selected 2015-2016 Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE) Distinguished Lecturers. Liang and McVay will join 30 other experts who will share their knowledge with SPE members around the world, lecturing on a variety of critical topics for the energy industry.
Liang’s topic involves nano technologies for oilfield applications, and the title of his lecture is, “Think Outside of the Box — Nano Drug Delivery Technologies for Oil Recovery Applications.” His lecture will concern his main research focus: developing promising uses of nanotechnology for oilfield applications in both conventional and unconventional reservoirs.
Based on drug delivery technologies from the pharmaceutical industry, Liang’s research group successfully developed a chemical delivery system that uses nanoparticles to entrap and protect the chemicals from the hostile underground environments. The current oilfield applications include delayed gelation for water shutoff and in-depth conformance control, delayed release of scale inhibitors to extend the treatment life time, wax and asphaltene inhibition for flow assurance, microbial enhanced hydrocarbon recovery, and fracture fluid cleanup.
“It is a great honor and professional recognition for me to be selected as an SPE Distinguished Lecturer giving lectures around the world,” said Liang.
During the 2015-2016 lecture season, Liang will travel to Europe, Asia, South America, and U.S. destinations to talk about his exciting work. He joined the petroleum engineering department in August 2014 and was recently awarded the John E. & Deborah F. Bethancourt Professorship.
McVay’s topic involves management and information, and the title of his lecture is, “The Value of Assessing Uncertainty (What You Don’t Know Can Hurt You).” His lecture addresses chronic overconfidence, optimism and resultant portfolio underperformance of the petroleum industry relative to expectations. It highlights McVay’s research on the impact of biases on portfolio performance and on methods for improving probabilistic forecasting. He demonstrates that reliable assessment of uncertainty can add value to the bottom line, and believes it will require re-education as well as changes in businesses processes and incentive structures. McVay will also lecture in South America, Asia, Europe and the U.S.
“I am grateful to both the Society of Petroleum Engineers and Texas A&M University for this opportunity to lecture about my group’s research,” said McVay.
In addition to uncertainty assessment, McVay’s research interests include reservoir simulation, integrated reservoir characterization and management, project evaluation, and unconventional resources. He is the Albert B. Stevens Chair Professor in Petroleum Engineering, and serves as both a professor and the assistant department head for academics. He is also an associate director of the Berg-Hughes Center for Petroleum and Sedimentary Systems.