News

Mwanzia chosen as Pathways 2024 speaker

PhD Graduate Student Kanini Dorothy Mwanzia has been chosen as a Pathways 2024 speaker. The Pathways Explorations Series features large-scale, TED-style talks where motivating and inspiring speakers tell their personal, academic and professional stories to the Mines campus community. The talks are required for CSM101 students to learn about the many possible academic and career pathways available to them. The talks are open to all Mines students, faculty and staff, and will be live-streamed and recorded.

Mwanzia’s talk will be November 6, 2024 from 12:00-12:50 and 4-4:50 in the Bunker Auditorium.

Congratulations, Graduates!

The CRFM congratulates the following graduating students: Ali Alsaad, MS in Geophysics and Maureen James, MS in Geophysics. Maureen will continue in CRFM as a PhD student. Ali will be working for Aramco.

CRFM Students Place at GRADS Research Competition

Congrats to PhD student Daniel Rathmaier and MS student Ali Alsaad for placing at the recent Mines GRADS’ Research competition. Rathmaier took second place in the Energy Division for his work titled, “Methane Gas Hydrate Precipitation Modeling Using Digital Rock Physics.” Alsaad took third place in the Earth Systems and Resources division for his work titled, “Fluid Saturation Estimation Using Full Waveform Inversion (FWI): An Experimental Study.” CRFM is proud to sponsor the work of these two bright students!

2023 Review

A lot happened at the CRFM in 2023. Here are just a few of the year’s highlights:

  • AFRAH SIDDIQUE successfully defended her MS thesis titled, “Evaluation of a wettability modifier additive on improving oil recovery in fractured reservoirs”.
  • Several students and faculty presented at the AGU 2023 Meeting including:
    • MAUREEN JAMES presented her work on “Assessing the Carbon Neutrality of EOR projects”
    • DOROTHY MWANZIA presented her work on “Experimental Study of Brine-saturated Arkosic Sandstones and Volcanic Ash Exposed to Liquid and Supercritical CO2
    • CHANCE AMOS in collaboration with Manika Prasad present his work on “Rock Physics Modeling of Powdered Rock and Comparison to Apollo Active Seismic Velocity”
  • DR. ZERPA received the 2023 SPE Regional Reservoir Description and Dynamics Award from the SPE Rocky Mountain North America Region. This award is an acknowledgement of Dr. Zerpa’s outstanding contribution in this area at the regional level.
  • DANIEL RATHMAIER presented a poster at the INTERPORE 2023 conference on “Potential Applications of Quantum Computing in Pore Scale Modeling”
  • DR. ZERPA was appointed was appointed as the second recipient of the Harry D. Campbell Endowed Chair in Petroleum Engineering. The Harry D. Campbell Endowed Chair in Petroleum Engineering was established in 2005 by Mr. Harry D. Campbell, PE’ 42. The holder of the Chair is expected to exhibit an exciting vision for the future of the petroleum industry, technical expertise in reservoir management, ability to lead cutting-edge research programs, effectiveness in teaching and mentoring students, and strong commitment to business and professional ethics and its integration with teaching and mentoring activities.

Looking forward to 2024!