News

Our affiliates meeting was held on April 17 and 18, 2008 at Stanford. Pictures here.

Our Summer Short Course will be held September 8 - 11, 2008. Please register for the event here.

New GE HiSpeed CT/i X-ray scanner arrival upgrades our equipment capabilities inventory! Click here for details.

SUPRI-A alum 2007, Rotimi Awoleke was awarded 2nd place for Master's degree level paper in the SPE ATCE 2007, held in Anaheim, California this November. Congratulations!

SUPRI-A was present in the ATCE 2007, this 11 to 14 november in Anaheim, California, US.

SUPRI-A was present in the GCEP Research Symposium 2007, Oct. 1-3, 2007, in the Francis Arrillaga Alumni Center, Stanford University with two posters: Gas Flow in Coal and CO2 sequestration in Coal Beds

SUPRI-A

The Stanford University Petroleum Research Institute (SUPRI-A) conducts thermal and heavy oil recovery research as well as studies associated topics regarding transport processes in low permeability and fractured porous media, in-situ combustion and reservoir definition.

Research within the SUPRI-A group is motivated by the large unconventional energy resources that are difficult to produce using standard recovery methods. These resources represent the key to easing energy supply concerns in the near term and the future. Chiefly, our activities are targeted at (i) abundant heavy oil, (ii) conventional and heavy oil in fractured, low-permeability reservoirs, and (iii) coalbed methane. Heavy oil is found in large quantity throughout the Western Hemisphere, China, Russia, and Indonesia, among other locations. Fractured reservoirs hold about one half of the known oil resource, but account for only roughly one fifth of reserves. Likewise, coalbed methane is an extensive clean-burning resource that has yet to reach its full potential Again in rough terms there is about 1400 TCF of coalbed methane throughout the U.S. and about 1000 TCF in China.

In additional to research, a primary goal is to educate students so that they are prepared for rewarding careers in engineering and the energy industry. This goal is met through mentoring and collaborative research.

SUPRI-A has been engaged in unconventional energy research since May, 1976. Industrial support was formalized in 1980 by the creation of an Industrial Advisory Committee whose representatives meet yearly at Stanford. To date, SUPRI-A has produced more than 100 technical reports and over 150 technical papers.

Research within the group is directed by Tony Kovscek and SUPRI-A Technical Manager Dr. Louis Castanier. Bill Brigham, the historical founder of the research group, passed away in February 2004. A memorial page for Bill, with tributes from people that had the chance to know him, can be found on the Energy Resources Engineering page.