
Dr AMIN SHARIFI
CEng MIMechE, FHEA
Senior Lecturer
- About
-
Room FN147
School of Engineering
King's College
University of Aberdeen
Aberdeen AB24 3UE United Kingdom
Biography
PhD, Engineering, University of Calgary
MEng, Engineering, University of Calgary
Recipient of the College of Physical Sciences Award for Excellence in Teaching in 2017.
- Research
-
Research Overview
I am an academic in the School of Engineering at the University of Aberdeen. My primary research interests span across experimental/theoretical fluid dynamics in porous media and narrow channels.
The applications of such studies are in developing solutions for energy recovery from subsurface resources, energy storage, and minerals extraction.
In my group, we have expertise in materials science and electrochemistry application in mineral extraction, this is in collaboration with European companies and Universities.
I also work on developing solutions for hydrogen storage, carbon capture and storage (CCS), this includes optimisation and prediction of multiphase flow in surface facilities and subsurface storage capacities. The solutions also aim at decarbonisation of industry and clean energy storage.
I work closely with local and international research councils and industry from Africa, Middle East, and North America to address the current problems in the energy sector and explore future opportunities. In recent years, I have been managing/co-managing a range of research projects that attracted more than £500k external grants.
Key research areas in my group:
- Fluid flow in complex channels and porous media
- Mechanics of non-Newtonian fluids (Colloidal suspensions, Foams, Polymer solutions and Nanofluids)
- Chemistry of colloidal suspensions/emulsions/minerals and ionic transport with a focus on energy transition
Research Areas
Accepting PhDs
I am currently accepting PhDs in Engineering.
Please get in touch if you would like to discuss your research ideas further.
Research Specialisms
- Chemical Engineering
- Energy Engineering
- Fluid Mechanics
- Nanotechnology
- Materials Science
Our research specialisms are based on the Higher Education Classification of Subjects (HECoS) which is HESA open data, published under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence.
Current Research
- Developing FUSim, a Fracture Upscaling Simulator, to predict the flow path of fluids in hydraulically fractured rocks. The use of this simulator can reduce the cost up to 20% by giving the best configuration of flow directions.
-
Understanding the rheology and dynamics of foam and emulsions
- Nanofluid suspensions for multiphase transport in annular channels
-
Hybrid thermal/chemical fluid flow in porous media
Supervision
My current supervision areas are: Engineering.
Current members:
Dr Natalie Boyou
Dr Boyou joined the research team in 2019 as postdoctoral fellow. She recievd her PhD in Petroleum Engineering at Universiti Teknologi Malaysia in 2019, and her research focuses on nano-enhanced suspensions for wellbore cleaning in directional drilling. She obtained a B.Sc. in Physics with Electronics and an M.Sc. in Petroleum Engineering.
Dr Mahdi Sadri
Dr Sadri is a postdoctoral fellow who joined the team in January 2021. Prior to here he has undertaken a PhD at Coventry University on "Increasing the economic recovery of oil and gas through data analisys and optimal flow measurement", and he recievd his BSc and MSc degrees from Shiraz Universirty. In Aberdeen, he works on foam flow in pipes, the project (led by Dr Rafati) is in collaboration with the oil and gas companies which will have a field trial phase in the North Sea.
Rizky Novara
Rizky obtained his BSc in Petroleum Engineering from ITB (Bandung Institute of Technology), Indonesia, in 2011. Then he received his MSc in Oil and Gas Engineering from the University of Aberdeen, 2014. He worked with LAPI-ITB, a foundation for research and industrial affiliation, conducting projects for oil industry in Indonesia, and as an academic assistant at the ITB before starting his PhD at the University of Aberdeen. He studies the application of nanoparticles in drilling fluids for deepwater drilling operations and in the Arctic conditions (led by Dr Rafati).
Ahmed Bashir
Ahmed received his BSc in Petroleum Engineering with a first class degree from University of Khartoum (2009) and completed his MSc in Environmental and Natural Resource Engineering at the University of Nottingham with distinction (2013). He worked as a well testing specialist in ASAWER Oil & Gas Company, and as a lecturer at the Dept of Petroleum Eng (U Khartoum) Sudan, before joining our group at the University of Aberdeen. His research focuses on the experimental investigation of foam rheology and its application in enhanced oil recovery processes from unconventional reservoirs.
Joseph Sherratt
Joe re-joined us in April 2017. He got his MSc in Reservoir Engineering form the School of Geosciences at the University of Aberdeen in November 2016. He previously studied Geophysics at Imperial College London where he discovered his interest in numerical modelling, and his current studies, he is developing models and tools for flow dynamics in hydraulically fractured rocks. He won the Best MSc thesis award in 2016.
Lawrence Boampong
Lawrence started his PhD in October 2017. He obtained a BSc in Petroleum Engineering from Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Ghana, in 2012. In 2014, he acquired his Master’s degree in Oil and Gas Engineering from the University of Aberdeen, UK. He worked for Schlumberger (sand control management) before re-joining to Aberdeen to work on Low Salinity Waterflooding project (led by Dr Rafati).
Talal Mostafa
Talal rejoined the University of Aberdeen in October 2017 to pursue his PhD on the dynamics of two-phase flow in complex channels. In his research project, the aim is to find a flow model for predicting immiscible displacement process in subsurface porous media (e.g. in oil recovery and soil remediation). He received his Bachelor's degree from University College London in Civil and Environmental Engineering, and a Master's degree from the University of Aberdeen in Petroleum Engineering.
Linda Tatiana LezamaTatiana received her Bachelor’s & Master’s degrees in Petroleum Engineering, from the Universidad Autonoma de Nuevo Leon (UANL) and the University of Aberdeen respectively. Before joining to our group, she worked in Halliburton and Petroleos Mexicanos (PEMEX), with the Coiled Tubing Services and the Formation and Reservoir Solutions teams. She is currently studying the phase behaviour of emulsion systems, aiming to reduce the environmental impact of hazardous chemicals in oil and gas industry(led by Dr Rafati).
David Vazquez
David received his Bachelore's Degree in Petroleum Engieering from Universidad Autonoma de Nuevo Leon in Mexico. He worked with Schlumberger at the Gulf of Mexico and with Grupo R on projects with PEMEX. He then joined the University of Aberdeen for his Master's in Petroleum Engineering, and upon completion of his degree in 2018, he started his PhD research project on dynamics of foams and emulsions in wellbores. His research goal is to enhance the flow potentials in water loaded wells using suspensions(led by Dr Rafati).Mohamed Reyani
Mohamed joined our group in 2020, he received his Bachelore's degree in Petroleum Engineering from the Universty of Leeds and completed his Master's in International Oil & Gas Management at the University of Dundee. He worked as subsurface petroleum engineer at Sirte Oil Company for 3 years before joing the Universty of Aberdeen. In his PhD he investigate the physicochemical characteristics of emulsions and their flow dynamics in rocks.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Visiting Scholar
Natalie Boyou
Natalie was a visiting PhD student in our group from Universiti Teknologi Malaysia. She visited us in summer 2018.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Former research students
Joseph Sherratt
MSc Reservoir Engineering, University of Aberdeen, 2016.
BSc Geophysics, Imperial College London, 2015. Currenlty at the University of Aberdeen (PhD student).Rafael Osorio
Rafael graduated with a BSc in Petroleum Engineering from the National University of Engineering in Peru and worked over 4 years in Geoscience and Reservoir Engineering areas before joining the University of Aberdeen. He received his MSc in Petroleum Engineering from the University of Aberdeen in November 2016 and his research was focused on reservoir characterisation through well test analysis. He developed a new series of type curves for characterisation of channelised heterolithic beds.Currently with USITEM - Chesterton (Fluid Sealing Specialist).
William Cardno
William was a master's of Chemical Enginering student at the Universty of Aberdeen. He workded on foam dynamics for a year in our research group and received his MEng degree with distinction in 2019. He is currently a process engineer with Optimus Aberdeen Ltd.Funding and Grants
- A joint industry project on flow dynamics of suspensions and foams in wells, funded by four companies based in the UK and US, 2020-2021
- A collaborative project on the dynamics of non-Newtonian suspensions (Nano-enhanced fluids) in mud flow in drilling operations with Egyptian Petroleum Research Institute, funded by BEIS & British Council, 2019-2021
- Development of a software package for optimisation of heat generation and flowrate in cementing jobs in wells, funded by Oil and Gas Innovation Centre & Deltatek, 2019
- An investigation on the emulsions phase behaviour and their stability in the presence of nanomaterials, funded by CONACyT, Mexico, 2018-2021
- A study on the use of foams and suspensions for enhancing vertical flows in wells, funded by CONACyT, Mexico, 2018-2021
- Application of nanotechnology in oil recovery, funded by The Royal Society, 2017-2018
- A project on the investigation of foam rheology and dynamics at reservoir conditions, funded by The Carnegie Trust, 2017-2018
- Modelling of oil recovery processes through smart waterflooding, funded by Ghana Education Trust fund, 2017-2021
- Environmentally Friendly drilling fluid design for directional and deepwater drillings, funded by Indonesia Endowment Fund for Education, 2016-2020
- Teaching
-
Teaching Responsibilities
Courses taught:
Undergraduate level:
EG55HI: Enhanced Oil Recovery
EG4013: MEng Individual Project
EP3595: Drilling and Well Engineering
Postgraduate level:
EG551W: Well & Production Engineering
EG551R/EG502B: Field Development & Petroleum Economics
EG501Y/EG55Q1: Enhanced Oil Recovery
Teaching Leadership:
UG Level 2 Coordinator for Engineering programmes
Deputy Programme Coordinator for MSc Oil and Gas Engineering
Workshops and Talks:
- Petroleum Engineering Capacity Development-Unconventional Reservoirs
PetroChina-Canada, Calgary September 2014
- Invited talk on Enhanced Oil Recovery Methods (EOR)
Subsea Engineering Program, Aberdeen November 2016
- Short course:An Introduction to Drilling in Heavy Oil, Oil Sands, Shale Gas Fields
EU funded capacity building project with University of Dar es Salaam (UDSM) Tanzania, Aberdeen April 2017
- Publications
-
Page 1 of 4 Results 1 to 10 of 37
An investigation of viscous oil displacement in a fractured porous medium using polymer-enhanced surfactant alternating foam flooding
Journal of Petroleum Science and Engineering, vol. 212, 110280Contributions to Journals: ArticlesReview of synthesis, characteristics and technical challenges of biodiesel based drilling fluids
Journal of Cleaner Production, 130344Contributions to Journals: Articles- [ONLINE] DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2021.130344
A review of fluid displacement mechanisms in surfactant-based chemical enhanced oil recovery processes: analyses of key influencing factors
Petroleum ScienceContributions to Journals: Articles- [ONLINE] DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.petsci.2021.11.021
An Experimental Investigation of Dynamic Viscosity of Foam at Different Temperatures
Chemical Engineering Science, 117262Contributions to Journals: Articles- [ONLINE] DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ces.2021.117262
Carbon Capture, Utilisation and Storage: The Role of Production Chemistry
Contributions to Conferences: PapersRheological and filtration property evaluations of the nano-based muds for drilling applications in low temperature environments
Colloids and Surfaces. A, Physicochemical and Engineering Aspects, vol. 622, 126632Contributions to Journals: ArticlesA calibrated surface complexation model for carbonate-oil-brine interactions coupled with reservoir simulation- application to controlled salinity water flooding
Journal of Petroleum Science and Engineering, vol. 208, no. Part A, 109314Contributions to Journals: Articles- [ONLINE] DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.petrol.2021.109314
Improvement of Heavy Oil Recovery by Nonionic Surfactant/Alcohol Flooding in Light of the Alkane Carbon Number and Interfacial Tension Properties
ACS Omega, vol. 6, no. 29, pp. 18668–18683Contributions to Journals: ArticlesOptimising well orientation in hydraulic fracturing of naturally fractured shale gas formations
Journal of Natural Gas Science and Engineering, vol. 94, 104141Contributions to Journals: ArticlesDeveloping a Thermally Stable Ester-Based Drilling Fluid for Offshore Drilling Operations by Using Aluminum Oxide Nanorods
Sustainability, vol. 13, no. 6, 3399Contributions to Journals: Articles