Currently, the school's primary research areas include the following:

• Reservoir Characterization and Simulation
• Well Technology
• CO₂ Capture and Storage Economics in conjuction with the School of Chemical Sciences and Engineering
• Petroleum Production Economics

Academics/Research Staff:
Prof. Val Pinczewski, (PhD, UNSW)
Prof. Mark Knackstedt, (PhD, Rice University)
Dr. Yildiray Cinar (PhD, Clausthal Technical University, Germany)
Mr. Dilip Tamhane (BSc in Geol., JD University, India)
Dr. Nam Tran (PhD, UNSW)

Research Students:
Abid Ghous (PhD Candidate, UNSW)
Olalekan Adisa Olafuyi (PhD Candidate, UNSW)
Abdul Ravoof (PhD Candidate, UNSW)

In order to study fluid flow in porous media and enhanced oil recovery, research is conducted on a wide range of areas including:

• Geostatistical modelling
• Characterization of Reservoir Rock and Fluid Properties
• Pore Scale Network Modelling
• Reservoir Simulation

Left to right: Abdul Ravoof, Mustafizur Rahman, Mohammed Aghghi, Sheikh Rahman, Martin Hodge, Zhixi Chen, Altaf Syed

Academics/Research Staff:
Prof. Sheik S Rahman (PhD, Technical University Clausthal, Germany)
Dr. Zhixi Chen (PhD, University of Petroleum, China)

Research Students:
Mohammed Aghighi (PhD Candidate, UNSW)
Altaf Syed (PhD Candidate, UNSW)
Abdul Ravoof (PhD Candidate, UNSW)
Mustafizur Rahman (PhD Candidate, UNSW)
Mohammed Al-Dahlan (PhD Candidate, UNSW)

Research is conducted on a range of areas covering drilling and completions specific to coal bed methane, tight gas and geothermal reservoirs.

Areas covered include the following:

• In-situ Stress Characterization
• Well bore Stability Analysis
• Drilling Fluid Formation and Management
• Directional, Multilateral and Extended Reach Well Drilling and Completions
• Drill Pipe Stability and Analysis
• Cementing
• Hydraulic Fracturing Treatment Design
• Naturally Fractured Reservoir Simulation and Stimulation
• Hot Dry Rock Geothermal Drilling and Reservoir Development

The focus remains on these specific reservoirs due to both their complex nature as well as their vast potential of energy stored.  

Left to Right: Richard Dunsmore, Olga Bukhteeva, Peter Neal, Minh Ho, Regina Sander, Wanwan Hou

Academics/Research Staff:
Mr, Guy Allinson (BSc Dip Soc Sci Birmingham University)
Dr. Dianne Wiley (PhD, UNSW)
Dr. Yildiray Cinar (PhD, Clausthal Technical University, Germany)
Dr. Peter Neal (PhD, UNSW)

Research Graduate Students:
Olga Bukhteeva (PhD Candidate, UNSW)
Regina Sander (PhD Candidate, UNSW)
Richard Dunsmore (MSc Candidate, UNSW)

SCOPE is actively involved in a research program undertaken by the CO2CRC on the capture and geological storage of carbon dioxide. The study as a whole is concerned with assessing the technologies for capturing CO₂, as well as locating and studying suitable traps for CO₂ injection.

Given its petroleum economics and related capabilities, the School’s work is to study the economic viability of CO₂ capture and injection at specific sites across Australia. Focused studies on CO₂ injection and storage in and enhanced methane recovery from coal beds, as well as the optimisation of CO₂ capture and storage are exciting new developments in the department.

Academics/Research Staff:
Mr. Guy Allinson (BSc Dip Soc Sci Birmingham University)
Dr. Peter Neal (PhD, UNSW)

Research Graduate Students:
Wanwan Hou (MSc Candidate, UNSW)

Crude oil price movements, technological and fiscal changes can all have a dramatic effect on the overall profitability of the oil and gas industry in a particular country. These factors can also affect the scale and timing of Government Take from oil and gas production. Using its petroleum economic modelling capabilities, SCOPE can analyse the economics of upstream oil and gas developments at basin, country, or international levels.