Innovating Digital Energy Analytics (IDEAs)
About | People | Projects | Opportunities | Contact |
About
Memorial University is home to the Innovating Digital Energy Analytics (IDEAs) group. Our mission is to push the boundaries of digital analytics in the field of petroleum and energy, with a focus on cutting-edge technologies.
We are a multidisciplinary team of researchers integrating expertise in Process Engineering, Petroleum Engineering, Mathematics and Statistics, Computer Science, and Data Analytics to collaboratively work on innovative research projects with industry partners, government agencies, and academic institutions.
At IDEAs, we are committed to excellence in research, education, and knowledge exchange. Our team of passionate researchers and graduate students work collaboratively to make meaningful impacts on the field of energy analytics while fostering a culture of innovation, creativity, and collaboration.
We welcome collaborations and partnerships with like-minded organizations and researchers who share our vision for advancing the field of digital energy analytics. Together, we strive to create a brighter and more sustainable energy future through cutting-edge research and innovative solutions.
Contact us to learn more about our research & study opportunities, and how we can collaborate to drive meaningful advancements in the field of digital energy analytics.
Principal Investigator | Professor, Process Engineering
Prof. Lesley James is a Professor and former Chevron Chair in Petroleum Engineering in the Dept of Process Engineering at Memorial University. Dr. James’ research interests focus on sustainable oil production by increasing oil recovery rates through enhanced and improved oil recovery (EOR & IOR). Currently, her focus is on maximizing recovery from offshore Newfoundland and Labrador oil and gas fields through understanding the fluid-fluid and rock-fluid interactions and particularly examining miscible/near-miscible fluid injection and optimal EOR strategies for offshore production.
B.Sc. (Eng.) (University of New Brunswick), M.Eng., PhD (Waterloo), P.Eng.
Co-Principal Investigator | Professor, Dept. of Mathematics & Statistics
Prof. Haynes was born and raised in Newfoundland and Labrador. He completed his BSc (Hons) at Memorial, and followed this with a Master's and PhD at Simon Fraser University and then post-doc at the University of Waterloo in 2004. After five years at Acadia University, he returned home to Memorial in 2009 where he is now a Professor in the Department of Mathematics and Statistics. His research foci include the adaptive and parallel numerical methods for the solution of partial differential equations and the solution of large scale, often industrially relevant, optimization problems.
PhD (Simon Fraser), M.Sc. (Simon Fraser), B.Sc. (Hons) (Memorial)
Professor | Process Engineering and Earth Sciences
Prof. Stephen Butt is a Geological Engineer by background and has interests in the development of natural resources in Canada through teaching, research and industry collaboration. He has been a faculty member at Memorial University since 2006, and previously at Dalhousie University from 1996 to 2006, focused on technology development and optimization, reducing environmental foot print, and the training of highly qualified personnel and industry professionals.
Professor | Process Engineering
Prof. Imtiaz comes from a chemical engineering background with a master’s degree in environmental engineering and a PhD in process control. Prior to joining Memorial University he worked as a staff consultant at Aspen Technology. He implemented advanced control solutions to a wide range of industries including different units (CDU, HDS, FCC) of refineries, Ethylene Plant, Methanol Plant and other Petro-Chemical plants.
Associate Professor | Process Engineering
Dr. Salim Ahmed joined Memorial University of Newfoundland in February 2012 as an Assistant Professor in the Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science. With a background in Chemical Engineering, he obtained B.Sc. and M.Sc. degrees from Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) before pursuing a Ph.D. degree in Process Control at the Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering at the University of Alberta. Prior to joining Memorial University, Dr. Ahmed held positions as a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Alberta from 2006 to 2008 and as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Chemical Engineering at Qatar University, Doha, Qatar from 2008 to 2012.
Projects
Digital Offshore Energy Education
Primary Investigators: Dr. James and Dr. Peters
This project aimed at developing a series of industrial courses, including Introduction to Digital Oilfield, Data Management for Digital Oilfield, High Performance Computing for Digital Oilfield, Artificial Intelligence for Digital Oilfield, Instrumentation and Controls for Digital Oilfield, Computer Security and Communications for Digital Oilfield and Software Design for Digital Oilfield, that would enable engineers from different disciplines to learn the applications of AI and ML in the offshore energy industry.
Drilling – A Data Analytics Approach to Energy and Safety Improvement
Primary Investigators: Dr. James and Dr. Haynes
This project is a collaboration with the oil and gas industry to develop solutions to specific problems or “challenges” in the drilling industry using a data-driven approach and agile methodology. Improved efficiency means reduced drilling time (cost savings), less energy, and fewer carbon emissions.
Automated Managed Pressure Drilling (MPD)
Primary Investigators: Dr. Imtiaz and Dr. Salim Ahmed
MPD helps maintain operating parameters precisely vs. conventional drilling techniques. MPD also mitigates risk, reduces downtime and improves the overall efficiency of drilling operations. In collaboration with Beyond Energy, this project proposes an advanced choke control system that can operate in a wide range of conditions.
DTL Field Trials of Passive Vibration Assisted Rotary Drilling (pVARD) and SensorSub Technology
Primary Investigator: Dr. Butt
pVARD and SensorSub Technology is an innovative concept that has the potential to revolutionize the drilling industry. pVARD is a passive vibration system that uses the drilling process to create vibrations, which can improve drilling performance and reduce wear on drilling equipment. SubSensor is a cutting-edge technology that provides real-time data on drilling parameters, enabling operators to optimize drilling operations and improve efficiency. In this project, the trials will evaluate the effectiveness of the technologies in reducing drilling costs, improving drilling performance and minimizing environmental impact.
Reservoir Management and Production Optimization
Primary Investigators: Dr. James and Dr. Haynes
Optimal oil recovery considers well placement and control, reservoir management, and production optimization. These are large scale optimization problems requiring high and expensive computational time. To tackle these problems we apply parallel, derivative free optimization algorithms and pay careful attention to choices of simultaneous/monolithic versus alternating/sequential strategies.
Opportunities
For People:
We strive to provide well designed training opportunities for graduate students and post-docs. Please contact us for opportunities.
For Partners:
IDEAs group actively seeks partnerships to advance knowledge, drive innovation, and tackle complex challenges in our focus areas. We welcome collaborative opportunities with industry organizations, government agencies and other academic groups.
Partners
Thank you to our partners and collaborators for their guidance and support of the project, especially the Newfoundland and Labrador Department of Industry, Energy and Technology who supported the research through the NL Offshore Oil and Gas Industry Recovery Assistance Fund.
Contact
|
Faculty Member |
Contact Info |
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Dr. Lesley James |
Phone: 709-864-2485 Email: ljames@mun.ca Office: IIC1019 |
|
Dr. Ronald Haynes |
Phone: 709-864-8825 Email: rhaynes@mun.ca Office: HH-3032 |
|
Dr. Stephen Butt |
Phone: 709-864-8955 Email: sdbutt@mun.ca Office: EN2110D |
|
Dr. Syed Imtiaz |
Phone: 709-864-6749 Email: simtiaz@mun.ca Office: IIC3021 |
|
Dr. Salim Ahmed |
Phone: 709-864-7652 Email: sahmed@mun.ca Office: IIC 3026 |
Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science
Memorial University of Newfoundland
St. John's, NL