Name: Robert L. Lee
Citizenship: US.
Address: New Mexico Petroleum Recovery Research Center (PRRC/NM Tech)
New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology (a.k.a New Mexico Tech)
801 Leroy Place, Socorro, New Mexico 87801
Tel: (505) 835-5408, Fax: (505) 835-6031, E-mail: lee@nmt.edu
Home: 1306 North Drive, Socorro, New Mexico 87801, Tel: (505) 835-0869
Education: Ph.D., Chemical Engineering, U. of Michigan, Ann Arbor, 1986
Advisor: Dr. M.R. Tek
M.S., Chemical Engineering, Oregon State U., Corvallis, 1982
(minor in Statistics) Advisor: Dr. R. Mrazek
B.S., Chemistry, Chung Yuan College, Taiwan, 1976
Professional
Experience:
1999-present Commissioner (appointed by the Governor of New Mexico)
New Mexico Oil Conservation Commission, NMOCC
1998-present Regional Lead Officer, Southwest Region
Petroleum Technology Transfer Council, PTTC
1998-present Director, New Mexico Petroleum Recovery Research Center, New Mexico Tech
2002-present Professor of Chemical & Petroleum Engineering, New Mexico Tech
1992-2002 Associate Professor of Chemical & Petroleum Engineering, New Mexico Tech
1996-1997 Chemical Engineering Coordinator, P&ChE Department
1994-1997 Chairman, Petroleum & Chemical Engineering Department
1987-1992 Assistant Professor of Petroleum Engineering, New Mexico Tech
1986-1987 Research Fellow, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
Supervisor: Dr. D.L. Katz
1982-1986 Teaching/Research Assistant, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
1978-1982 Teaching Assistant, Oregon State University, Corvallis
1976-1978 Electronic Technician, Taiwanese Air Force, Taipei, Taiwan
Research Interests:
Purification of Produced Water, Hydrogen Generation by Natural Gas Conversion, Gas Storage, Coal-Bed Methane, Water Coning, Reservoir Characteristics, Fluid Flow in Porous Media, and Applied Numerical Methods.
Awards: NM Tech President’s Faculty Award, 2003
by New Mexico Tech’s President, Dr. Daniel Lopez
for outstanding leadership role in bringing national academic distinction and promoting research excellence.
NMOGA
Pete Porter Award, 2000
by
New Mexico Oil and Gas Association (NMOGA)
for outstanding contribution to New Mexico oil and gas industry.
Distinguished Faculty Award, 1989, 1990, 1991
by Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE) Student Chapter
for excellent teaching and supervision.
Professional
Activities:
Editor of Elsevier’s Petroleum Science & Engineering; Member of SPE; Referee for Journals of SPE, Energy Sources, Energy Resources Technology (ASME); Session Head of AIChE annual meetings; SPE Reservoir Engineering Committee; Session Head of SPE annual meetings.
1999-present Member, Research Committee (appointed by the Governor of New Mexico)
Interstate Oil and Gas Conservation Commission, IOGCC
Students Supervision:
[1] Guo, Gordon; Ph.D., 1989-1992, now an Associate Professor at University of Louisiana
Exact Solution of Water/Gas-Oil Coning
Problems in Horizontal Wells
[2] Ouenes, Ahmed; Ph.D., 1990-1992, now with RC square, Denver
Application of Simulated Annealing to
Reservoir Characterization and
Petrophysics Inverse Problems
[3] Cochrane, Tom; MS, 1987-1991, now with ExxonMobil
Flow Visualization of CO2-Foam at Reservoir Conditions
[4] Engler, Tom; MS, 1989-1992, now an assistant professor at New Mexico Tech
Dual Porosity, Multiphase Model for Coal Bed
Reservoirs
[5] Cotta, Olivier; MS, 1990-1992, now with ARCO France
THT Adsorption in Underground Natural Gas
Storage
[6] Sasnanand, Santan; MS, 1991-1993, now with Unocal, Thailand
Adsorption of THT in Porous Media; An
Experimental Approach
[7] Nath, Shyamal Kumar; MS, 1992-1993,
Water Cone Subsidence Time
[8] Khan, Mashiur; MS, 1992-1994,
Adsorption of THT in Porous Media; A
Theoretical Approach
[9] Anwar, Jabed; MS, 1992-1994,
[10] Zellou, Abdel, MS, 1993-1995, now with RC Square.
Neural Net Applications on Reservoir
Characterization
[11] Kelly, Mike, MS, 1995-1996, Ph.D., 1998-2000, New Mexico Tech
Net-Stress Effect on Non-Darcy Flow
Optimal In-fill
Drilling Location for Tight Gas Reservoir
[12] Mohamed, Badrul Jan, MS, 1995-1997, Ph.D., 1997-2001,
an assistant professor at University of Malysia, Malaysia
Horizontal Wells
in Coalbed Methane
Flow Relative
Permeability for Condensate Reservoir
[13] Hidayati, Dewi, MS, 1995-1997, co-advisored with Dr. Huang
THT Bio-Remediation in Underground Natural
Gas Storage
[14] Seldal, Marlin; MS, 1995-1997, co-advisored with Dr. Seright
Profile Control
[15] Wang, Jianxin; MS, 1995-1997, Ph.D.,1997-2000, co-advised with Dr. Buckley
Wettability
[16] Al-Maamari, Rashid S.H., Ph.D., 1998-2000, Co-advisored
with Dr. Buckley
Effect of Asphaltene Destabilization on
Wettability
[17] Siagian, Ucok; Ph.D., 1998-2000, an assistant professor at
ITB, Indonesia
[18] Li, Liangxiong; Ph.D., 2002-present
Produced Water Purifications
Grants and Contracts:
1987-1988 RE&D, Dr. Kuellmer $8,000
Initiation Grant
1988-1989 Graduate Office, Dr. Smoake $4,000
Initiation Grant
1989-1990 Engineering Foundation $20,000
Hydrate Kinetics
1989-1993 Gaz de France, Paris $260,200
THT adsorption
1990-1990 ITC, Albuquerque $1,500
WIPP Simulator
1991-1992 SMMRRI $10,000
Coal Seam Simulation
1991-1992 RE&D, Dr. Gutjahr $9,000
Coal Seam Type Curve
1991-1993 National Science Foundation $49,000
Natural Gas Laboratory
1992-1993 RE&D, Dr. Gutjahr; with A. Sung and R.E. Bretz $6,000
Expert System for Waste-Management
1992-1993 Gas Company New Mexico, Albuquerque $6,000
Storage Sites Selection
1992-1993 Rio Grande Technology; with R.E. Bretz $104,000
Separation of Oil by Centrifuge
1993-1994 SMMRRI $6,000
Water Coning Subsidence Time
1993-1994 Gas Company New Mexico, Albuquerque $22,000
Reserve Prediction
1994-1995 WERC; with Greg Hazlett $60,000
Water
Cleaning at Navajo Cite
1996-1999 Gaz de France, Paris $200,000
Impact of THT in Underground Storage
1996-1999 Gaz de France, Paris, with Al Smoake $90,000
Toxicity Study of THT
1996-1999 Gaz de France, Paris, with Frank Huang $90,000
Bio-Remediation of THT in Storage Operations
1996-1997 Gaz de France $15,000/year
Discretionary
1998-1999 Questa Pipeline $15,000
Reservoir
Management
1998-2003 NPTO/NETL/DOE $340,000/year
Petroleum
Technology Transfer Council
2000-2002 NPTO/NETL/DOE, with Mike Whitworth $1.2 M
(DE-PS26-00FT40759)
Modified
Reverse Osmosis for Produced Water
2002-2004 NPTO/NETL/DOE, with Martha Cather $0.55 M
(DE-PS26-01BC15300)
New
Mexico Water & Information System
Courses Taught:
[1] ES 110L, Drawing Lab
[2] ES 111L, Basic Engineering (Matlab) Lab
[3] ES 216, Fluid Mechanics
[4] ES 332, Electrical Engineering
[5] ES 347, Thermodynamics
[6] ES 350, Heat & Mass Transfer
[7] ES 447, Chemical Engineering Thermodynamics
[8] ES 531, Viscous Fluids, Advanced Transport Phenomena
[9] ED 431, Fluid and Thermal Design, I
[10] ED 432, Fluid and Thermal Design, II
[11] ChE 326, Chemical Engineering Principles
[12] ChE 451, Chemical Kinetics
[13] ChE 471, Engineering Numerical Analysis
[14] ChE 472, Advanced Transport Phenomena
[15] PETR 245, Petroleum Fluids
[16] PETR 345, Reservoir Engineering I
[17] PETR 424, Production I
[18] PETR 425, Production II
[19] PETR 445, Reservoir Engineering II
[20] PETR 460, Numerical Method
[21] PETR 464, Natural Gas Engineering
[22] PETR 523, Reservoir Simulation
[23] PETR 544, Advanced Reservoir Engineering
[24] PETR 570, Graduate Seminar
[25] PETR 571, Advanced Stimulation
Industrial Courses:
[1] Natural Gas Storage Courses, 1990-1996, with D. Elenbass
[2] Natural Gas Storage Courses, 1987-1988, with D. Katz
[3] Natural Gas Storage Courses, 1983-1986, with M.R. Tek
Present and Past
Consulting Activities:
[1] Public Service Company, Gas Services, 1993-1997
[2] Gaz de France, 1989-1997, Guy Fasanino, (33-1) 47.54.29.30
[3] Elenbaas Consulting Firm, 1988-1996, Doug Elenbaas, (616) 957-3243
[4] Grynberg Petroleum, 1988-present, Morris Ettinger, (303) 850-7490
[5] Northern Illinois Gas, 1992-1995, Lonni Upshaw, (630) 983-8676 ext.2254
[6] Shell Canada, Calgary, 1985-1986
[7] Texon Inc., Ann Arbor, Michigan, 1983-1985, M.R. Tek, (808) 325-7618
Books:
[1] Inventory-Migration-Deliverability in Underground Storage, with M.R. Tek and others,
American Gas Association, Monograph, 1986.
[2] Natural Gas Engineering; Production and Storage, co-author with late Professor D.L. Katz,
McGraw-Hill, 1990, 780 pages, 400+ figures, in McGraw-Hill Chemical Engineering Series.
Patents:
[1] Guo, B., Bretz, E.R., and Lee, R.L. “Method and Apparatus for Generating, Transportating,
and Dissociating Gas Hydrates,” US Patent 5,473,904 (December 12, 1995).
Papers: (*, peer
reviewed or a chapter in a book; **, a referred SPE paper)
Peer reviewed
[1] Whitworth, T. M. and Lee, Robert, (2003) “Deasalting of saline waters:
applications to New Mexico,” New Mexico
Geology, Volume 25, No. 1. *
[2] Whitworth, T. M., Siagian, Ucok. W., and Lee, Robert, (submitted) Reverse
osmosis separation of NaCl using a bentonite membrane, Separation and
Purification Methods. *
[3] Li, Liangxiong, Whitworth, T. M., and Lee, Robert (submitted) Separation
of Inorganic Solutes from Oil Field Produced Water Using a compacted Bentonite
Membrane, J. Membrane Science. *
[4] Li, Liangxiong, Whitworth, T. M., and Lee, Robert (submitted) Construction
of an ultra-thin, compacted clay membrane, Clay Science. *
[5]
Li, Liangxiong, Lee, Robert, and Whitworth, T. M., (2002), “Solute
rejection capabilities of compacted bentonite membranes,” The Clay Minerals
Society 39th Annual Meeting,
Program and Abstracts, p. 116.
[6] Torres, David, Lee, Robert, and Whitworth, T. M., (2002), Concentration polarization-induced precipitation of NaCl, The Clay Minerals Society 39th Annual Meeting, Program and Abstracts, p. 166.
[7] Mohamed Jan, Badrul H., Ucok Siagian and Robert L. Lee, (2003) “Effect of Permeability Distribution and Interfacial Tension on Gas Condensate Relative Permeability; An Experimental Study,” SPE 80511, SPE Asia Pacific Oil & Gas Conference and Exhibition, Jakarta, 15-17 April 2003.
[8] Mohamed Jan, Badrul H.,. N. Mohamad Ibrahim, Ucok Siagian and Robert L. Lee, (2002) “Experimental Study of Gas Condensate Relative Permeability,” Regional Symposium on Chemical Engineering (RSCHE), Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia, 28-30 October 2002.
[9] Mohamed Jan, Badrul H, U. Siagian, and R. Lee, (2002) “A new and Robust Simulation Model for Coalbed Methane Reservoir,” SPE paper 78696, presented at 2002 SPE Eastern Region Meeting, October 23-25, Lexington, Kentucky. *
[10] Thichloroethylene Reduction on Zerovalent Iron: Probing Reactive versus Nonreactive Sites, with Frank Huang and others, Chapter 13, American Chemical Society, Symposium Series No. 837, Chlorinated Solvent and DNAPL Remediation. Innovative Strategies for Subsurface Cleanup, edited by Susan M. Henry and Scott D. Warner, 2002. *
[11] Ye, Bing, Fan, T., Lee, R., and Whitworth, T. M., “Using Clays as Reverse Osmosis Membranes to
Treat Produced Water,” Association of Engineering Geologists Annual Meeting,
St. Louis Missouri, 2001.
[12] Bustamante, E., P. Anselmo, and R. Lee, (2000) New Mexico Energy Future, background report of the New Mexico First 24th Town Hall, New Mexico First, Albuquerque, New Mexico.
[13] Seright, R.S. and R.L. Lee, (1998) “The Potential of Gel Treatments for Reducing Channeling Through Naturally Fractured Reservoir,” SPE paper 39802, presented at 1998 Permian Basin Oil and Gas Recovery Conference, 23-26 March, Midland, Texas. SPE Production & Facilities, 269, 14(4), November 1999. *
[14] Huang, F.Y.C., R.L. Lee, B.Wear, and P. Guerra, (1997) “Biodegradation of Mechaptans,” 7th Annual West Coast Conference on Contaminated Soils and Groundwater, Oxnard, CA.
[15] Huang, F.Y.C. and R.L. Lee, (1997) “Degradation of Ethyl Mercaptan in the Presence of Zero-Valence Iron,” 4th Annual International Petroleum Environmental Conference, San Antonio, TX.
[16] Kelly, M., B. Mohamed, and R. Lee, (1997) “Net Stress Effect on Non-Darcy Flow,” SPE paper 38038, presented at 1997 SPE Asian Pacific Meeting, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. **
[17] Elenbaas, D., D.T. Hidayati, F. Huang, B. Mohamed, M. Khan, and R. Lee, (1996) “The Environmental Impact of Mercaptans in Underground Gas Storage,” SPE paper 37383 presented at the Eastern Regional Meeting, October 23-25, Columbus, Ohio. **
[18] Chen, H.-Y., L.W. Teufel, and R.L. Lee, (1995), “Coupled Fluid Flow and Geomechanics in Reservoir Study -- I. Theory and Governing Equations,” SPE paper 30752 presented at SPE Annual Meeting, October 23-25, Dallas, Texas. **
[19] Permadi, P., R. Lee, and P.S.T. Kartoatmodjo, (1995), “Behavior of Water Cresting Under Horizontal Wells,” SPE paper 30743 presented at SPE Annual Meeting, October 23-25, Dallas, Texas. **
[20] Lee, R., S. Nath, and M. Khan, (1995), “Water Cone Subsidence Time of A Horizontal Well,” SPE paper 29295 presented at SPE Asian Pacific Meeting, March, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. **
[21] Guo, B. and R.L. Lee, (1993), “A Simple Approach to Optimization of Perforating Interval in Water-Coning System,” SPE Reservoir Engineering, November. SPE paper 23994 presented at the Permian Basin Oil and Gas Recovery Conference, Midland, Texas, March 18-20, 1992. *
[22] Liang, L.T., R.L. Lee, and R. Seright, (1993), “Placement of Gels to Modify Production Profiles,” SPE Production & Facilities, November. SPE/DOE paper 20211 presented at SPE/DOE 7th Symposium on Enhance Oil Recovery, Tulsa, April 22-25, 1990. *
[23] Guo, B., S. Miska, and R.L. Lee, (1993), “An Innovation in 3-D Well Trajectory Design Using Concept of Constant Curvature,” Journal of Energy Resources Technology, ASME, September. Paper presented at the ASME 1993 Energy-Resources Technology Conference and Exhibition. *
[24] Guo, B., S. Miska, and R.L. Lee, (1993), “Constant -Curvature Equation Improve Design of 3D Well Trajectory,” Oil & Gas Journal, April 19. *
[25] Guo, B., R.L. Lee, and S. Miska, (1993), “Gas Volume Requirement for Directional Drilling,” Proceedings of the 3rd Lerkendal Petroleum Engineering Workshop held in Trondheim, Norway, January 20-21.
[26] Ouenes, A., A. Gutjahr, and R.L. Lee, (1993) “Global Optimization Methods in Petroleum and Gas Reservoir Engineering: Current Status and Future Perspectives,” presented the SIAM conference on Mathematical and Computational Issues in the Geosciences, April 19-21.
[27] Guo, B., Jean-Eric Molinard, and R.L. Lee, (1992), “A General Solution of Gas/water Coning Problem for Horizontal Well,” SPE paper 25050 presented at The Europec '92, Cannes, France, November 16-18. **
[28] Guo, B., R.E. Bretz, and R.L. Lee, (1992), “Gas Hydrate Decomposition and Its Modeling,” presented at The 1992 International Gas Research Conference, Orlando, Florida, November 16-19.
[29] Ouenes, A., G. Fasanino, and R.L. Lee, (1992), “Simulated Annealing for Interpreting Gas/Water Laboratory Corefloods,” SPE paper 24870 presented at The SPE 67th Annual Technical Conference & Exhibition at Washington, D.C., October 4-7. **
[30] Ouenes, A., A. Gutjahr, and R.L. Lee, (1992), “Conditioning Permeability Fields by Simulated Annealing,” presented at The 3rd European Conference on the Mathematics of Oil Recovery, Netherlands, June 17-19.
[31] Guo, B., S. Miska, and R.L. Lee, (1992), “Constant-Curvature Method to Plan 3-D Directional Wells,” SPE paper 24381, presented at The SPE Rocky Mountain Regional Meeting, Casper, Wyoming, May 18-21. **
[32] Guo, B. and R.L. Lee, (1992), “Determination of the Maximum Water-Free Production Rate of a Horizontal Well with Water-Oil Interface Cresting,” SPE paper 24324, presented at The SPE Rocky Mountain Regional Meeting, Casper, Wyoming, May 18-21. **
[33] Elenbaas, D., T. Engler, and R.L. Lee, (1992), “Gas Storage Prospect Evaluation,” presented at The Annual Spring AIChE Meeting, New Orleans, March 29.
[34] Ouenes, A., G. Meunier, and R.L. Lee, (1992), “Application of Simulated Annealing Method (SAM) to Gas Storage Reservoir Characterization,” presented at The Annual Spring AIChE Meeting, New Orleans, March 29.
[35] Guo, B., R.E. Bretz, and R.L. Lee, (1992), “Decomposition of Methane and Ethane Hydrates,” presented at the 16th Annual Symposium of the Rocky Mountain Fuels Society, 7th Symposium of Western States Catalysis Club, Albuquerque, New Mexico, March 19-20.
[36] Ouenes, A., I. Bahralolom, A. Gutjahr, and R.L. Lee, (1992), “A New Approach for Reservoir Characterization Using Simulated Annealing,” presented at The 2nd Lerkendal Workshop, Norwegian Institute of Technology, University of Trondheim, February 5-6.
[37] Guo, B. and R.L. Lee, (1992), “An Exact Solution to Critical Oil Production Rate of Horizontal Wells with Water-Oil Interface Cresting,” presented at The 2nd Lerkendal Workshop, Norwegian Institute of Technology, University of Trondheim, February 5-6.
[38] Ouenes, A., I. Bahralolom, A. Gutjahr, and R.L. Lee, (1992), “A New Method for Predicting Field Permeability Distribution,” presented at the Mediterranean Petroleum Conference and Exhibition, Tripoli, January 19-22.
[39] Lou, F., S. Miska, and R.L. Lee, (1991), “Pressure-Transient Testing at Drilling Stage of Well Development,” SPE paper 23007, presented at the SPE Asia-Pacific Conference, Perth, Western Australia, November 4-7. **
[40] Guo, B. and R.L. Lee, (1991), “An Exact Solution to Critical Rate of Horizontal Wells with Gas-Oil-Interface Dipping,” SPE paper 23555, unsolicited. **
[41] Lee, R.L., (1991),``Nitrogen Injection in Gas Storage Reservoirs,'' presented at CPPT Symposium, Houston, Texas, May 25-26.
[42] Oren, P., M.D. Stevenson, R.L. Lee, and M.R. Tek, (1989), “The Development of a Generalized Drawdown Equation for Real Gas Flow Including the Effects of Wellbore Storage and Turbulence,” Underground Storage of Natural Gas: Theory and Practice, 129-138, Kluwer Academic Publishers. *
[43] Beck, F.E. and R.L. Lee, (1988), “A Method for Determination of Permeability, Skin, and Turbulence Factor from an Open-Flow Potential Test,” SPE paper 18270, presented at The 63rd Annual SPE Technical Conference and Exhibition, Houston, Texas, October 2-5. **
[44] Lee, R.L., P. Oren, and M.R. Tek, (1988), “The Effects of Wellbore Storage, Skin, and Turbulence on Early Time Transient of Real Gas Through Porous Media,” SPE Formation Evaluation, September, 547-554. *
[45] Lee, R.L., R.W. Logan, and M.R. Tek, (1988), “Effect of Turbulence on Transient Flow of Real Gas Through Porous Media,” SPE Formation Evaluation, March, 108-120. *
[46] Logan, R.W., R.L. Lee, and M.R. Tek, (1985), “Microcomputer Gas Storage Simulation Using Finite Element Method,” SPE paper 14449 presented at The 60th SPE Annual Meeting at Las Vegas, Nevada. **
[47] Lee, R.L., R.W. Logan, and M.R. Tek, (1984), “Deliverability of Natural Gas,” Proceedings of the 8th Doha Technical Symposium, Doha, 41-47.