Bruining, J.

Expertise

Subsurface transport processes

1. Multiphase flow in porous media
2. Mathematics
   1. Hyperbolic Conservation Laws
   2. Numerical Methods
3. Geostatistics
   1. Stochastic Random Fields, Marked Point Processes Markov Chains
   2. Percolation Theory
4. Transport processes
   1. Natural (free) Convection Flow
5. Physical chemistry
1. Thermodynamics
2. Colloid/ Surface Chemistry

Completed Research

1. Underground coal gasification. Outcome: 3-D probabilistic simulation model, which shows good agreement with field trial observations. (Two Ph-D studies) 
2. Efficient simulation of steam drive recovery of oil. Outcome: 3-D interface model, which is validated with scaled model experiments; includes geostatistical “marked point process fracture modeling”  (Two Ph-D studies)
3. Distillation enhanced steam drive recovery. Outcome: Addition of volatile oil to steam indeed improves oil recovery. Laboratory experiments cannot be interpreted with the current state of the art modeling techniques. Similar aspects also occur for polymer drives (1-Ph-D study)
4. Geostatistical modeling of fractal fields: Outcome: Improved spectral model to compute fractal fields and multiscale and multiresolution stochastic modelling of subsurface heterogeneity by tree-indexed Markov chains (TU-working group+ post-doc)
5. Dielectric measurements in porous media: Outcome: laboratory measurement technique of saturation profiles
6. Distillation enhanced steam drive recovery. : Focus: mathematical aspects of improved models involving analysis of shocks, bifurcations, finite condensation rates, distillation process and mixing mechanisms and new wave structures (one Ph-D student in Brazil, file)

Ongoing Research

1. Arsenic remediation of drinking water and irrigation water from tube wells in Bihar (India) in collaboration with ANC Patna: Focus: Remediation using wetlands (application WOTRO): Current focus Methods geological modeling for optimal site location and wetland construction. Previous research focused on reactive microbially mediated transport: nora.pdf, FEMSKRAAN.pdf, biofilmsSPE-128066-MS-P.pdf, darwishbruin.pdf)
2. Carbon dioxide Enhanced Coal Bed Methane: Focus: reliability of CO₂ adsorption isotherms and super-diffusion (sponsored by CATO II, Shell, three Ph-D students).  Here are some new results on measurements of adsorption (elisa.pdf,roundrobbin.pdf, revscient.pdf), capillary pressure measurements and wetting behavior.
3. Enhanced transfer for aquifer storage of CO2 thanks to natural convection(masstransferofCO2.pdf, rouhispe121195-MS-P.pdf, rouhi801521u.pdf, numericalenhancedtransfer.pdf, rouhifoam.pdf). Feasible aquifer storage requires innovative ideas on storage and separation as current state of the art technology requires 10-40% of the useful energy from which the CO2 is produced.
4. Wetting behavior using dynamic P_c measurements, droplet shape analysis and dielectric measurements (plugdiel.pdf, dielunique.pdf): Focus: Coals are more CO₂-wet for higher degrees of coalification and pressure, which is favorable for fast CO₂ adsorption (sponsored by EC, one Ph-D student).
5. In situ combustion; description of high temperature and low temperature zone with focus on incomplete combustion (combustionA020.pdf, iscSPE-129904-MS-P.pdf).
6. Upscaling in fractured reservoirs to improve oil recovery predictions. Focus: Combining geology and sophisticated upscaling (homogenization).(hamidrezaA001.pdf, hamidSPE-115361-PA-P[1].pdf)

New Research

1. Wetting alteration in fractured reservoirs. Focus: Use of steam and CO₂ to alter wetting characteristics in fractured reservoirs and enhance oil recovery (Shell sponsored projects).
2. Monitoring microbial activity during oil recovery. Focus: Relate measurements of microbial activity to the progress of oil recovery process flowcell.doc(Shell sponsored + one Ph-D student)
3. Storage of NO_x and SO_x in coal layers. Focus chromatographic separation in coal layers (one Ph-D and one post-doc)
4. Sustainable use of arsenic free drinking water from deep tube wells, Focus: contamination from shallow layers, horizontal influx and social implications.
5. Hydrogen Oriented Underground Gasification of Coal for Europe project (HUGE), Focus: reactive natural convective transport, EC sponsored, 1 Ph-D student.
6. Modeling stress induced diffusion model and model equations.

Publications

Curriculum Vitae