Bo Zhang, PhD, P.Eng

Area of Study / Keywords

Civil and Environmental Engineering Geotechnical Engineering Petroleum Engineering Mining Engineering Numerical Simulation Uncertainty Quantification

About

Education:

Ph.D., Geotechnical Engineering, University of Alberta, Canada, 2019

M.Sc., Petroleum Engineering, University of Alberta, Canada, 2014

B.E., Petroleum Engineering, China University of Petroleum (Beijing), China, 2011

Information:

Dr. Zhang has a multidisciplinary background in geotechnical engineering, petroleum engineering and applied geostatistics. His research interests encompass: 1) multiscale modelling and simulation of subsurface energy developments, including in-situ recovery of oil sands, CO2 storage and geothermal system; 2) experimental and numerical investigation of thermal-hydro-mechanical-chemical reactions from pore to field scale; 3) data-driven decision-making in subsurface energy developments.

Dr. Zhang is accepting applications of prospective graduate students (MSc, PhD) and postdoctoral researchers with the background of, including but not limited to, geotechnical engineering, petroleum engineering, mining engineering and civil engineering. Highly motivated undergraduate students and M.Eng students looking for research experience are also encouraged to apply.

Research

1. Multiscale modeling of Reservoir–Geomechanical Behaviour from Pore to Field Scale
2. Coupled Thermal-Hydro-Mechanical-Chemical (THMC) Modelling and Simulation for Unconventional Hydrocarbon Resources and Geological Storage of CO2 (Link)
3. GeoCloud - Development of a cloud-based data-driven modelling, optimization, and decision-making system for subsurface energy development (hiring two postdocs in this research area starting in 2024; Area 1: digital twin for subsurface energy development with geological CO2 storage; Area 2: Data-driven reservoir management considering uncertainties and risk assessment.
4. Reservoir-geomechanical modeling of SAGD in oil sands
5. Geothermal system

Current HQP:

Postdoc research fellow:

1. Gamze Erdogan Erten (co-supervised with Jeff Boisvert, started in 2024, Reservoir management considering uncertainties and risk assessment using deep reinforcement learning and surrogate modeling)

PhD student: 

1. Walid Ben Saleh (started in 2022, Using data-driven proxy models for uncertainty quantification during the scale-up of geological CO2 storage)

2. Muhammad Farooq (started in 2022, Optimizating injection and monitoring strategties of large-scale geological CO2 storage considering geomechanical risks)

3. Arqam Muqtadir (started in 2023, Feasibility evaluation of CO2 plume geothermal systems in Alberta and Saskechewan)

4. Xuehan Yin (started in 2023, Developing a coupled thermal-hydro-mechanical upscaling techniques considering fracture networks)

5. Bingyu Xie (co-supervised with Rick Chalaturnyk, started in 2022, Thermal-hydro-mechanical behavior of inclided heterolithic stratification in Alberta oil sands)

6. Xiaoyan Teng (co-supervised with Rick Chalaturnyk, Investigation of consititutive model of 3D printed sandstone with discontinuties)

7. Debastuti Ghosh (co-supervised with Jeff Boisvert, started in 2022, Using deep learning techniques for core data analysis)

MSc student: 

1. Xiaoyan Ou (started in 2022, Deep learning enhanced coupled flow-geomechanics upscaling techniques for lithological heterogeneties)

2. Georgios Tsekeris (co-supervised with Clayton Deutsch, started in 2022, Bridging the gap between dynamic high-resolution computational stratigraphy and computional efficient reservoir model)

Assistant researcher/software developer:

1. Shuxin Qiao (started in 2024, implementation of data science in subsusrface energy development)

Visiting PhD student:

1. Jianxiang Chen (started in 2023, Hydro-mechanical coupling model for excavation-induced stress relief in horizontal cavity completion well)

2. Richao Cong (started in 2023, Fracture propagation mechanism of thin interbedded rocks in coal measure strata)

3. Mingzhe Gu (started in 2023, Fracture communication mechanism of multi-layer radial wells fracturing in laminated shale reservoir)

4. Yuehan Shang (started in 2024, Middle-Deep geothermal reservoir exploitation based on THM simulation)

Dissertations:

1. Zhang, B. (2019). Integrated Reservoir–Geomechanics Upscaling Workflow. Ph.D. Dissertation, Geotechnical Engineering, University of Alberta, Canada. https://era.library.ualberta.ca/items/34db8fea-ac63-4c6d-b934-86e6369cae26.
2. Zhang, B. (2014). Modeling of Bypassed Oil Recovery in EOS Compositional Simulation. Master’s Thesis, Petroleum Engineering, University of Alberta, Canada. https://era.library.ualberta.ca/items/504ee3a9-773b-45a2-b9d8-c101e1b2289c.

Selected Peer-reviewed Journals:

1. Zhang, B.*, Deisman, N., Chalaturnyk, R., and Boisvert, J. (2024). Numerical upscaling of anisotropic failure criteria in heterogeneous reservoirs. Engineering Geology, 107455.
   
2. Zhang, B.*, Chalaturnyk, R. and Boisvert, J., (2023). Sequentially Coupled Thermal-Hydraulic-Mechanical Simulation for Geomechanical Assessments of Caprock Integrity in SAGD. Canadian Geotechnical Journal, in press. doi.org/10.1139/cgj-2023-0228
   
3. Zhang, B., Ma, Z., Zheng, D., Chalaturnyk, R., and Boisvert J. (2022). Upscaling Shear Strength of Heterogeneous Oil Sands with Interbedded Shales Using Artificial Neural Network. SPE Journal (2022). doi.org/10.2118/208885-PA
   
4. Zhang, B.*, Chalaturnyk R. and Boisvert J. (2021). A Numerical Characterization Workflow for Assessing the Strength and Failure Modes of Heterogeneous Oil Sands. Canadian Geotechnical Journal 58(6): 763-781, doi.org/10.1139/cgj-2020-0137.
5. Zhang, B.*, Deisman N., Khajeh M., Chalaturnyk R. and Boisvert J. (2020). Numerical Local Upscaling of Elastic Geomechanical Properties in Heterogeneous Continua. Petroleum Geoscience, 26, 400–416, doi.org/10.1144/petgeo2018-159.
6. Zhang, B., and Okuno. R.* (2015). Modeling of Capacitance Flow Behavior in EOS Compositional Simulation. Journal of Petroleum Science and Engineering 131, 96–113, doi.org/10.1016/j.petrol.2015.04.014.

7. Du, H., Zhang, Y.*, Zhang, B.*, Tian, S., Li, G., and Zhang, P. (2023). Study of CO2 injection to enhance gas hydrate production in multilateral wells. Energy, 129078.

8. Chen, Z., Shi, H.*, Zhao, H., Huang, Z., He, W., Li, X., Yu, C. and Zhang, B.*, (2023). Hydraulic parameters optimization of two-stage PDC bit in deep formation applications. Geoenergy Science and Engineering, 230, 212248. 

9. Zheng, D., Zhang B.* and Chalaturnyk R. (2021). Uncertainty Quantification of in-situ horizontal stress with pressuremeter using a statistical inverse analysis method. Canadian Geotechnical 59(3): 397-409, doi.org/10.1139/cgj-2021-0004.

10. Ganesh, A., Zhang B., Chalaturnyk R. and Prasad V.* (2019). Uncertainty Quantification of the Factor of Safety in a Steam-Assisted Gravity Drainage Process through Polynomial Chaos Expansion. Computers & Chemical Engineering 133: 106663, doi.org/10.1016/j.compchemeng.2019.106663.

11. Xiong, C., Huang Z.*, Shi H., Shi X., Zhang B. and Chalaturnyk B. (2021). Experimental Investigation into Mixed Tool Cutting of Granite with Stinger PDC Cutters and Conventional PDC Cutters. Rock Mechanics and Rock Engineering, 2021/11/3. doi.org/10.1007/s00603-021-02680-z.
12. Xiong, C.*, Huang, Z.*, Shi, H., Chen, H., Chen, Z., He, W., and Zhang, B. (2023). Investigations on the Stinger PDC cutter breaking granitoid under in-situ stress and hydrostatic pressure conditions. International Journal of Rock Mechanics and Mining Sciences, 164, 105312.
13. Zhang Y*., Wu, X, Hu, X., Zhang B.*, Lu J., Zhang P., Li G., Tian S. and Li X. (2022). Visualization and investigation of the erosion process for natural gas hydrate using water jet through experiments and simulation. Energy Reports 8: 202-216. doi.org/10.1016/j.egyr.2021.11.235.
14. Zhang Y*., Wang, W, Zhang, P., Li G., Tian S., Lu J., Zhang B.* (2022). A Solution to Sand Production from Natural Gas Hydrate Deposits with Radial Wells: Combined Gravel Packing and Sand Screen. Journal of Marine Science and Engineering 10(1), 71. doi.org/10.3390/jmse10010071
15. Zhang Y*, Wu, X., Zhao, S., Hui, C., Li, G., Li, J., Lu, J. and Zhang B.* (2022). Numerical Simulation of the Straight-Swirling Integrated Jet and Its Application in Natural Gas Hydrate Drilling. SPE Journal. (2022), doi: https://doi.org/10.2118/210574-PA
16. Wu, X., Zhang Y*, Tan, Y., Li, G., Li, J., Peng K. and Zhang B. (2022). Flow-visualization and numerical investigation on the optimum design of cavitating jet nozzle. Petroleum Science (2022), https://doi.org/10.1016/j.petsci.2022.05.016.
17. Yang R., Wen H., Huang Z., Zhang B., Wang H., Wang B. and Dubinya N. (2023). Experimental Investigation on Fracture Characteristics by Liquid  Nitrogen Compound Fracturing in Coal. Fuel 127434 (2023). doi.org/10.1016/j.fuel.2023.127434.
18. Zhang Y*, Zhang P., Hui C., Tian S. and Zhang B*. (2023). Numerical Analysis of the Geomechanical Responses during Natural Gas Hydrate Production by Multilateral Wells. Energy 126810 (2023). doi.org/10.1016/j.energy.2023.126810
19. Yu, C., Zhang, Y.,* Tan, Y., Song, X., Wang, G., Huang, H., and Zhang, B.* (2023). Simulation study of novel methods for water reinjection efficiency improvement of a doublet system in guantao sandstone geothermal reservoir. Geothermics, 111, 102709. doi.org/10.1016/j.geothermics.2023.102709
20. Hui, C., Zhang, Y., Wu, X., Zhang, P., Li, G., Lu, J., and Zhang, B. (2024). Numerical analysis of the production behaviors and geomechanical responses during natural gas hydrate production by vertical wells fracturing. Energy, 130526.

MIN E 408 - Mining Enterprise Economics

Fundamentals of economic evaluation. Cost estimation, commodity price modelling and revenue forecasts and taxation related to mine development. Economic evaluation of mining ventures, profitability, risks and uncertainty analyses. Commodity markets and mine management strategies. Weekly laboratory/tutorial sessions will address case studies and specific problems. Prerequisites: ENG M 310 or 401, and STAT 235.

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