Bo Zhang, PhD, P.Eng

Availability

9:00 AM to 9:00 PM

Area of Study / Keywords

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

About

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 reserves; 2) heterogeneity consideration and uncertainty quantification of reservoir-geomechanical behavior; 3) data-driven decision-making in energy geotechnics including unconventional hydrocarbon resources, natural gas hydrates, geothermal and geological carbon storage.

Currently, Dr. Zhang is accepting applications of prospective graduate students, postdoctoral researchers, and visiting scholars 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. Upscaling of Reservoir–Geomechanical Behaviour from Pore to Field Scale
2. Multiscale Thermal-Hydro-Mechanical (THM) Modelling and Simulation for Unconventional Hydrocarbon Resources and Geological Storage of CO2 (Link)
3. Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Uncertainty Quantification in Energy Geotechnics
4. Reservoir Surveillance, Risk Management, and Optimization for Subsurface Reserve

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., 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
   
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. 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.
7. 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.
8. 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.
9. 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
10. 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
11. 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.
12. 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.
13. 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
14. 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

CIV E 664 - Introduction to Solid Mechanics

Formulation of basic equations of elasticity in solid mechanics. Cartesian tensor notation. Variational principles.

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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