Northwestern Events Calendar

May
24
2018

ChBE Seminar Series: Mike Reynolds

recurring see all events in this series

When: Thursday, May 24, 2018
9:00 AM - 10:00 AM CT

Where: Technological Institute, M345, 2145 Sheridan Road, Evanston, IL 60208 map it

Audience: Faculty/Staff - Student - Public - Post Docs/Docs - Graduate Students

Cost: Free

Contact: Elizabeth Rentfro   (847) 491-2773

Group: McCormick-Chemical and Biological Engineering (ChBE)

Category: Academic

Description:

Mike Reynolds
Shell

Title:
Opportunities Recycling Produced Water from Shale Gas and Tight Oil Recovery Operations

Abstract:
Hydraulic fracturing is a subsurface well stimulation technique used to improve the production of oil and gas from low permeability shale reservoirs. During the process, water, sand and chemicals are combined and then pumped into the wellbore under high pressures to create fractures in the shale formation. The sand is deposited into the fractures to ‘prop’ them open. These propped fractures then provide the conductivity necessary for the oil and/or gas hydrocarbons to flow back into the wellbore and up to the surface for recovery through production operations.
Water is the base fluid used to facilitate the hydraulic fracturing process. Together with chemicals and additives such as polyacrylamides or guar-based polymers, these fluids help improve the overall process. Once the fluids return to the surface, the water-based fluid, oil and gas are separated. However, the fate of the produced water from these operations can be a challenge to manage. One option is to recycle and reuse the water after treating it with various chemicals and filtering technologies. However, the extent of recycle is dependent on the process economics.
This presentation will provide a perspective and overview of the currently available water treatment technologies used in upstream oil and gas operations. It will also provide some insights for opportunities and challenges in developing new technologies in water recycle.

Bio:
Michael A. Reynolds is the Principal Production Chemist at Shell in Houston, Texas where he provides expertise for chemistry related to hydraulic fracturing, water recycle and production technology for the Upstream Americas business. He also has responsibility for implementing and deploying new R&D technologies in the oilfield. During his 14 years at Shell Mike has led projects across upstream and downstream businesses including: heavy oil upgrading catalysis, surfactant development for enhanced oil recovery, and strategic projects in alternative energy. Mike obtained chemistry degrees from Michigan State University (B.S. 1995) and Iowa State University (Ph.D. 2000). Prior to joining Shell he was a post-doctoral associate at the University of Illinois – Champaign/Urbana. Mike has held elected offices in the ACS Division of Energy & Fuels (ENFL), the Southwest Catalysis Society (SWCS) and the North American Catalysis Society (NACS); served on the Editorial Advisory Board for ACS Energy & Fuels; and has organized or presented at numerous symposia at ACS, SPE and related national meetings. Mike has co-authored 10 peer-reviewed journal articles and over 40 patents in catalysis research and methods for oil & gas production. In July 2013, Mike was honored to accept an appointment as Adjunct Professor in the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at Rice University in Houston, TX where he lectures to graduate and undergraduate engineering classes during time away from his duties at Shell.

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