2001 Alumni Newsletter - petroleum engineering colorado school of ...
2001 Alumni Newsletter - petroleum engineering colorado school of ...
2001 Alumni Newsletter - petroleum engineering colorado school of ...
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12<br />
flow models have other important uses.<br />
Our research is generating new insight into<br />
how to calculate important geomechanical parameters<br />
at a fraction <strong>of</strong> the cost <strong>of</strong> more complicated<br />
systems. We are now able to easily calculate<br />
such properties as Poisson’s ratio, Young’s modulus,<br />
and uniaxial compaction throughout the life <strong>of</strong><br />
the reservoir from a minimal input data set. These<br />
properties give us additional insight into the behavior<br />
<strong>of</strong> the structure <strong>of</strong> the reservoir throughout its<br />
life, and the impact <strong>of</strong> structural changes on fluid<br />
flow.<br />
Service to organization, community, and<br />
industry is the third ball that must be juggled.<br />
Probably <strong>of</strong> most interest to you is the development<br />
<strong>of</strong> a new Petroleum Engineering Handbook<br />
by the SPE under the editorship <strong>of</strong> Larry Lake<br />
(UT-Austin). Many <strong>of</strong> our colleagues around the<br />
world are writing the new PE Handbook. I am<br />
editing the General Engineering Section. By this<br />
time next year, I hope to be telling you how to<br />
obtain a copy.<br />
One other service activity might interest<br />
those <strong>of</strong> you who are involved with asset management<br />
teams: I have co-edited the October issue<br />
<strong>of</strong> The Leading Edge with Wayne Pennington (Michigan<br />
Tech). The Society <strong>of</strong> Exploration Geophysicists<br />
publishes the journal and our issue takes a look<br />
at applications <strong>of</strong> technology at the interface between<br />
geophysics and reservoir <strong>engineering</strong>.<br />
If you would like more information about<br />
my research or books, visit my website at http:/<br />
/www.mines.edu/~jfanchi/.<br />
Ramona Graves<br />
This is the beginning <strong>of</strong> my 21 st year teaching<br />
in the Petroleum Engineering Department at Mines.<br />
It is the first time I have had to start a year<br />
without the gentle humor, wry wit and quiet strength<br />
<strong>of</strong> Robert. I pr<strong>of</strong>oundly miss him. But WOW,<br />
did we ever have some great adventures together.<br />
The times we spent camping with the 316 students<br />
in Alaska will always be among my favorite<br />
memories. I guess we will all just have<br />
to go to “Plan B” and continue on without him.<br />
My laser-rock destruction research is the<br />
one <strong>of</strong> the most exciting projects I have worked<br />
on in my career. The research team <strong>of</strong> engineers<br />
and scientist from PDVSA, Halliburton,<br />
Gas Technology Institute, and Argonne National<br />
Labs is one <strong>of</strong> the best functioning, productive<br />
teams I have ever worked on. This year<br />
one <strong>of</strong> the biggest accomplishments was to transmit<br />
a laser beam through a fiber optic cable<br />
that was submerged in water and still destroy<br />
rocks. I’ve also been working with a Golden<br />
company, Native American Technologies, using<br />
a diode laser. The entire laser set-up is<br />
about the size <strong>of</strong> a mini-van!! Next year we<br />
will be zapping rock under simulated reservoir<br />
conditions. I plan on soliciting industry partners<br />
to supplement current DOE support in early<br />
2002.<br />
However, teaching is still my true passion.<br />
The students energize me and always make me<br />
laugh. What a lucky person I am to have a<br />
job I look forward to coming to every day (and<br />
lately it has been<br />
every day!) Our PE<br />
faculty is strong<br />
and enthused. It’s<br />
nice to work with<br />
people who are<br />
committed to the<br />
same goals. It is<br />
going to be another<br />
great year.<br />
On the home<br />
front, Jake has de-<br />
cided to be a mechanic<br />
and is in his<br />
second year <strong>of</strong> a<br />
two-year training program. It must be a good<br />
one because the tuition is higher than the tuition<br />
at Mines. He is having a good time and<br />
enjoying being 20 years old. Lacey (19) is in<br />
San Francisco studying to get a degree in photography.<br />
Much to her disappointment she still<br />
has to take math and science classes! She really<br />
loves living in the bay area and I really enjoy<br />
going there to visit her. They both go to <strong>school</strong><br />
full time and work full time. Where did they<br />
ever get that crazy work ethic? I miss them<br />
both but I still have little dog, Fred, to keep<br />
me company.<br />
Until we see each other again, I wish you<br />
peace and joy.<br />
Hossein Kazemi<br />
Ramona Graves<br />
This is my first contribution to the newsletter.<br />
I am very grateful to Dr. Craig Van Kirk<br />
for asking me to submit a few words about my<br />
activities at the Petroleum Engineering Department.<br />
I think it would be nice to know why I am here<br />
at the CSM.<br />
The journey began a little more than twenty<br />
years ago when Craig called me up at Marathon<br />
Technology Center and asked me if I could