Distinguished Research Professor, Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
The research interests of Abbas relate to efficient production from subsurface conventional/unconventional hydrocarbon formations and renewable energy production from geothermal reservoirs.
In the last fifteen years, Abbas has taught at Yale University, Peking University, Tokyo University and at Rice University. He was appointed as Distinguished Research Professor at Rice University in 2019.
Abbas has authored two books on Thermodynamics and has authored/coauthored some 260 Journal papers. He has received four major awards of SPE, including the Anthony Lucas Gold Medal. He was inducted into the US National Academy of Engineering in 2012. Among the concepts he has introduced include gas-wetting, water-oil interfacial elasticity increase, speed up of molecular simulations of hydrate formation based on phase stability, and CO2 viscosification by oligomers, and very recently multicomponent thermal diffusion in molecular diffusion.
May 31
Fracturing of various types of rocks by water and by CO2 are presented with consideration of thermoporoelasticity. The phase-field approach with incorporation of critical energy release rate is the basis of the rock failure and fracture propagation. There are advantages in formulation based on the Euler-Lagrange equation in simulation of fracturing. The mixed finite element may be a natural choice for discretization in fracturing. We can predict fracture branching without parameter adjustment. At superhot temperatures found in many regions of the world, the estimate of renewable geothermal energy exceed hydrocarbon energy resources. At higher temperatures even without thermal stress, fracture intensity from fracture branching and from natural microfractures may provide the path for effective heat extraction. At superhot temperatures, there may be a significant reduction in breakdown pressure. CO2 fracturing is even more effective than water fracturing in such conditions. Lower fracturing pressure reduces seismic activity and helps with safety of fracturing.
