George Moridis
Staff Scientist
Hydrogeology Department
Research Area Leader: Transport & Thermodynamics
Phone:
510-486-4746
Fax: 510-486-5686
Email: gjmoridis@lbl.gov
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George MoridisExperience 1991 - Present
Adjunct Professor,
Petroleum Engineering Dept., Texas A&M University, College
Station, Texas, USA (2006 to present) Adjunct Professor, Petroleum and Natural Gas Engineering Dept., Middle East Technical University, Ankara, Turkey (2005 to present) Hydrate program coordinator and Principal Investigator (PI) of four hydrate projects funded by the National Energy Technology Laboratory of DOE (FY2000 to present), involving numerical simulations and laboratory experiments. In charge of numerical design and analysis of the first field test of gas production from a hydrate deposit, conducted by an international scientific consortium at the Mallik site, Northwest Territories, Canada in early 2002. Responsible for the design and analysis of other planned field tests of gas production from permafrost hydrate deposits, to be conducted by BP Exploration (Alaska). In charge of laboratory studies for (a) the development of techniques for the production of large hydrate samples (pure and in porous media), (b) the non-destructive study of dissociation of artificial and natural hydrate-bearing cores using CT technology, (c) the study of relative permeability and kinetic hydrate dissociation (processes that are critical to gas production from hydrates), and (d) the determination of important parameters describing hydrate behavior in porous media through inverse modeling (history-matching) of laboratory experiments. PI of an LDRD project on the interrelationship global Climate and Hydrate Dissociation in Oceanic Accumulations. Developer of the TOUGH-Fx/HYDRATE code for the simulation of hydrate dissociation and overall behavior in porous media. This code incorporates the most recent advances in hydrate science, and is used for the design and analysis of field tests and laboratory experiments of hydrate dissociation. A scientific panel convened by the National Academy of Sciences to review the DOE hydrates program (the funding agency supporting the code development) and report to Congress indicated that TOUGH-Fx/HYDRATE is “… a small project with a major technological impact” that “… incorporates the best independently measured physical property data into a fundamental reservoir model”. Since its release in April 2005, TOUGH-Fx/HYDRATE is being used by 25 organizations (in 12 countries) conducting hydrate research. Main developer of the TOUGH+ family of codes, the next generation of LBNL simulators for the simulation of fluid flow and transport in complex geologic media (a LDRD-funded project). The TOUGH+ family of codes is written in FORTRAN 95/2003, and their architecture is based on the principles of object-oriented programming. Recipient of a 2006 LBNL Outstanding Reviewer Award by the Editorial Board of Water resources Research. Recipient of a 2006 LBNL Outstanding Performance Award for his contributions to the establishment and development of a hydrate research program at LBNL. Recipient of a 2006 LBNL Award for Excellence in Technology Transfer for the TOUGH+ family of codes. PI of a NASA-funded project that aims to describe the thermal and fluid flow effects of a radioactive-fueled heat source buried in the Martian permafrost. In charge of the radionuclide transport studies (solutes and colloids) for the Yucca Mountain High-Level Radioactive Waste Repository. Main author of Yucca Mountain Modeling Report U060 (Radionuclide Transport Under Ambient Conditions), which provides support for the Repository Licensing Application process of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Developer of the EOS9nT model (a member of the TOUGH2 family of codes) for the simulation of transport of radioactive solutes and colloids in the subsurface (used for all the Yucca Mountain studies). Developer of a new generation of conjugate gradient solvers, included in the most recent versions of the TOUGH2 family of codes. PI of the project "Containment of Contaminants Through Physical Barriers from Viscous Liquids Emplaced Under Controlled Viscosity Conditions", funded by the Subsurface Contamination Focus Area, Office of Technology Development of DOE. The project completed a successful pilot-scale field test in January 1995, and a medium-scale field demonstration (scheduled for FY 1997 at the Brookhaven national Laboratory) is currently being designed. Recipient of a Best of What’s New award sponsored by the Popular Science magazine, which honors the 100 most promising new technologies. Recipient of a 1995 LBNL Outstanding Performance Award for his contributions to the establishment and development of a subsurface barrier program. PI of two additional containment projects: (a) Testing Barrier Liquids (funded by DuPont) and (b) Repair of Landfill Closure Caps Using Barrier Liquids (funded by the Savannah River Site). PI of a LDRD project on a new generation of fluids with special magnetic properties for subsurface remediation and monitoring. In charge of numerical simulation of fate and transport of contaminants in support of the remediation effort at LBNL. April 1989 to October 1991 Research Engineer In charge of the project "Synthesis of Pneumatic and Hydraulic Controls for Hazardous Site Remediation," which involved air barriers to control the migration of contaminants in the subsurface. Designed and developed the largest-in-the-world dual gamma-dual energy X-ray attenuation experimental facility (with a scanning area of 6'x7') to investigate basic phenomena of multi-phase flow through porous media, focusing on contamination containment and the evaluation of decontamination methods. Developed (a) a family of new numerical methods, the Laplace Transform Finite Difference (LTFD) , Finite Element (LTBE), and Boundary Element (LTBE) methods for flow and solute transport simulations, (b) 3-D, full two- and three-phase flow numerical models, used to describe the processes involved in groundwater contamination & decontamination, (c) a computer image analysis system for automatic aquifer parameter identification, and (d) a new matrix solver for multi-phase problems, the MEPC-D4 , which reduces the computer time requirements by 50% to 82.5% and storage by 50%. Licenses and copyrights for items (a) through (d) have been awarded or are pending. February 1987 to April 1989 Associate Engineer/Senior Scientist In charge of research programs in South and South-East Asia (Philippines, India, Pakistan, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam) and supervising a staff of 32. Responsible for (a) the development of hydraulic barriers to alleviate salt water intrusion into the main aquifer supplying Ho-Chi-Minh City (Saigon), and (b) the design of the groundwater development plan for the Terrai area of Nepal. Other responsibilities included (1) experiments on, and (2) development and testing of numerical simulation models for (a) water and vapor flow in rice soils, (b) large-scale (regional) groundwater flow and contaminant transport, (c) irrigation & drainage, (d) groundwater contamination by agricultural chemicals, and (e) drainage of acid sulphate soils. 1980 to 1987 Research/Teaching Assistant Taught hydraulics, hydraulic engineering, flow through porous media, and thermodynamics for 5 years. Developed multi-dimensional fully implicit numerical models for (a) Single-phase flow, (b) Multi-phase flow , (c) Simultaneous mass and heat flow , and (d) Miscible contaminant transport in porous media. 1979 to 1980 Chemical Engineer Conducted research on the reaction kinetics of gamma-irradiated human hormonal solutions (a NATO-sponsored project). 1979 to 1980 Chemical Engineer Trainee Member of an operation research team analyzing possibilities for secondary platinum extraction from mine slag. Summer 1978 Chemical Engineer Trainee Helped with the design, installation, operation and maintenance of an ion exchange and an electrolysis system. |
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