Brian McPherson

Research Assistant Professor

phone 801 581.5634
fax 801 585.3540

email
bmcpherson@egi.utah.edu

 

Professional Research Interests and Expertise –

During the past 5 years, Dr. McPherson has been conducting geological carbon sequestration research with a focus on multiphase flow processes, rock hydromechanics, and in situ reactive transport. McPherson and his research group developed and maintain a high pressure/high temperature laboratory capable of combined multiphase CO2 flow and rock mechanical response experimentation, and are currently conducting CO2 flow tests to quantify diagenetic changes on rocks during sequestration. These data are being used to parameterize 2- and 3-D numerical models of multiphase reactive transport developed for sequestration analysis, including extrapolation of models to reservoir- and larger-scales.

regional and basin Experience –

  • Associate Professor of Hydrology, April 2002–present, New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology
  • Research Scientist, July 2000–present, New Mexico Petroleum Recovery Research Center
  • Assistant Professor of Hydrology, January 1997–April 2002, New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology
  • Research Hydrologist, January 1997–Present, Geophysical Research Center, New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology
  • Postdoctoral Fellow, 1996, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD. Postdoctoral Advisor: Grant Garven
  • Hydrologist, GRADE GS-11, 1992–1995, U.S. Geological Survey, Menlo Park, California.
  • Research Geophysicist Intern, 1991, Reservoir Modeling Group, Exxon Production
  • Research Company, Houston, Texas.
  • Research Geophysicist Intern, 1990, Basin Analysis Group, Exxon Production Research Company, Houston, Texas
  • Geotech, Geothermal Analysis, Utah Geological and Mineral Survey, 1988–1990

Education –

  • 1989 B.S. in Geophysics, University of Oklahoma, Norman Senior Thesis: Annealing of etchable fission-track damage in F-, OH-, Cl- and Srapatite Advisor: Kevin D. Crowley
  • 1992 M.S. in Geophysics, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Thesis: Geothermal Analysis of the Powder River Basin, Wyoming Advisor: David S. Chapman
  • 1996 Ph.D. in Geophysics, University of Utah, Salt Lake City. Dissertation: Three-Dimensional Model of the Geologic and Hydrodynamic History of the Uinta Basin, Utah: Analysis of Overpressures and Oil Migration. Advisors: David S. Chapman (University of Utah) and John D. Bredehoeft (USGS)
 

Publications –

McPherson, B. J. O. L. and Sundquist, E. T., 2006, editors, The Science and Technology of Carbon Sequestration, AGU Monograph Series, Publisher: American Geophysical Union, Washington, D.C., scheduled publication and print date: September, 2006.

Earman, S., Phillips, F. M., and McPherson, B. J. O. L., 2005. The role of excess CO2 in the formation of trona deposits, Applied Geochemistry 20(12): 2217-2232; doi:10.1016/j.apgeochem.2005.08.007.

McPherson, B. J. O. L., Han, W., and Cole, B. S., 2005, An Equation-of-State for Multiphase Flow of CO2 and Water in Deep Sedimentary Basin Conditions, in press in Computers and Geosciences. [Editor in charge who formally accepted paper: Graeme Bonham-Carter, Geological Survey of Canada, Ottawa].

McPherson, B. J., and Boutt, D. F., 2005, The Role of Fluids in Causing Fractures in the Spraberry Trend, Midland Basin, in press in Geofluids. [Editor in charge who formally accepted paper: Steve Ingebritsen, USGS, Menlo Park].

McPherson, B. J., Lee, R., and Romero, V., 2004: CO2 Sequestration and Enhanced Gas Recovery in Depleted Gas Reservoirs: Quantification of Fundamental Chemical and Mechanical Processes Affecting Flow and Injectivity – Gas Technology Institute Published Report GRI-04/0177-RPSEA-0005-04, 157 pp.

Wellman, T. P., McPherson, B. J., Grigg, R.B., Svec, R. K. and Lichtner, P. C., 2003, Evaluation of CO2-Brine-Reservoir Rock Interaction with Laboratory Flow Tests and Reactive Transport Modeling, SPE 80228.

McPherson, B.J., Elsworth, D. Fairhurst, C., Kesler, S., Onstott, T.C., Roggenthen, W., Wang, H., 2003, “EarthLab: A Subterranean Laboratory and Observatory to Study Microbial Life, Fluid Flow, and Rock Deformation,” Geosciences Professional Services, Inc., 60 pp.

McPherson, B., Wang, H., Kesler, S., Onstott, T., and Roggenthen, W., 2003, Physics and Earth Science Go Underground, GEOTIMES, vol. 48, p. 18-22.