Professional Research Interests and Expertise –
In addition to directing the Carbon Science and Engineering Research group at EGI, Dr. McPherson is an Associate Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of Utah. For the past 10 years, Dr. McPherson has conducted carbon management and engineering research, especially geological sequestration studies, but including other modes of carbon management as well, such as biomimetic and other approaches. Technical focus areas include groundwater and reservoir simulation, multiphase flow analysis and simulation, rock deformation, and subsurface chemically reactive transport analysis and simulation. McPherson and his research group maintain a high pressure/high temperature laboratory capable of combined multiphase flow and rock mechanical response experimentation, and are currently conducting flow tests to quantify diagenetic changes on rocks during CO2 sequestration. Other research that Dr. McPherson continues to pursue includes coupled heat and fluid processes in sedimentary basins and geothermal systems, and petroleum generation and migration processes.
regional and basin Experience –
- POWDER RIVER BASIN
- UINTA BASIN
- SACRAMENTO BASIN
- PARADOX BASIN
- PICEANCE CREEK BASIN
- PERMIAN BASIN
- SAN JUAN BASIN
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., 2009, editors, The Science and Technology of Carbon Sequestration, AGU Monograph Series, Publisher: American Geophysical Union, Washington, D.C., scheduled publication and print date: May, 2009.
Weon Shik Han and Brian J. McPherson, 2008, Comparison of Two Different Equations of State for Application of Carbon Dioxide Sequestration, Advances in Water Resources, v. 31, p. 877–890, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.advwatres.2008.01.011.
Sam Earman, Brian J.O.L. McPherson, Fred M. Phillips, Steve Ralser, James M. Herrin, James Broska, 2008, Tectonic Influences on Ground Water Quality: Insight from Complementary Methods , Ground Water, Vol. 46, No. 3, p. 354–371, http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1745-6584.2007.00402.x
Brian J.O.L. McPherson, Weon Shik Han and Barret S. Cole, 2008, Two equations of state assembled for basic analysis of multiphase CO2 flow and in deep sedimentary basin conditions, Computers & Geosciences, v. 34, p. 427–444, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.cageo.2007.05.017.
Li, L., N. Liu, B.J. McPherson, and R. Lee, 2008, Influence of Counter Ions on the Reverse Osmosis Permeation of NaCl Solution through MFI Zeolite Membranes, Desalination, Volume 228, Issues 1-3, Pages 217-225. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.desal.2007.10.010.
Liu, N., L. Li, B.J. McPherson, and R. Lee, 2008, Removal of organics from produced water by reverse osmosis using MFI-type zeolite membranes, Journal of Membrane Science, Volume 325, Issue 1, p. 357-361, ISSN 0376-7388, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.memsci.2008.07.056.
B.J. McPherson and D.F. Boutt, 2007, Analysis of the role of fluids in causing fractures in the Spraberry Trend, Midland Basin, Geofluids, v. 7, p. 415–426, doi: 10.1111/j.1468-8123.2007.00195.x
L. Li, N. Liu, B.J. McPherson, and R. Lee, 2007, “Enhanced Water Permeation of Reverse Osmosis through MFI-type Zeolite Membranes with high Aluminum Contents,” Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research, 46, 1584-1589.
David F. Boutt, Benjamin K. Cook, Brian J. O. L. McPherson, and J. R. Williams, 2007, Direct simulation of fluid-solid mechanics in porous media using the discrete element and lattice-Boltzmann methods, JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH, VOL. 112, B10209, doi:10.1029/2004JB003213. |
