UTexas

Subsurface Energy Engineering (SEE)

SEE 380  Topics in Subsurface Energy Engineering  3 Hours  

3 Lecture Hours  0 Lab Hours  
Three lecture hours a week for one semester.
Pre/Corequisites: Graduate standing.  
Grading: Student Option  
Repeatable for credit: May be repeated for credit when the topics vary.  
Academic Level: Doctoral  

SEE 381K  Subsurface Water Management  3 Hours  

3 Lecture Hours  0 Lab Hours  
Examine methods for treating, utilizing and disposing of water produced from the subsurface. Discuss the chemistry and engineering principles involved in water treatment and reinjection. Earth Energy Engineering 381K and Subsurface Energy Engineering 381K may not both be counted. Three lecture hours a week for one semester.
Pre/Corequisites: Graduate standing.  
Grading: Student Option  
Repeatable for credit: No  
Academic Level: Doctoral  

SEE 381L  Nuclear Waste Storage  3 Hours  

3 Lecture Hours  0 Lab Hours  
Introduction to engineering and science of nuclear waste storage and disposal with emphasis on geological methods. Review current methods and new solutions to safely dispose of radioactive waste resulting from nuclear energy generation. Earth Energy Engineering 381L and Subsurface Energy Engineering 381L may not both be counted. Three lecture hours a week for one semester.
Pre/Corequisites: Graduate standing.  
Grading: Student Option  
Repeatable for credit: No  
Academic Level: Doctoral  

SEE 381M  Advanced Well Integrity  3 Hours  

3 Lecture Hours  0 Lab Hours  
Focus on the unique challenges in the construction and integrity of special purpose wells, such as geothermal wells, carbon capture and underground storage (CCUS) wells, and nuclear storage and waste injection wells. Consider the entire lifecycle of these wells, from initial drilling and well construction all the way to their long-term plugging and abandonment. Explore how to maintain well integrity to prevent premature failure of geothermal wells, CO2 leakage in CCUS wells, and nuclear and other waste leakage in waste injection/storage wells for an indefinite period. Earth Energy Engineering 381M and Subsurface Energy Engineering 381M may not both be counted. Three lecture hours a week for one semester.
Pre/Corequisites: Graduate standing.  
Grading: Student Option  
Repeatable for credit: No  
Academic Level: Doctoral  

SEE 382  Subsurface Energy Storage  3 Hours  

3 Lecture Hours  0 Lab Hours  
Introduction to hydrogen, compressed air, and carbon storage in geological formations as well as review of ongoing projects and their relations to net-zero greenhouse emission targets. Discuss flow, transport, and geochemical interactions of different gases with site minerals. Gain insights and quantify storage capacity, deliverability, dissolution, trapping, and other loss mechanisms, using hands-on numerical simulation training and exercises. Only one of the following may be counted: Subsurface Energy Engineering 382, Earth Energy Engineering 382, Petroleum and Geosystems Engineering 383 (Topic: Subsurface Energy Storage), (Topic 78). Three lecture hours a week for one semester.
Pre/Corequisites: Graduate standing.  
Grading: Student Option  
Repeatable for credit: No  
Academic Level: Doctoral  

SEE 382K  Global Carbon Monitoring Systems  3 Hours  

3 Lecture Hours  0 Lab Hours  
Introduction to the myriad of ways we measure global greenhouse gas emissions, from ubiquitous ground sensors to low-earth orbit satellites. Explore how new technologies are revolutionizing our ability to monitor global energy flows, track progress on emissions reduction goals, and enable new policy approaches to addressing climate change. Only one the following may be counted: Petroleum and Geosystems Engineering 383 (Topic: Global Carbon Monitoring Sys), 383 (Topic 79), Earth Energy Engineering 382K, Subsurface Energy Engineering 382K. Three lecture hours a week for one semester.
Pre/Corequisites: Graduate standing.  
Grading: Student Option  
Repeatable for credit: No  
Academic Level: Doctoral  

SEE 388  Data Analytics and Geostatistics  3 Hours  

3 Lecture Hours  0 Lab Hours  
Examine fundamental probability and statistics to derive and demonstrate the fundamental deterministic and stochastic spatial modeling paradigms, including kriging, sequential Gaussian simulation, indicator methods, object-based processes, multiple point simulation and generative AI. Discuss uncertainty modeling, model diagnostics and checking, and decision making in the presence of uncertainty. Three lecture hours a week for one semester.
Pre/Corequisites: Graduate standing.  
Grading: Student Option  
Repeatable for credit: No  
Academic Level: Doctoral  

SEE 388K  Applied Reservoir Simulation for Low-Carbon Energy Projects  3 Hours  

3 Lecture Hours  0 Lab Hours  
Introduction to geothermal, hydrogen, and carbon capture-storage-utilization (CCUS) projects. Review the key physics, mathematics, and engineering for each process, such as thermal modeling, equation of state for gas projects, and storage and recovery mechanisms for CCUS. Focus on how to build a numerical model with geological description and proper gridding, fluid models based on the fluid types, and energy production mechanisms, followed by uncertainty analysis. Three lecture hours a week for one semester.
Pre/Corequisites: Graduate standing.  
Grading: Student Option  
Repeatable for credit: No  
Academic Level: Doctoral  

SEE 389  Legal and Technical Issues in Subsurface Trespass  3 Hours  

3 Lecture Hours  0 Lab Hours  
Examine legal and technical issues related to subsurface trespass on state and federal lands. Discuss how courts define actionable subsurface trespass and explore the implications of fluid injections that cross property boundaries. Three lecture hours a week for one semester.
Pre/Corequisites: Graduate standing.  
Grading: Student Option  
Repeatable for credit: No  
Academic Level: Doctoral  

SEE 698  Thesis  6 Hours  

3 Lecture Hours  0 Lab Hours  
The equivalent of three lecture hours a week for two semesters.
Pre/Corequisites: For 698A, graduate standing and consent of the graduate advisor; for 698B, Subsurface Energy Engineering 698A.  
Grading: Credit No Credit  
Repeatable for credit: No  
Academic Level: Master's  

SEE 398R  Master's Report  3 Hours  

3 Lecture Hours  0 Lab Hours  
Prepare a report to fulfill the requirement for the master's degree under the report option. The equivalent of three lecture hours a week for one semester.
Pre/Corequisites: Graduate standing and consent of the graduate advisor.  
Grading: Credit No Credit  
Repeatable for credit: No  
Academic Level: Master's