SPE & SPWLA Technical Seminar and Career Talk -Prof. Hassan Hassanzadeh (University of Calgary)

We are pleased to welcome Prof. Hassan Hassanzadeh from the University of Calgary to KAUST for an afternoon of technical insights, career discussion, and networking.

Abstract:
Understanding Gravity-Viscous Fingering for Next-Generation Bitumen Recovery
Solvent-aided recovery offers a promising pathway to reduce the energy intensity of bitumen production
from oil sands. Its effectiveness, however, depends on the complex interaction between solvent and
bitumen, where strong viscosity and density contrasts can trigger fingering and buoyancy-driven
instabilities that control solvent penetration, mixing, and bitumen drainage.
In this talk, I will present fine-scale numerical simulations and laboratory experiments that investigate
how these instabilities develop and control solvent-aided bitumen recovery. Highly resolved simulations
capture the evolution of solvent fingers as low-viscosity solvent penetrates highly viscous bitumen, while
buoyancy arising from density differences drives downward transport and drainage. The simulations
reveal a quasi-steady-state period during which the drainage rate remains essentially constant,
independent of formation thickness, and scales linearly with permeability. I will then use Rayleigh-Taylor
experiments and simulations to isolate the role of viscosity contrast in buoyancy-driven fingering. At
large viscosity ratios, the instability becomes strongly asymmetric, with preferential downward fingering
and enhanced transport.
Together, these findings provide a basis for designing and developing new solvent-aided recovery
processes. The scaling relationships offer practical tools for estimating drainage performance and provide
guidance for exploiting buoyancy-driven fingering. This combination of fundamental understanding and
practical scaling can help guide process design, optimization, and scale-up of next-generation bitumen
recovery technologies.

Bio of Speaker:
Hassan Hassanzadeh is a Professor in the Department of Chemical & Petroleum Engineering at the
Schulich School of Engineering, U of Calgary. He earned his PhD in Chemical & Petroleum Engineering
from the U of Calgary, an MSc in Chemical Engineering from the U of Tehran, and a BSc in Petroleum
Engineering from the Petroleum University of Technology. Dr. Hassanzadeh’s research and teaching
focus on applied mathematical modeling in chemical and subsurface energy resources engineering. His
expertise spans transport phenomena, fluid flow and transport in porous media, fluid phase equilibria, and
the development of mathematical models and experimental techniques for measuring thermophysical and
transport properties. Dr. Hassanzadeh has received numerous awards in recognition of excellence in
teaching, research, and graduate supervision, including multiple Schulich School of Engineering
Achievement Awards and the SPE Regional Distinguished Achievement Award for Petroleum
Engineering Faculty.

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Co-hosted with: SPWLA (Society of Petrophysicists and Well Log Analysts) KAUST Student Chapter