Nicolas Espinoza
Associate Professor
Frank W. Jessen Centennial Fellowship in Petroleum Engineering
Research Areas
Energy Storage Systems
Energy Sustainability
Geologic Carbon Capture and Storage/Sequestration
Geothermal Energy
Hydraulic Fracturing and Reservoir Geomechanics
Natural Gas Production
Oil Production and Resources
Petrophysics and Pore Scale Processes
Unconventional Resources
Educational Qualifications
PhD, Civil Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, 2011
MS, Civil Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, 2008
Engineering Diploma, Civil Engineering, Universidad Nacional de Cordoba, 2005
PGE Courses
PGE 383: Reservoir Geomechanics
Research
Dr. Espinoza’s research interests include mechanics and physics of natural porous solids, methane recovery from microporous organic rocks, methane hydrate-bearing sediments, and geological carbon sequestration. His methodology combines laboratory techniques and advanced imaging tools to understand and model diverse geomaterials for petroleum engineering applications.
Awards & Honors
James Lai Outstanding MSc Student Award, Geosystems – Georgia Institute of Technology, 2009.
Georgia Tech Tower Award: Academic performance during MSc, OMED, Georgia Institute of Technology, 2009.
Assistantship for Undergraduate Final Project, Agencia Cordoba Ciencia, 2005.
Highlighted Publications and Google Scholar Profile
Waite W. F., Santamarina J. C., Cortes D. D., Dugan B., Espinoza D. N., Germaine J., Jang J., Jung J., Kneafsey T., Shin H. S., Soga K., Winters W., and Yun T-S., (2009), “Physical properties of hydrate-bearing sediments”, Review of Geophysics, 47, RG4003, doi:10.1029/2008RG000279.
Espinoza D. N. and Santamarina J. C., “Water-CO2 -mineral systems : interfacial tension, contact angle and diffusion – Implications to CO2 geological storage”, (2010), Water Resources Research, 46, W07537, doi:10.1029/2009WR008634.
Jung J., Espinoza D. N. and Santamarina J. C., “Properties and phenomena relevant to CH4 -CO2 replacement in hydrate-bearing sediments”, (2010), Journal of Geophysical Research-Solid Earth, 115, B10102, doi:10.1029/2009JB000812RR.
Espinoza D. N. and Santamarina J. C., “P-wave monitoring of hydrate-bearing sand during CH4 -CO2 replacement”, International Journal of Greenhouse Gas Control, 5(4), p1031-1038, doi:10.1016/j.ijggc.2011.02.006.
Espinoza D. N., Kim S. H. and Santamarina J. C., “CO2 geological storage – Geotechnical implications”, (2011), KSCE Journal of Civil Engineering – Special issue : Energy Geotechnology, 15(4).
Espinoza D. N., and Santamarina J. C., “Clay interaction with liquid and supercritical CO2 : The relevance of electrical and capillary forces”, International Journal of Greenhouse Gas Control – Accepted.
