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“So, another myth is that we have all the technology we need to solve the energy problem, it’s only a matter of political will. I think political will is absolutely necessary ... but we need new technologies to transform the [energy] landscape.” —Steven Chu U.S. Secretary of Energy
Advanced Energy Consortium (AEC) The AEC’s primary goal is to develop intelligent subsurface micro and nanosensors that can be injected into oil and gas reservoirs to help characterize the space in three dimensions and improve the recovery of existing and new hydrocarbon resources. By leveraging existing surface infrastructure, the technology will minimize environmental impact. The consortium also believes that there is near-term potential to increase the recovery rate in existing reservoirs by exploiting the unique chemical and physical properties of materials at the nanoscale. James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy Energy Forum Rather than focus exclusively on either the theory or practice of energy policy, Energy Forum research synthesizes both by drawing together experts from academia, the energy industry, government, the media and nongovernmental organizations. To develop its energy policy analysis and recommendations, the Energy Forum draws on Rice University’s interdisciplinary expertise in environmental engineering, energy sustainability, economics, political science, geology, nanotechnology, architecture, sociology, anthropology and religious studies. nanoAlberta Collaborative The nanoAlberta Collaborative addresses issues surrounding the production of petrochemicals from Alberta’s oil sands, one of the world’s largest reserves of recoverable oil. The collaboration integrates academic, government and industry scientists to find nano solutions for efficient and clean oil sands recovery. Conventional Carbon-Based Energy Oil and Natural Gas Professor James Tour’s lab works with M-I SWACO’s researchers to optimize the effectiveness of graphene additives to drilling fluids, also known as muds. Water- or oil-based muds are typically forced downhole through drill pipe to keep the drillhead clean and to remove cuttings as the fluid streams back up toward the surface, but the fluids themselves can clog pores in the shaft through which oil should flow. The nanoscale graphene additive, just a small amount per barrel, would be forced by the fluid’s own pressure to form a thin filter cake on the shaft wall thereby preventing mud from clogging the pores. Tour, in collaboration with Professor Michael Wong and Professor Mason Tomson, is also developing a nanoreporter for downhole sensing of the chemical and physical environment throughout an oil reservoir. The nanoreporter is a carbon nanostructure with several functional groups to report on individual attributes like oil content, temperature and pressure. Professor Andrew Barron develops smart proppant technologies. In a project funded by the AEC, Barron incorporates novel paramagnetic nanoparticles into proppant structures. This smart proppant could revolutionize current oil field injection projects by giving reservoir engineers the ability to map the fracture efficacy using detectable contrast agents. James Tour Michael Wong Mason Tomson Andrew Barron 31
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