News

The University of Texas at Austin will be home to a new multidisciplinary research and education initiative — the Energy Emissions Modeling and Data Lab (EEMDL). Co-led by Hildebrand Department of Petroleum and Geosystems Engineering Research Associate Professor Arvind Ravikumar and McKetta Department of Chemical Engineering Professor Dave Allen, EEMDL will address the growing need for accurate, timely and clear accounting of greenhouse gas emissions across global oil and natural gas supply chains. Data and analysis from this new endeavor will help both public and private institutions develop climate strategies and actions informed by accurate, verified data, identifying opportunities for emissions reductions.

Hildebrand Department of Petroleum and Geosystems Engineering PhD student Sheila Gerardo (MSPE 2021) won a best poster award at the annual Clean Energy Education and Empowerment (C3E) symposium in November.

The Hildebrand Department of Petroleum and Geosystems Engineering honored six alumni with its Distinguished Alumni Award at a ceremony and dinner Friday, Nov. 11. The award is given annually to UT PGE alumni who are leaders in the oil and gas industry — educators, executives, innovators and entrepreneurs with unmatched industry expertise.

The Hildebrand Department’s undergraduate petroleum engineering program maintained its No. 1 position in the 2023 U.S. News & World Report rankings released Sept. 12. UT PGE also hosts the longstanding No. 1 graduate program in petroleum engineering. This paired recognition affirms the UT PGE’s position as the leading petroleum engineering department in the nation.

Hildebrand Department of Petroleum and Geosystems Engineering Associate Professor David DiCarlo and Assistant Professor Yingda Lu have each received research funding through the new Energize Program, a collaboration between The University of Texas at Austin and the Southwest Research Institute (SwRI). The program is a new opportunity for enhanced scientific collaboration between the two institutions focused on energy research.

The Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE) has recognized Dr. Matt Balhoff, Dr. Kishore Mohanty and Dr. Kamy Sepehrnoori with three of its most prestigious international awards. These awards recognize individuals who make significant technical and professional contributions to the petroleum engineering profession and to the worldwide oil and gas industry.

The Hildebrand Department of Petroleum and Geosystems Engineering has announced the recipients of its 2022 Distinguished Alumni awards. This year’s honorees join a select group of alumni who are leaders and innovators shaping the oil and gas industry, tackling tough global energy challenges, and embodying the excellence and ingenuity that are hallmarks of UT PGE.

Hildebrand Department of Petroleum and Geosystems Engineering (UT PGE) Assistant Professor Wen Song has received a Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) award from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to investigate the recovery of rare earth elements from clays. The CAREER awards are among the NSF’s most prestigious offerings in support of early career faculty who have the potential to serve as academic role models in research and education, and to lead advances in their institutional and departmental missions.

Hildebrand Department of Petroleum and Geosystems Engineering Research Associate Professor Arvind Ravikumar will co-lead an emissions monitoring initiative to investigate greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions at multiple natural gas facilities across Cheniere Energy’s supply chain, the company announced in April. Ravikumar will collaborate with Colorado State University’s Daniel Zimmerle on the first-of-its-kind project, which will take place over several months and provide comprehensive real-time emissions data.

The Hildebrand Department launched its inaugural “Greening the Oilfield” speaker series last fall, bringing five major oil and gas companies to campus to speak with students over the course of the academic year. Sponsored by Shell, the series presented graduate and undergraduate students with opportunities to learn more about how companies continue to provide affordable, reliable and sustainable energy to the world while making environmental, social and governance (ESG) standards a priority.