Thivanka Dedigama

MSc student - Eng

Biography

Thivanka graduated from the University of Moratuwa, Sri Lanka in 2002 with a B.Sc. in Chemical and Process Engineering (first class honours). As part of his undergraduate course he underwent training at Unilever Ceylon Ltd. After graduation he worked as an instructor at the Department of Chemical and Process Engineering of the University of Moratuwa and on contract at Coca-Cola Beverages (Pvt.) Ltd., Sri Lanka. He is also a Passed finalist of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants, UK and has taught Business Mathematics courses for CIMA students.

MEng Research Project

Investigations into Wettability, Rock-Fluid Interactions, for Australian Formations

Supervisors: Prof Peter Behrenbruch, Prof Hemanta Sarma

Project support: BHP Billiton, ChevronTexaco, Santos Ltd, Woodside Energy

Scholarship support: Industry (above companies)

Project Description

This research will review and study the factors affecting rock wettability including mineralogy, crude and water properties, laboratory - and field practices.

Mineralogical factors will be considered to identify the impact of different minerals (or classes of minerals) and clays (in particular kaolinite) on wettability. Crude oil properties will be analysed in terms of different crude by source (based on global geochemical parameters including biodegradation, water washing etc), assay results (in terms of PNA fractions and asphaltene content) and total crude composition. Laboratory and field practices during and after coring will be reviewed to identify the impact on wettability of coring (including contamination by oil based and synthetic mud drilling), preservation, core cleaning and drying and the degree of aging (at reservoir versus ambient conditions).

The ultimate aim of this research is to review, identify and quantify the best wettability criteria for the shape of capillary pressure curves and relative permeability (crossing point, ratio of endpoints and curvature of relationships) and wettability indices (USBM, Amott) to determine the best terminology and framework for relative permeability prediction.