Yuanhang ChenYuanhang Chen

Associate Professor

Murray F and Julia Hawkins Professor
Craft & Hawkins Department of Petroleum Engineering
Louisiana State University
3209C Patrick F. Taylor Hall
Baton Rouge, LA 70803

Phone: 225-578-4394 / Fax: 225-578-8433

yuanhangchen@lsu.edu

Google Scholar

  • Multiphase Flow and Transport Processes in CCUS, Geothermal, and Oil & Gas Applications
  • Managed Pressure Drilling & Well Control
  • Well Construction, Well Integrity, and Safety in Geothermal, CCUS, and Oil & Gas Applications
  • Data assimilation and AI applications in CCUS, Geothermal, and Oil & Gas
  • PETE 4047 Well Design – Completion
  • PETE 4060 Well Control Laboratory
  • PETE 4084 Fluid Flow & Heat Transfer in Wellbores
  • PETE 7103 Grad-level Drilling Engineering
  • Ph.D. Petroleum Engineering, University of Tulsa, 2015
  • M.S. Petroleum Engineering, University of Tulsa, 2010
  • B.E. Control Engineering, Zhejiang University, 2008
  • Multiphase Flow and Transport Processes in CCUS, Geothermal, and Oil & Gas Applications
  • Managed Pressure Drilling & Well Control
  • Well Construction, Well Integrity, and Safety in Geothermal, CCUS, and Oil & Gas Applications
  • Data assimilation and AI applications in CCUS, Geothermal, and Oil & Gas
  • PETE 4047 Well Design – Completion
  • PETE 4060 Well Control Laboratory
  • PETE 4084 Fluid Flow & Heat Transfer in Wellbores
  • PETE 7103 Grad-level Drilling Engineering

Ongoing and Recently Completed Research Projects (2020 to present)

  • DOE/Oxy – Geothermal Limitless Approach to Drilling Efficiencies. LSU PI
  • NSF/LSU FUEL – Immersive Safety Training: VR/AR Solutions for Offshore Energy Workforce Development. Co-PI
  • BSEE‑DOE/OESI – Developing and Field-Testing a New Framework for Identifying and Integrating Leading Indicators of Offshore Loss of Well Control Events. PI
  • ExxonMobil – Gas Migration in Synthetic OBM for PMCD (Phases I & II). Co‑PI
  • LA BOR & Blade Energy – Transport Processes of Hydrocarbon Influxes in Non-Aqueous Muds and the Application in Riser Gas Management, PI
  • National Academies of Science GRP – Experiments on Multiphase Flow of Live Muds in a Full-Scale Wellbore with Distributed Sensing for Kick and Gas-in-riser Detection/Mitigation, Co‑PI

Multiphase Flow and Transport Processes

  • Wei, C., Adeyemi, T., Sharma, J. and Chen, Y., 2024. Improved gas influx distribution estimation using interfacial area transport equation (IATE) enabled two-fluid model: An advanced modeling and full-scale experimental study. International Journal of Multiphase Flow, 172, p.104706.
  • Wei, C., Tabjula, J.L., Sharma, J. and Chen, Y., 2023. The Modeling of Two-way Coupled Transient Multiphase Flow and Heat Transfer during Gas Influx Management using Fiber Optic Distributed Temperature Sensing Measurements. International Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer, 214, p.124447.
  • Tabjula, J.L., Wei, C., Sharma, J., Santos, O.L., Chen, Y., Kunju, M., Almeida, M., Upchurch, E.R., Samdani, G.A., Moganaradjou, Y. and Rao, S.S., 2023. Well-scale experimental and numerical modeling studies of gas bullheading using fiber-optic DAS and DTS. Geoenergy Science and Engineering, 225, p.211662.
  • Perry, S., Mahmud, S. and Chen, Y.*, 2023. Determination of absorption mass transfer coefficients of methane into drilling fluid base oils at elevated pressures. Experimental Thermal and Fluid Science, 144, p.110853.
  • Wei, C. and Chen, Y., 2023. A study of the fixed choke and constant outflow method for riser gas handling. Process Safety and Environmental Protection, 174, pp.756-769.
  • Wei, C. and Chen, Y., "On Improving Algorithm Efficiency of Gas-Kick Simulations toward Automated Influx Management: A Robertson Differential-Algebraic-Equation Problem Approach." SPE Drilling & Completion Journal 36 (2021): 943–966.
  • Nwaka, N., Wei, C., Ambrus, A. and Chen, Y., (2020). Gas in riser: On modeling gas influxes in non-aqueous drilling fluids with time-dependent outgassing considerations. Journal of Petroleum Science and Engineering, 195, p.107785.

Downhole Events Detection and Data Assimilation

  • Wei, C. and Chen, Y., 2025. A data assimilation-based method for real-time monitoring and estimation of gas influx size and distribution during gas migration in a marine drilling riser. Process Safety and Environmental Protection, 193, pp.1354-1369.
  • Adeyemi, T., Wei, C., Sharma, J. and Chen, Y., 2024. Comparison of Gas Signature and Void Fraction in Water-and Oil-Based Muds Using Fiber-Optic Distributed Acoustic Sensor, Distributed Temperature Sensor, and Distributed Strain Sensor. SPE Journal, 29(07), pp.3531-3552.
  • Wei, C., Tabjula, J.L., Sharma, J. and Chen, Y., 2023. A Novel Data Assimilation-Based Real-Time State Estimation Method for Gas Influx Profiling During Riser Gas Events. Journal of Energy Resources Technology, 145(9), p.092901.

Wellbore Stability and Integrity

  • Wang, Z., Yang, M., Chen, Y*. (2019) Numerical modeling and analysis of induced thermal stress for a non-isothermal wellbore strengthening process. Journal of Petroleum Science and Engineering. Vol 175, April 2019, Pages 173-183.
  • Chen, Y.*, Yu, M., Takach., N. (2018). Modeling and Analysis of Coupled Thermal-Hydrologic-Mechanical Processes during Lost Circulation. Journal of Petroleum Science and Engineering. Volume 165, June 2018, Pages 223-233.
  • Wang Z, Chen, Y.* (2018). Finite Element Analysis of Thermally Induced Stresses in the Near-Wellbore Region During Invasion of Mud into Fractures. ASME. Journal of Energy Resource Technology. 140(5): 052909

Research Assistant positions for new MS and PhD students and one postdoctoral researcher/research associate position are available in Dr. Chen’s research group. Email Dr. Chen at yuanhangchen@lsu.edu for further information.