Intensive, hands-on learning experiences led by industry experts. Gain practical skills in AI, simulation, carbon capture chemistry, and more.
SC 01: Applications of AI in Geological CO₂ Storage
Sanjay Srinivasan
Penn State University
Sanjay Srinivasan is a professor of petroleum and natural gas engineering at Penn State University. Srinivasan’s primary research focus is in the area of petroleum reservoir characterization and improved management of reservoir recovery processes.
Mrinal Sen
University of Texas Austin
Mrinal Sen is a professor in the department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Jackson School of Geosciences and the holder of the Morgan J. Davis Centennial Chair in Geosciences. He is a specialist on seismic wave propagation including anisotropy, Geophysical inverse problems, and methods for constructing synthetic seismograms in heterogeneous media.
AI is transforming how we characterize, monitor, and manage subsurface CO₂ storage systems. This short course introduces participants to the latest AI-driven methods applied to geophysical and geological datasets for effective carbon storage assessment.
-
General background on ML/AI
- Multi-layer perception, back propagation, kernels (1 hour)
-
Convolutional Neural Networks
- Theory (30 min)
- Case Study – Analysis of CO₂ injection data (30 min)
- Hands on exercise (45 min)
-
Recurrent Neural Networks
- Theory (30 min)
- Case Study – ML based proxy for CO₂ displacement (30 min)
- Hands-on Exercise (45 min)
-
Generative Adversarial Networks
- Theory (30 min)
- Case Study – Conditional representation of pore networks (30 min)
- Hands-on Exercise (30 min)
-
Reinforcement Learning
- Theory (30 min)
- Case Study – CO₂ injection optimization (30 min)
- Hands-on Exercise (30 min)
-
AI for time-lapse seismic inversion (30 min)
SC-02: SimCCS: Open-Source and Unified Modeling Platform for Carbon Transportation
Bailian Chen
Los Alamos National Laboratory
Bailian Chen is a senior scientist in the Energy and Natural Resources Security Group at Los Alamos National Laboratory, specializing in carbon transport and storage. He has authored over 80 publications and delivered more than 30 invited talks/lectures in this field. Dr. Chen is the PI and lead developer of the Unified SimCCS Platform for carbon transport decision-support. Additionally, he serves as an associate editor for the International Journal of Greenhouse Gas Control and SPE Journal.
Bulbul Ahmmed
Los Alamos National Laboratory
Bulbul Ahmmed is a staff scientist at Los Alamos National Laboratory. He conducts extensive research on subsurface phenomena using numerical modeling and machine learning. His expertise includes CCS, geothermal, contaminant transport, and reactive mixing. As one of the lead developers of SimCCS, he helps develop combining different tools of SimCCS into a unified platform.
Moises Velasco-Lozano
Los Alamos National Laboratory
Moises Velasco-Lozano is a Postdoctoral Research Associate at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), specializing in reservoir modeling and fluid transport in porous media. He earned his Ph.D. in Petroleum Engineering from The University of Texas at Austin. His research integrates numerical simulation, mathematical modeling, and machine learning to study the movement of fluids and solutes in the subsurface, developing innovative solutions for tracer transport in multiphase flow conditions. At LANL, his work focuses on advancing carbon capture and storage (CCS) technologies. He contributes to the design of CO₂ pipeline networks using the SimCCS platform, applies machine learning for subsurface modeling with deep learning methods, and supports risk assessment efforts related to CO₂ leakage.
Wenfeng Li
Los Alamos National Laboratory
Wenfeng Li is a staff scientist at the Earth and Environmental Sciences Division at Los Alamos National Laboratory and an adjunct professor in the Department of Mineral Engineering at New Mexico Tech. He earned a Ph.D. in Petroleum Engineering from the University of Houston. His research interest includes geomechanics, fluid flow in porous media, and coupled Thermo-Hydro-Mechanical-Chemical (THMC) processes with applications in underground mining, geothermal, subsurface storage of hydrogen and carbon dioxide. He has authored over 70 peer-reviewed publications. He is the key developer for SimCCS-SAFETY tool.
Lucky Yerimah, Los Alamos National Laboratory
Lucky Yerimah is a Postdoctoral Associate at Los Alamos National Laboratory. He holds a Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, with expertise in AI-driven process monitoring, energy minimization, advanced modeling, and control of dynamic systems. His work integrates artificial intelligence with computational methods to address challenges in smart manufacturing and energy systems, and he is the recipient of several national awards. He is the lead developer for SimCCS-Utilization module.
Maureen James
Colorado School of Mines
Maureen James is a Ph.D. candidate in Geophysics (minor in Petroleum Engineering) at the Colorado School of Mines, specializing in seismic interpretation, borehole geophysics, rock physics, and machine learning for CO₂-EOR and CCS. She is also a graduate intern in the Energy and Natural Resources Security Group at Los Alamos National Laboratory and the developer of the CO₂-transport FEED module implemented in the Unified SimCCS Platform. Maureen has presented at leading geoscience conferences, served as a Research Fellow to the Colorado State Senate on CCUS and Environmental Justice, and holds multiple awards recognizing excellence in the geosciences.
Objectives: The objective of this course is to equip professionals in carbon transport deployment with the latest toolset supported by the U.S. Department of Energy. The course aims to foster industry collaboration by connecting participants with key project leads and program managers, enabling them to fast-track their projects and apply cutting-edge methodologies and technologies. Additionally, the course promotes knowledge sharing and innovation within the field, driving the adoption of advanced practices in carbon management.
Description: This course is designed for fast-tracking carbon transport deployment professionals. Participants will gain insights into all the toolkits under the Unified SimCCS platform. The course will feature presentations from project leaders who will demonstrate current tool capabilities and discuss opportunities for collaboration with industry partners and researchers.
-
SimCCS:
- A transport network modeling software that can be easily utilized to help address emerging carbon transport challenges including multi-modal transport and phased transport design.
-
CostMAP:
- A tool to generate transport cost surface by integrating GIS information and the output from CostMAP will be used as input for SimCCS.
-
SAFETY:
- The safety module enables fast prediction of CO₂ concentration profiles and estimation of the dispersion zone following an accidental CO₂ pipeline release.
-
SCO2T:
- Rapidly assesses the storage capabilities and costs of carbon storage for a variety of geological reservoirs.
-
FEED:
- Tool for front-end engineering design (FEED) of CO₂ pipelines: hydraulics, mechanical sizing (ASME-style schedule selection), material take-off, thermal and anchor checks, and CAPEX/OPEX costing with uncertainty and per-tonne views.
-
Utilization:
- This application provides rapid techno-economic assessment of various carbon CO₂ utilization pathways. Users can evaluate the viability of converting CO₂ into valuable products by analyzing costs, resource requirements, and profitability under various assumptions.
SC–03: Subsurface CO₂ Storage Simulation
Damilola Ajose-Ogunlana
SLB
Damilola Ajose-Ogunlana is a Principal Reservoir Engineer at SLB Digital and Integration. She has worked with SLB for thirteen years, starting in a customer support role, assisting clients with the SLB simulation products – Eclipse, Intersect, Petrel Reservoir Engineering, Petrel Reservoir Geomechanics teaching various software and technical classes and providing onsite support to several clients. She then moved on to consulting on various integrated projects in conventional and unconventional fields in various North American basins. She has conducted several simulation studies including carbon dioxide enhanced oil recovery, waterflood optimization, and well spacing optimization in unconventional reservoirs. Lately she has been involved in several carbon dioxide sequestration studies for clients in Louisiana, East Texas, and Wyoming. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering from University of Lagos, Nigeria and a Ph.D in Chemical Engineering from the University of Houston. She is a registered Engineer in the State of Texas and is certified with the Society of Petroleum Engineers.
Jessica Vieira
SLB
Jessica Vieira is a Reservoir Engineer at SLB. She has worked with SLB for seven years, starting offshore in deepwater Gulf of Mexico, and eventually transitioning to her current role in reservoir engineering. For the past three years, she has provided customer support, assisting clients with SLB simulation products, primarily Eclipse, Intersect, and Petrel Reservoir Engineering, and she has also delivered software trainings. She has been involved in carbon sequestration studies, which included permit writing. She holds a Bachelor’s degree from The University of Texas at Austin and a Master’s degree in Petroleum Engineering from Texas A&M University.
Objectives: Introduction to the basics of reservoir simulation of CO₂ sequestration in the subsurface. The relevant physics and the modeling of CO₂ sequestration in saline aquifers, depleted gas reservoirs, and depleted oil reservoirs.
Description: Reservoir simulation is a vital component of multi-disciplinary CO₂ storage studies as the behavior of CO₂ over the lifetime of the project needs to be studied. This requires specialist features, as well as software functionality used for dynamic simulation of oil and gas fields. This course introduces the basics of the reservoir simulation aspect of carbon capture sequestration (CCS) evaluation including the physical phenomena and modeling approaches. It also introduces the approaches to simulate CO₂ in saline aquifers, in depleted gas reservoirs, and depleted oil reservoirs with hands on simulation using the Petrel/Intersect workflow.
SC-04: The Chemistry of Carbon Capture
Objectives: Convey a baseline understanding of how adsorbents and absorbents can selectively capture carbon dioxide from flue streams and/or the atmosphere.
Description: This will be a series of lectures providing an introduction to the chemistry of carbon dioxide and how its unique structure allows us to design adsorbents and absorbents to selectively react with it in complex mixtures. We will then discuss various types of adsorbents and absorbents, evaluating their relative pros and cons with an eye to durability, energy requirements, and cost.
SC-05: Monitoring Methods for CCUS, Geothermal, Oil and Gas — What Works and Why
Objectives: Understanding the various monitoring methods available from a practical point of view and knowing under what circumstances different monitoring methods work for a particular problem in CCUS, Oil and Gas and Geothermal applications. Learning how to select monitoring methods based on bow-tie based risk analysis and cost versus benefit understanding.
Description: This course will go over fundamental concepts discussing under what circumstances different monitoring methods work or don’t work. Field examples will be a key part of the course. We will also cover under which applications what monitoring methods will be valuable.
WS-01: SEAM Benchmarks for CO₂ Reservoir, Geology, Geomechanics, and Geophysics
Objectives: Describe the construction, purpose, and industry value of the numerical deliverables of SEAM CO₂.
Contributors: The workshop will be presented by the participants, managers, and subcontractors of the project including:
- Project manager Mike Fehler (Consultant)
- Coordinator Bill Abriel (Consultant)
- Contractor Joe Stefani (Consultant)
- Contractor Advanced Geophysical Technologies (AGT)
- Participants: Aramco, Chevron, Conoco Phillips, Oxy, Shell, SLB, Total, Woodside
Description: SEAM is in its third year of an industry co-operative building numerical benchmarks for subsurface monitoring of CO₂ injection. The project has been linking the latest technologies in multi-physics simulation of CO₂ monitoring employing geology, reservoir dynamics, geomechanics, and geophysics. Because this is a project to generate benchmark models, they encompass a generally wider range of exact detail and completeness of data than digital twins of live projects where there is significant remaining uncertainty in the subsurface. SEAM CO₂ has generated models and simulations for injection into saline aquifers on land and marine, contained and uncontained CO₂ injection, and also injection in a depleted gas reservoir.
The purpose of this public workshop is to impart the challenges, techniques, and learnings from this project to engineers, geologists, and geophysicists. In addition to direct learnings, the workshop can also provide a platform to describe the research and training potential of the benchmarks generated by the SEAM CO₂ project.
-
Challenges for numerical simulation — process and recognized gaps
- Complex earth model parameterization for reservoir simulation, geomechanics, and geophysics
- Reservoir simulation of reservoir dynamics and coupling geomechanics
- Geophysical simulation requirements
- Workflow coupling multi-physics exchanges amongst required simulators
-
Results and learnings
- Gaps in capability of representing the subsurface
- Total workflow definition and needs for improvement
- Effect of two-way coupling of simulators (e.g. geomechanics)
- Resolution and value of various geophysical techniques (3D, 2D, VSP, potential fields)
-
The potential for using the SEAM benchmarks in the industry
- Suggestions for research in a common sandbox
- Opportunities for teaching, training, illustration
- A platform for companies to develop intellectual property
- Short courses and workshops are limited in size and reserved on a first-come, first-served basis and must be accompanied by full payment.
- If you do not plan to attend CCUS, a US$35 enrollment fee will be added to the short course and workshop fee. This fee may be applied toward registration if you decide to attend the conference at a later date.
- A wait list is automatically created if a short course or workshop sells out. You will be notified if space becomes available.
- It is recommended that you register before 24 February. At this time, it may be determined if the course or workshop will be cancelled due to low enrollment.
- Registration for short courses and workshop will close on 24 March 2026.
- Cancellations can be made by contacting CCUS Registration on or before 6 March 2026.
- Cancellations received on or before 6 March 2026 will receive a refund less a US$75 processing fee.
- Refunds will not be issued after 6 March 2026 or for “no shows.”
- You may substitute one participant for another.