Publications
Pulsed Power Plasma Stimulation
Fracturing Treatment of Subterranean Formations Using Shock Waves (2019)
This U.S. patent lays the foundation for pulsed power plasma stimulation by presenting a novel method for fracturing subterranean formations through the generation of high-energy shock waves. Unlike fluid-intensive hydraulic fracturing, this approach relies on controlled electrical discharges that produce mechanical shock to break down rock formations. The technology offers a more sustainable way to stimulate reservoirs, reducing environmental concerns and water usage.
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Pulsed Power Plasma Stimulation: A Comprehensive Review and Field Insights (2025)
This review article brings together decades of research on pulsed power plasma stimulation, discussing its physical principles, laboratory investigations, field applications, and operational challenges. The paper integrates field case histories with experimental results, highlighting the promise of plasma technology as a disruptive alternative for unconventional reservoir stimulation. It also explores scalability, cost-effectiveness, and its role in the transition toward sustainable energy production.
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Pulse Power Plasma Stimulation for Waterless Fracturing (2024)
This work presents pulsed plasma as a fully waterless stimulation alternative designed to overcome limitations of hydraulic fracturing in water-scarce areas. Using plasma-induced rock damage, the technique enhances near-wellbore permeability, reduces formation damage, and improves the estimated ultimate recovery (EUR) of unconventional reservoirs. Beyond water savings, the paper emphasizes improved well economics and environmental stewardship.
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Experimental and Simulation Study on Pulsed Plasma Stimulation (2024)
This paper reports groundbreaking experiments on how electrical plasma discharges can initiate and propagate fractures. Unlike traditional hydraulic fracturing, plasma-based stimulation creates clean fractures without fluid seepage or chemical additives. By combining these experimental observations with numerical simulations, the study develops predictive models that link discharge energy to fracture geometry, offering a roadmap for scaling from laboratory to field practice.
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Energy Optimization in Underwater Shockwave Fracturing (2024)
This investigation targets the optimization of shockwave parameters for underwater plasma discharges, which are key for fracturing applications in fluid-filled formations. The study explores how discharge energy, spacing, and waveform control influence fracture outcomes. By applying optimization frameworks, it proposes energy-efficient system designs that maximize rock breakage while minimizing wasted input power.
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Effect of Discharge Energy on Rock Damage (2020)
Presented at the ARMA Rock Mechanics Symposium, this research demonstrates how plasma discharges affect rock integrity under varying stress conditions, offering insights into scaling laboratory experiments to field operations. By systematically varying discharge energies, the study reveals threshold energy levels that control fracture initiation versus mere rock damage. The outcome provides essential design guidelines for tailoring plasma stimulation to different stress regimes.
Link to Conference Paper
Ph.D. Dissertation: Pulsed Power Plasma Stimulation – Experimental and Numerical Study (2017)
This dissertation stands as one of the earliest comprehensive efforts to experimentally and numerically investigate plasma-based fracturing techniques. It details the performance of single-pulse systems, fracture initiation processes, energy distribution patterns, and the limitations of early prototypes. The findings form the foundation for subsequent research and field trials, shaping the scientific roadmap of pulsed plasma technology.
Link to Dissertation
Enhancing Near Wellbore Permeability with Pulsed Plasma (2020)
Presented at SPE HFTC, this paper demonstrates how plasma pulses reduce near-wellbore damage and improve connectivity to the reservoir. Through systematic experiments, the study shows measurable gains in permeability derived from controlled discharge events. In field-scale application, such improvements translate into more productive wells, lower drawdown pressures, and potentially longer field lifetimes.
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Experimental Study on Single-Pulse Tests for Fracture Initiation (2018)
This URTeC presentation details laboratory-scale experiments in which single plasma pulses were examined for their ability to initiate fractures in rock samples. By controlling pulse energy and confinement conditions, the study identifies mechanisms of fracture nucleation unique to electric discharges. These findings confirm that plasma stimulation can trigger initial fractures without fracturing fluids, paving the way for multi-pulse system development.
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Applications of Wavelet Transform
Estimating Water Hammer Damping Ratios with Wavelet Transform (2025)
This SPE Journal article uses continuous wavelet transform (CWT) to quantify water hammer damping ratios, providing improved insights into fracture complexity during hydraulic fracturing. By applying high-resolution time-frequency analysis, the method enables engineers to better characterize branching and tortuosity in fracture systems, offering more accurate reservoir stimulation assessments.
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Hydraulic Fracture Closure Detection Techniques: A Comprehensive Review (2024)
This review compiles and evaluates existing closure detection techniques while highlighting the advantages of wavelet-based approaches over traditional diagnostics. It emphasizes improved accuracy in identifying closure events and incorporating field and laboratory data into CWT analysis. The review serves as a reference benchmark for researchers and engineers aiming to refine closure diagnostics in unconventional reservoirs.
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Novel Closure Detection Method Using CWT (2022)
This ATCE paper introduces a new wavelet-based method to pinpoint fracture closure events with unprecedented accuracy. It highlights how this approach surpasses conventional diagnostic methods, particularly in noisy or ambiguous datasets.
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Wavelet Analysis of DFIT for Closure Detection (2019)
This study applies wavelet signal analysis to DFIT (Diagnostic Fracture Injection Test) data, extracting closure information from signal patterns. The method enhances traditional DFIT analysis, giving operators a more reliable picture of fracture behavior.
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Estimating Stress from Fracture Injection Tests Using Wavelet Transform (2023)
This study proposes a wavelet-based approach to extract stress signatures from fracture injection data. Unlike traditional curve-fitting methods, wavelet analysis captures subtle frequency changes linked to closure pressure, leading to more precise stress estimation for unconventional completions.
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Validation of Stress Estimation with Experimental Data (2023)
This companion paper validates wavelet-based stress estimates using controlled lab data. The results show strong agreement with traditional stress measurements, thus confirming wavelet transformation as a powerful tool for better-informed reservoir completions.
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Validation of Closure Detection Using Strain Measurements (2023)
This SPE paper validates continuous wavelet transform closure detection with real-world fiber-optic strain measurements. The validation establishes CWT as a credible and robust technology for commercial-level fracture monitoring.
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Laboratory Calibration of Wavelet Closure Detection (2025)
This URTeC paper validates closure detection insights by using controlled laboratory datasets. The study bridges the gap between small-scale experimental understanding and field implementation, highlighting CWT’s practical field value.
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Dynamic Fracture Behavior in Horizontal Wells using Wavelet Analysis (2019)
This ATCE paper shows how DWT reveals fracture growth dynamics in horizontal wells through frequency-time domain analysis. The approach helps operators interpret evolving fracture systems with improved clarity, thereby guiding completion optimization.
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Integrating MRP (Moving Reference Point Technique) Analysis with 3D Models (2022)
This ARMA paper combines MRP with planar 3D fracture modeling to better represent hydraulic fracture propagation in unconventional reservoirs. The integrated approach provides a more complete understanding of fracture dynamics across scales.
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Calibration of CWT with Microseismic Data (2024)
By applying wavelet interpretive methods to microseismic datasets, this study calibrates fracture propagation models in real field conditions. Results show CWT’s ability to capture dynamic fracture signatures that conventional methods might miss, thus boosting confidence in fracture mapping at field scale.
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Hydraulic Fracture Characterization with Fiber-Optics Calibration (2025)
This URTeC paper demonstrates how CWT, combined with fiber-optic measurements, provides a powerful hybrid diagnostic for mapping fracture geometry and connectivity in real operations. It highlights how cross-calibration ensures reliability in field-scale applications.
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Deep Learning for Microseismic Prediction with CWT (2024)
This paper introduces a hybrid framework that integrates wavelet-transformed seismic signals with deep learning algorithms to forecast microseismic events during fracturing operations. The approach enhances predictive accuracy, reduces noise interference, and enables real-time fracture monitoring—all central to safer, more efficient hydraulic stimulations.
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Wavelet-Based Connectivity in Waterflooding (2019)
This study applies wavelet processing to waterflood operations, revealing inter-well pathways that guide injection strategy and reservoir management. It marks one of the earliest applications of signal processing methods to fluid connectivity challenges.
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Wavelet Analysis for Inter-Well Connectivity (2025)
Presented at OTC, this study leverages wavelet methods to assess inter-well connections in fractured formations. By tracking pressure propagation signals across wells, the approach improves reservoir surveillance and reservoir connectivity understanding in complex unconventional settings.
Link to Conference Paper
Group Patents
Systems and Methods for Detecting Subsurface Events Using Continuous Wavelet Transforms (2024)
This patent introduces new ways to detect, classify, and monitor subsurface events—including fracturing, seismicity, and flow changes—using continuous wavelet transforms. The innovation lies in its ability to process complex data in real time, enhancing field monitoring and reservoir understanding.
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Dynamic Hydraulic Fracture Propagation Micro-Seismic Estimation Methods (2025)
This patent describes cutting-edge methods to estimate dynamic fracture propagation using microseismic signals. By linking mathematical models with field data, it provides operators with better real-time fracture tracking, improving hydraulic fracturing efficiency and reservoir management.
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