Vanessa Nuñez

Research Interests

• CO₂ EOR/sequestration.
• Reservoir characterization and performance
• Resource evaluation.
• Risk Analysis

Education

B.S. with Honors Petroleum Engineering, Universidad Central de Venezuela, July 1999

M.S. Petroleum Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin, December 2001

M.A. Energy and Mineral Resources, The University of Texas at Austin, December 2005

Professional History

Senior Reservoir Engineer, Chevron Energy Technology Company, Chevron Corporation (August 2007 – November 2010)

Lead Reservoir Engineer, Chevron Energy Technology Company, Chevron Corporation (October 2006 – July 2007)

Research Scientist Associate, Bureau of Economic Geology, The University of Texas at Austin (January 2006 – September 2006).

Graduate Research Assistant, Bureau of Economic Geology, The University of Texas at Austin (March 2003 - January 2006).

Assistant Professor, Universidad Central de Venezuela (July 1999 – May 2005). Tenure received in May 2002.

Teaching Assistant, Department of Petroleum and Geosystems Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin (Summer and Fall 2002 - Spring 2003).

Research Assistant, Technical Center, MI Drilling Fluids (January 1998 - July 1999).

Intern, Dowell-Schlumberger, Hydraulic Fracturing (July 1997 - September 1997).

Teaching Assistant, Universidad Central de Venezuela (January 1995 - July 1999).

Selected Publications

Nuñez-López, V., Gil-Egui, R., and Hosseini, S. A., 2019, Environmental and operational performance of CO₂-EOR as a CCUS technology: a Cranfield example with dynamic LCA considerations: Energies, v. 12, no. 3, 15 p., http://doi.org/10.3390/en12030448, Article 448.

Hosseininoosheri, P., Hosseini, S. A., Nuñez-López, V., and Lake, L. W., 2018, Impact of field development strategies on CO₂ trapping mechanisms in a CO2-EOR field: a case study in the Permian Basin (SACROC unit): International Journal of Greenhouse Gas Control, v. 72, p. 92-104, http://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijggc.2018.03.002.

Nuñez-López, V., Gil-Egui, R., Gonzalez-Nicolas, A., and Hovorka, S. D., 2017, Carbon balance of CO₂-EOR for NCNO classification: Energy Procedia, v. 114, p. 6597-6603, http://doi.org/10.1016/j.egypro.2017.03.1803.

Ambrose, W. A., Breton, C., Nuñez-López, V., and Gülen, G., 2015, EOR potential from CO₂ captured from coal-fired power plants in the Upper Cretaceous (Cenomanian) Woodbine Group, East Texas Basin, and southeastern Texas Gulf Coast, USA: Natural Resources Research, v. 24, no. 2, p. 161-188, http://doi.org/10.1007/s11053-014-9242-z.

Ambrose W. A., Breton C., Nuñez -Lopez V., Gulen G., 2012, Geologic and Economic Criteria for Siting Clean-Coal Facilities in the Texas Gulf Coast, USA, Natural Resources Research, Vol. 21, No. 4, December 2012, DOI: 10.1007/s11053-012-9188-y

Zahid K. M., Hosseini S. A., Nuñez-López V., and Hovorka S. D., 2012, Characterizing CO₂ storage reservoirs and shallow overburden for above zone monitoring in Texas Gulf Coast EOR fields, 2012 Society of Chemical Industry and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd | Greenhouse Gas Science and Technology. 2:460–473 (2012); DOI: 10.1002/ghg

Nuñez-López V., and Hovorka S. D., 2012, Subsurface Monitoring of Large Scale CO₂ Injection at SECARB’s Phase-III Cranfield Site. Carbon Management Technology Conference, 7-9 February 2012, Orlando, Florida, USA. DOI:10.7122/151504-MS

Nuñez-Lopez, Vanessa, Holtz, M., 2007, Quick-look assessments to identify optimal CO₂ EOR storage sites, Special Issue "Site Characterization for CO₂ Geological Storage". Journal of Environmental Geology. Springer-Verlag, DOI 10.1007/x00254-007-0940-2, 15 p.

Ambrose, W. A., Breton, C., Holtz, M. H., Nuñez-López, V., Hovorka, S. D., and Duncan, I. J., 2008, CO₂ source-sink matching in the lower 48 United States, with examples from the Texas Gulf Coast and Permian Basin: Environmental Geology: Springer-Verlag, DOI 10.1007/s00254-008-1430-x, 15 p.

Holtz, M. H., Nuñez-Lopez, Vanessa, and Breton, C. L., 2005, Moving Permian Basin technology to the Gulf Coast: the geologic distribution of CO₂ EOR potential in Gulf Coast reservoirs, in Lufholm, Peter, and Cox, Denise, eds., Unconventional reservoirs technology and strategies: alternative perspectives for the Permian Basin: West Texas Geological Society Fall Symposium, October 26–28, Publication #05-115, CD-ROM [10 p.].

Ambrose, W. A., Lakshminarasimhan, Srivatsan, Nuñez López, Vanessa, Hovorka, S. D., and Duncan, I. J., 2007, Geologic factors controlling CO₂ storage capacity and permanence: case studies based on experience with heterogeneity in oil and gas reservoirs applied to CO₂ storage: Environmental Geology: Springer-Verlag, DOI 10.1007/x00254-007-0940-2, 16 p

Derek J. Wood, Larry W. Lake, SPE, and Russell T. Johns, SPE, The University of Texas at Austin, and Vanessa Nunez, Bureau of Economic Geology., 2008, A Screening Model for CO₂ Flooding and Storage in Gulf Coast Reservoirs Based on Dimensionless Groups, June 2008 SPE Reservoir Evaluation & Engineering Journal, SPE 100021-PA, 8p.

Awards

Second place, 1999 Latin American Technical Work Contest, Society of Petroleum Engineers, Puerto La Cruz, Venezuela.