Dr. Hailun Ni

Google Scholar Profile
Sandtank Lab: Visualizing Fluid Flow

Dr. Hailun Ni is a Research Assistant Professor at the Gulf Coast Carbon Center, part of the Bureau of Economic Geology at The University of Texas at Austin. Her research focuses on the impact of geologic heterogeneity on plume migration and trapping in CO₂ geologic storage. Hailun brings expertise in both numerical simulation and laboratory experimentation across multiple scales. She manages the Sandtank Lab, utilizing meter-scale laboratory experiments to better understand subsurface fluid flow and validate numerical simulations. Hailun also co-teaches a semester-long course at the Jackson School of Geosciences titled “CO₂ Injection and Storage in Geological Formations,” a project-based class that guides undergraduate and graduate students through the fundamentals of preparing a Class VI permit for a CO₂ injection well.

Research Interests

• Geologic Carbon Storage: Class VI permitting.
• Laboratory Modeling: Sandtank and coreflooding experiments for subsurface visualization. Learn more from our Sandtank Lab webpage.  
• Computational Geoscience: Data analysis, machine learning, and reservoir numerical simulations.

Education

• Ph.D., 2020, Energy Resources Engineering, Stanford University
• M.S., 2015, Energy Resources Engineering, Stanford University
• B.S., 2015, Energy Resources Engineering (with Distinction), Stanford University

Selected Publications

Mishra, A., Ni, H., Mortazavi, S. A., and Haese, R. R., 2025, Performance assessment of graph theory towards predicting fluid flow in rocks across multiple spatial scales: Advances in Water Resources, v. 204, no. 105045, 17 p., http://doi.org/10.1016/j.advwatres.2025.105045.

Ni, H., Feitz, A., Tenthorey, E., Nourollah, H., Romanak, K., Patterson, C., Hovorka, S., 2025, Laboratory Sand Tank Modeling of the Brumbys Fault CO₂ Controlled Release Field Experiment: Geophysical Research Letters, available via open access: https://doi.org/10.1029/2024GL113918. Check out the Bureau's publication profile here.

Ni, H., Li, B., Darraj, N., Ren, B., Harris, C., Krishnamurthy, P.G., Bukar, I., Berg, S., Snippe, J., Ringrose, P., Meckel, T.A., Krevor, S., and Benson, S., 2025, The impact of capillary heterogeneity on CO₂ flow and trapping across scales: Earth-Science Reviews, v. 270, 28 p., https://doi.org/10.1016/j.earscirev.2025.105257.

Ubillus, J.E., Bakhshian, S., Ni, H., DiCarlo, D., and Meckel, T., 2025, Informing field-scale CO₂ storage simulations with sandbox experiments: The effect of small-scale heterogeneities. International Journal of Greenhouse Gas Control, v. 141, p. 1-10, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijggc.2025.104318.

Ubillus, J.E., Ni, H., DiCarlo, D., and Meckel, T., 2025, Experimental Investigation of Buoyant Flow in Realistic Bedforms with Heterogeneous Wettability: SPE Journal, p. 1–11, https://doi.org/10.2118/224402-PA.

Wang, H., Ni, H., Bai, T., Xiao T., Guo, R., Teng, Y., Hosseini, S.A., and Hovorka, S.D., 2025, Failure Analysis–Informed Risk Assessment Framework for Geological Carbon Storage Using Numerical Simulation and Machine Learning: SPE J. no. SPE-231438-PA 1–15, https://doi.org/10.2118/231438-PA.

Mishra, A., Ni, H., Mortazavi, S.A., and Haese, R.R., 2024, Graph theory-based estimation of probable CO₂ plume spreading in siliciclastic reservoirs with lithological heterogeneity: Advances in Water Resources, v. 189, no. 104717, p. 1–17, http://doi.org/10.1016/j.advwatres.2024.104717.

Ni, H., Bump, A., Bakhshian, S., 2024, An experimental investigation on the CO₂ storage capacity of the composite confining system: International Journal of Greenhouse Gas Control, v. 134, 104125, p. 1–10,  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijggc.2024.104125.

Ren, B., Littlefield, J., Jia, C., Ni, H., and Duncan, I., 2024, Impact of Pressure-Dependent Interfacial Tension and Contact Angle on Capillary Heterogeneity Trapping of CO₂ in Storage Aquifers: SPE Journal, v. 29, p. 4442–4458, https://doi.org/10.2118/214925-PA.

Bakhshian, S., Bump, A.P., Pandey, S., Ni. H., and Hovorka, S. D., 2023, Assessing the potential of composite confining systems for secure and long-term CO₂ retention in geosequestration: Scientific Report, v. 13, 21022, 14 p., https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-47481-2.

Bump, A.P., Bakhshian, S., Ni, H., Hovorka, S.D., Olariu, M.I., Dunlap, D., Hosseini, S.A., and Meckel, T.A, 2023, Composite confining systems: Rethinking geologic seals for permanent CO₂ sequestration: International Journal of Greenhouse Gas Control, v. 126, p. 1–12. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijggc.2023.103908.

Ni, H., Bakhshian, S., Meckel, T.A., 2023, Effects of grain size and small -scale bedform architecture on CO₂ saturation from buoyancy-driven flow: Scientific Reports, v. 13, p. 1–13, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-29360-y.

Bump, A.P., Bakhshian, S., Ni, H., Hovorka, S., Dunlap, D., Olariu, M., Hosseini, S., Meckel, T., 2022, Composite confining systems: Characterizing, de-risking and permitting unconventional seals for CO₂ Storage (paper), 16th Greenhouse Gas Control Technologies Conference Lyon, 23–27 October, 2022 (GHGT-16), 11 p. http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.4286411.

Ni, H., Braganca, R., Tisato, N., Meckel, T.A., 2022, Monitoring CO₂ plume migration with lab-scale ultrasonic experimental setup (paper), 16th Greenhouse Gas Control Technologies Conference Lyon, 23–27 October, 2022 (GHGT-16), 9 p. http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.4273218.

Ni, H., Meckel, T.A., 2022, Effects of flow pulsation on CO₂ buoyant migration and capillary trapping (paper), 16th Greenhouse Gas Control Technologies Conference Lyon, 23–27 October 2022 (GHGT-16), 9 p., http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.4273191.

Ni, H., and Meckel, T. A., 2021, Characterizing the effect of capillary heterogeneity on multiphase flow pulsation in an intermediatescale beadpack experiment using time series clustering and frequency analysis: Water Resources Research, v. 57, no. 11, article no. e2021WR030876, 17 p., http://doi.org/10.1029/2021WR030876.