About

Ibere Alves is a Professor of Practice in Petroleum Engineering at Texas A&M University. He holds a Ph.D. in Petroleum Engineering from Tulsa University, obtained in 1991, along with a Master's degree from Federal University of Ouro Preto and a Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering from Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro. Alves's research interests include gas and oil production, two-phase flow modeling, artificial lift, flow assurance, intelligent fields, and deep water petroleum production. His extensive industry experience includes roles such as Senior Petroleum Engineer and Consultant at Petrobras America Inc., where he worked from 1980 to 2014, including managerial positions overseeing artificial lift and flow assurance groups. Alves has also been seconded to CMG – Computer Modelling Group Ltd. from 2007 to 2011. His professional contributions are recognized through numerous awards, including the Distinguished Achievement Award in Teaching at the college and university levels from Texas A&M University, as well as the Professor of the Year Award from the Society of Petroleum Engineers Student Chapter. Alves has contributed to the field through research and publications, notably in deepwater field development, flow behavior in wells, and modeling of flow temperature distribution. His work combines practical industry experience with academic research, emphasizing innovative solutions in petroleum engineering.

Research topics

• Materials science
• Thermodynamics
• Mathematics
• Mechanics
• Mechanical engineering
• Mathematical analysis
• Applied mathematics
• Physics
• Petroleum engineering
• Metallurgy
• Geology
• Engineering
• Composite material

Selected publications

• Decision Criterion for Stimulation Method: Proppant Fracturing, Acid Fracturing, or Matrix Acidizing?

  SPE Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition · 2024 · 4 citations

  • Petroleum engineering
  • Geology
  • Materials science

  Abstract Most oil and gas wells are stimulated. In unconventional reservoirs, proppant fracturing is the preferred stimulation technique. However, in higher permeability conventional carbonate reservoirs, matrix acidizing and acid fracturing can also result in stimulated wells, usually with lower risk and cost. This article presents a decision criterion for the preferrable stimulation technique considering a combination of parameters, including permeability, stress, geomechanical properties, mineralogy, injection rate, proppant, fracturing fluid, and acid concentrations and volumes. This article is an extension of a previous study, in which a decision criterion was presented comparing only acid stimulation methods - matrix acidizing and acid fracturing. The present study developed a similar methodology to include proppant hydraulic fracturing in the analysis. The proposed methodology was developed using analytical derivations and validated using numerical simulators for both stimulation operations and production. The results were also validated and adjusted using field results and operational constraints. The final decision criterion is analytical and simple enough to be used in initial phases of conceptual design using a spreadsheet. The developed decision criterion was implemented in a simple software and has been used in conceptual design phase for several projects in offshore Brazil carbonates for a few years. It is especially useful in early conceptual design for two main reasons: (1) in this early stage there is usually not enough information available to justify using more complex and detailed numerical simulators, and (2) the well completions are often defined in this early stage, which requires a predefinition of the stimulation technique. Due to lower cost, risk, and simpler operations, acid stimulation methods are usually preferred when they yield similar results. Matrix acidizing is simpler and less risky than acid fracturing, which in turn is simpler and less risky than proppant fracturing. Agreeing with field observations, the presented calculation method shows that in low confining stress and hard rocks, acid fracturing can yield better results than matrix acidizing. However, acid fracturing is less effective in high permeability, high confining stress, or soft rocks. Proppant fracturing can usually result in more stimulated wells than the acid stimulation techniques in low permeabilities, but not in high permeabilities - despite higher cost and operational risk. This calculation method presents an agile quantitative estimate of the gain in productivity index that can be achieved by each technique, allowing an engineered quantitative decision for the stimulation method and corresponding well completion. It was observed that, although there is a good collection of stimulation models and software available, this simple method and its analytical equations provide insight and agility that cannot be replaced by software.

  DOI

• Matrix Formulation for Simultaneous Calculations of Pressure and Temperature in Wells and Pipelines

  Day 2 Wed, March 23, 2022 · 2023

  1st authorCorresponding
  • Mechanics
  • Thermodynamics
  • Mathematics

  Abstract This paper presents a novel approach to calculate pressure and temperature profile in a pipe. An implicit formulation is implemented in this model using a combined system of the three conservation equations (mass, momentum, and energy), and using the change of enthalpy and pressure to calculate the change of temperature. The derivation of the equations for temperature and pressure profile calculation uses the traditional approach of applying the mass, momentum and energy balance equations to a control volume of the pipe. For a pipe, usually the pressure and temperature values at one end are known. Due to the non-linearity of balance equation, an iterative process is required to calculate the values at the other end of the pipe. In the model proposed in this paper the system of equations was arranged in a matrix and vector form, all pressure and temperature for all the nodes are calculated in one calculation step, different from the traditional approach. The proposed model is used with both Black oil table correlations and a fully compositional model for calculating P-T profiles. It can be applied over the entire inclination angle range from horizontal to vertical. Conventionally, marching algorithm is used to calculate pressure from first cell to second cell until the end of the pipe is reached. The final form of energy balance is expressed in terms of enthalpy; therefore, P-H flash is used to calculate temperature profile. The calculation process is faster as all of it is done in one step and more accurate than the traditional approach. Traditionally the coupling of the mechanical energy and heat balance equation, uses a marching algorithm to determine pressure and temperature profile in a pipe, using a nested pair of loops, usually the external one for temperature and an internal for pressure. The proposed method applies a novel matrix formulation using a vectorized procedure to determine simultaneously pressure and temperature using their natural connection the enthalpy through the balance equations. This method aims to determine pressure-temperature profiles in a fast and accurate way. Vector and matrices approach is a tool that improves the performance of a code and utilizing it for pipeline calculation is unique, it opens a door for also coupling with reservoir simulators in an integrated approach. Since most flow assurance problems i.e. paraffin, hydrate are related to pressure and temperature dependent, the proper calculation of the P-T profile is a must. The proposed model provides a fast and precise calculation organizing the problem in a structured manner.

  DOI

Frequent coauthors

• Ruud Weijermars

  University of Petroleum

  8 shared

• Lihua Zuo

  Texas A&M University – Kingsville

  4 shared

• Arnaud van Harmelen

  Mitchell Institute

  4 shared

• Raka Islam

  Texas A&M University

  4 shared

• Wei Yu

  The University of Texas at Austin

  4 shared

• Mohammad Khoshkbarchi

  2 shared

• Diego Blasco Flores

  Texas A&M University

  2 shared

• José Savio Alves de Sousa Segundo

  2 shared

Awards & honors

• Distinguished Achievement Award in Teaching — University Lev…
• Distinguished Achievement Award in Teaching — College Level,…
• Instructional Faculty Teaching Award, Texas A&M University C…
• Professor of the Year Award, Texas A&M University Society of…
• ConocoPhillips Non-Tenured Track Faculty Award for Excellenc…

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