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EME Faculty

Bio

Biographical Sketch

Luis F. Ayala H. is an Assistant Professor of Petroleum and Natural Gas Engineering at the Pennsylvania State University, USA. He has also been an Instructor in the Chemical Engineering and Petroleum Engineering Departments at Universidad de Oriente (Venezuela). His research activities focus on the areas of natural gas engineering, hydrocarbon phase behavior, multiphase flow, numerical modeling, and artificial intelligence. He holds Ph.D. and M.S. degrees in Petroleum and Natural Gas Engineering from the Pennsylvania State University and two engineering degrees with honors, one in Chemical Engineering (summa cum laude) and another in Petroleum Engineering (summa cum laude) from Universidad de Oriente (Venezuela). He is a member of the Society of Petroleum Engineers, American Chemical Society and National Association of Engineers of Venezuela.

Educational Background

Ph.D. (Petroleum and Natural Gas Engineering), The Pennsylvania State University, 2004

M.S. (Petroleum and Natural Gas Engineering), The Pennsylvania State University, 2001

Petroleum Engineering Degree, summa cum laude honors, Universidad de Oriente (UDO), Venezuela, 1999

Chemical Engineering Degree, summa cum laude honors, Universidad de Oriente (UDO), Venezuela, 1997

Active Research Projects

Dr. Ayala conducts research in the area of Natural Gas Engineering with emphasis on Multiphase Flow Analysis in Pipe Networks, Hydrocarbon Phase Behavior and its Interplay with Reservoir Flow Systems, Numerical Modeling of Gas Condensate Reservoirs, and Artificial Intelligence Applications. With his research group, Dr. Ayala is actively involved in the analysis of the underlying physical factors that control multiphase transport and flow dynamics in complex natural gas network topologies. Current efforts aim at significantly improving our ability to predict fluid migration and preferential paths in such a complex multiphase environment and to provide a reliable description of the strongly coupled interactions present among constituents in this type of transportation networks. Dr. Ayala is also involved in the study of non-conventional and untapped natural gas reservoir sources, such as production of gas from retrograde gas-condensate fluids in tight reservoir environments. Dr. Ayala's research group has developed various multi-phase, multi-dimensional, single-component and compositional models for the flow of hydrocarbons both at reservoir conditions and through pipeline surface facilities. His research group is also involved in surface pipe network optimization projects, optimization of surface facilities, and several artificial intelligence applications in the area of natural gas engineering.

Selected Publications

1. Mann, A. and Ayala H., L.F., "Intelligent Design of Natural Gas Underground Storage Facilities", Int. J. of Modeling and Simulation, v. 129, n. 2, p. 214-223, 2009.
2. Ayala H., L.F., Redespiel, E., and Ertekin, T., "Numerical Analysis of Condensate-Flow Impairment in Retrograde-Gas Naturally Fractured Reservoirs and Its Interplay with the Estimation of Diffusion Coefficients", SPE Journal. v. 14, n.1, pp. 95-100, March 2009.
3. Ayala H., L. F., Alp, D., and Al-Timimy, M. "Intelligent Design and Selection of Natural Gas Two-Phase Separators", in press, Journal of Natural Gas Science and Engineering.
4. Ayala H., L. F. and Fernández L., J.E., "Evaluating Crystallization Risks in LNG Production", in press, SPE Projects Facilities and Construction J.
5. Ayala H., L.F. and Alp, D., "Limitations of Marching Algorithms in the Analysis of Multiphase Flow in Pipelines", Journal of Energy Resources Technology, v. 130, n.4, p. 4300301-4300310, Dec. 2008.
6. Ayala H., L.F. and Karpyn, Z., "On the Calculation of Static Bottom-Hole Pressures in Gas Wells", Petroleum Science and Technology, v. 25, n. 8, p. 1099-1104, August 2007.
7. Ayala H., L.F. and Koaussi, J.P., "The Similarity Theory Applied to the Analysis of Multiphase Flow in Gas Condensate Reservoirs", Energy and Fuels., v. 21, n. 3, p. 1592-1600, May/June 2007.
8. Al-Farhan, F. and Ayala H., L.F: "Optimization of Surface Condensate Production from Natural Gases Using Artificial Intelligence", J. Pet. Science and Engineering, v. 53, pp. 135-147, August 2006.
9. Ayala H., L.F., Ertekin, T., and Adewumi, M., "Compositional Modeling of Gas-Condensate Reservoirs in Multimechanistic Flow Domains", SPE Journal, v. 11, n. 4, p. 480-487, Dec. 2006.
10. Ayala H., L.F., "On the Non-Ideality of Hydrocarbon Fluids: Implications for Natural Gas Engineering - Part A and B", Petroleum J. Online, e-journal of reservoir engineering, v.1, n. 1, Nov. 2006.

Recent Activities and Awards

Professional Services

• Editor-in-Chief of The Way Ahead, Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE) Magazine
• Member, SPE Reservoir Description and Dynamics Advisory Committee, Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE)
• Associate Editor, Journal of Natural Gas Science and Engineering (JNGSE)
• Member of Editorial Board, Petroleum Science and Technology J. (PST)
• Technical Editor and Member of the SPE Editorial Review Committee, SPE Reservoir Evaluation & Engineering Journal (SPEREE)
• Member of Editorial Team, e-journals of Reservoir Engineering and Production Engineering, Petroleum Journals Online (PJO)
• Member Reservoir Engineering Program Subcommittee, 2010 SPE Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition, Florence, Tuscany, Italy
• Member, American Chemical Society, National Association of Engineers of Venezuela, and Canadian Petroleum Society of CIM

Awards/Honors/Recognitions

• 2008 Wilson Award for Outstanding Teaching, College of Earth and Mineral Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University
• 2007 SPE Outstanding Technical Editor Award, Society of Petroleum Engineers
• 2005 Wilson Research Initiation Grant, The Pennsylvania State University, College of Earth and Mineral Sciences
• 2002 PNGE Graduate Merit Award, The Pennsylvania State University
• 1999 Presidential Distinction for Academic Excellence "José Félix Ribas" awarded by the President of the Republic of Venezuela
• Summa cum laude distinctions in Chemical Engieering (UDO, 1997) and Petroleum Engineering (UDO, 1999) and Merit Medal "21^st of November" granted by the Board of Trustees of Universidad de Oriente for outstanding academic achievement, (UDO, 1997)

Research Interests

• Natural gas engineering
• Multiphase flow in pipelines and multiphase network analysis
• Thermodynamics of hydrocarbon fluids
• Compositional reservoir simulation
• Gas condensate fluid behavior
• Artificial intelligence applications

Teaching

EGEE 120 - Oil: International Evolution (3)

P N G 480 - Production Process Engineering (3)

P N G 482 - Production Engineering Laboratory (1)

P N G 520 - Phase Relations in Reservoir Engineering (3)

P N G 530 - Natural Gas Engineering (1-3)

P N G 590 - Colloquium (1-3)

P N G 596 - Individual Studies (1-9)