Rice University experts available to comment on government report on BP oil disaster

Franz Brotzen
713-348-6775
franz.brotzen@rice.edu

Rice University experts available to comment on government report on BP oil disaster

Two Rice University experts are available to discuss the new report released by the Coast Guard and the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management Regulation and Enforcement on the causes of the worst offshore oil spill in U.S. history. The investigators held yearlong hearings following the April 20, 2010, disaster at BP’s Deepwater Horizon well.

Professor George Hirasaki can discuss BP’s efforts to construct and implement relief wells to stop the spill. He studies enhanced oil recovery processes, gas hydrates, fluid flow through rock and soil, nuclear magnetic resonance imaging to evaluate well properties and emulsion separation. Hirasaki is the A.J. Hartsook Professor of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at Rice.

Satish Nagarajaiah can discuss the complications of capping the oil well and what factors led to it taking so long to stop the leak. He can also discuss what went wrong with the rig’s blowout preventer, the device on the ocean floor that was designed to prevent the sort of spill that occurred. Nagarajaiah is a professor in civil and environmental engineering and a professor of mechanical engineering and material science. His areas of specialization include vibrations, structural dynamic systems, smart structures and sensors, system identification, fault and damage detection and monitoring, seismic protective systems, earthquake engineering and offshore structures.

To schedule an interview with Hirasaki or Nagarajaiah, contact Franz Brotzen at 713-348-6775 or franz.brotzen@rice.edu.