Research Overview

Our research focuses on advancing the safety, reliability, and efficiency of pipeline transportation systems, including oil, natural gas, CO₂, and hydrogen, to support both sustainable oil and gas production and the global transition toward a cleaner energy future. We develop innovative technologies to address flow assurance challenges in oil and gas production and pipeline transportation, improving operational efficiency, reducing costs, and minimizing environmental impact. At the same time, large-scale transportation of CO₂ and hydrogen is essential for achieving carbon neutrality, yet these emerging energy carriers present unique transport and operational challenges that remain insufficiently understood.

We address these challenges through a multiscale research framework that integrates advanced experimental techniques with physics-based and data-driven computational modeling across microscopic, mesoscopic, and macroscopic scales. By bridging fundamental science and engineering applications, our research delivers practical solutions for both conventional hydrocarbon systems and next-generation energy infrastructure.

Principal Investigator (2020 - present)

Yingda Lu, Ph.D.  

Assistant Professor, Endowed by Chevron Centennial Teaching Fellowship 

Hildebrand Dept. of Petroleum and Geosystems Engineering

The University of Texas at Austin 

Google Citations        Curriculum Vitae

Recent Publications

Chen, X., Ziauddin, M., Wu, C., Lu, Y.* Effects of Geometry and Degradation Conditions on the Aqueous Hydrolysis of Polylactic Acid Diverters. Geoenergy Science and Engineering, 258, 214324, December 2025.

Rego Barros Rebello, L., Nicolini, J. V., Conceição Ferraz, H., Balhoff, M. T., Lu, Y. A Perspective Review on Nanoparticles as Mitigating Agents for Surfactant Retention in Enhanced Oil Recovery. Energy & Fuels, 39 (42), 113079, October 2025

Sun, J., Liu, S., Liao, G., Wang, S., Lu, Y., Wu, C., He, Y., Sun, N., Li, W. Influencing Factors and Predictive Models of Oil–Water Emulsions: A Comprehensive Review and Future Outlook. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 1552: 94-116, September 2025

Wang, H., Chen, X., Lu, Y. A Minireview and Perspective on Electrical Methods for Enhancing the Flow of Waxy Crude Oils. Energy & Fuels, 39, 17692−17709, September 2025

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