CPG
Tel: +966 (013) 860-3117

Location: Bldg. 76, Rm. 2115

Dr. Saad F. Alafnan

Associate Professor, Department of Petroleum Engineering

Educational Qualification

  • Ph.D., in Petroleum Engineering, Texas A&M University – 2014-2017.
  • M.S. in Petroleum Engineering, University of Southern California – 2012-2014
  • B.S. in Chemical Engineering, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals – 2007-2011

Research Interests

  • Unconventional Reservoirs
  • Mesoporous and Nanoporous Materials
  • Multiscale Transport in Porous Media
  • Enhanced Recovery From Shales

Selected Publications

  • Saad Alafnan. “Utilization of supercritical carbon dioxide for mechanical degradation of organic matters contained in shales.” Fuel 316 (2022) https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fuel.2022.123427.
  • Saad Alafnan. “The self-diffusivity of natural gas in the organic nanopores of source rocks.” Physics of Fluids 34, 042004 (2022) https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0081258.
  • Saad Alafnan. “Adsorption–Desorption Hysteresis in Shale Formation: New Insights into the Underlying Mechanisms” Energy & Fuels 36 (2022) https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.energyfuels.2c00444.
  • Saad Alafnan. “Utilization of depleted heavy oil reservoirs for carbon dioxide storage and sequestration: A molecular level assessment.” International Journal of Greenhouse Gas Control 119 (2022) https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijggc.2022.103741.
  • Clement Afagwu, Saad Alafnan, Mohamed Mahmoud, I. Yucel Akkutlu. “Modeling of natural gas self-diffusion in the micro-pores of organic-rich shales coupling sorption and geomechanical effects.”  Journal of Natural Gas Science and Engineering 106 (2022) https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jngse.2022.104757.
  • Guenther Glatz, Saad Alafnan, Raoof Gholami, Arshad Raza, Mohamed Mahmoud, Khaled Al-Azani, Abeeb Awotunde. “Effect of kerogen maturity on the adsorption capacity of CO2 and CH4: A molecular investigation.” Fuel 327 (2022) https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fuel.2022.125188.  
  • Arshad Raza, Guenther Glatz, Raoof Gholami, Mohamed Mahmoud, Saad Alafnan. “Carbon mineralization and geological storage of CO2 in basalt: Mechanisms and technical challenges.” Earth-Science Reviews 229 (2022) https://doi.org/10.1016/j.earscirev.2022.104036.

Extended Publications (+)

  • Alqam, Mohammad H., Abu-Khamsin, Sidqi A., Alafnan, Saad F., Sultan, Abdullah S., Al-Majed, Abdulaziz, and Taha Okasha. “The Impact of Carbonated Water on Wettability: Combined Experimental and Molecular Simulation Approach.” SPE J. 27 (2022) https://doi.org/10.2118/208594-PA
  • Clement Afagwu, Saad Al-Afnan, Shirish Patil, Jaber Aljaberi, Mohamed A. Mahmoud, Jun Li, “The impact of pore structure and adsorption behavior on kerogen tortuosity”, Fuel, Volume 303, 2021, 121261, ISSN 0016-2361, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fuel.2021.121261.
  • Aljaberi, Jaber , Alafnan, Saad , Glatz, Guenther , Sultan, Abdullah S., and Clement Afagwu. “The Impact of Kerogen Tortuosity on Shale Permeability.” SPE J. (2020;): doi: https://doi.org/10.2118/204469-PA
  • Saad Alafnan, Abeeb Awotunde, Guenther Glatz, Stephen Adjei, Ibrahim Alrumaih, Ahmed Gowida, “Langmuir adsorption isotherm in unconventional resources: Applicability and limitations.” Journal of Petroleum Science and Engineering 207 (2021) https://doi.org/10.1016/j.petrol.2021.109172.
  • Mohammed, I., Olayiwola, T.O., Alkathim, M., Abeeb A. Awotunde, Saad F. Alafnan.  “A review of pressure transient analysis in reservoirs with natural fractures, vugs and/or caves.” Petroleum Science 18 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12182-020-00505-2
  • Clement Afagwu, Isah Abubakar, Shams Kalam, Saad F. Al-Afnan, Abeeb A. Awotunde “Pressure-transient analysis in shale gas reservoirs: A review.” Journal of Natural Gas Science and Engineering 78, (2020) https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jngse.2020.103319.
  • Alafnan, S., and Yucel Akkutlu, I. “The Transport Mechanisms and Dynamics of Shale via Multiscale Multiphysics Pore Network Modeling.” ASME. J. Energy Resour. Technol. 142 (2020) https://doi.org/10.1115/1.4046522.
  • Alafnan, Saad & Aljawad, Murtada & Alismail, Fahad & Almajed, Abdulaziz. (2019). “Enhanced Recovery from Gas Condensate Reservoir through Renewable Energy Sources”. Energy Fuels. 10.1021/acs.energyfuels.9b01761.
  • K. Alafnan, Saad & Akkutlu, I. Yucel. “Matrix–Fracture Interactions During Flow in Organic Nanoporous Materials Under Loading”. Transport in Porous Media 121 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11242-017-0948-3.

Books

  • Alafnan, S., & Akkutlu, Y. (2020). Transport in Nanoporous Materials. In 948916750 740229742 K. D. Sattler (Author), 21st century nanoscience a handbook (Vol. 5, pp. 12-1-12-6). Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press.
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