Complex multiphase chemistry, convection-dominated three- dimensional fluid flow, and hierarchies of heterogeneities in porous media are essential features in modeling of modern enhanced oil recovery and the transport of contaminants. In order to simulate fluid flows for these problems, the investigator will develop higher-order finite difference methods, in combination with sophisticated phase behavior algorithms and adaptive mesh refinement. These techniques will be applied to realistic engineering problems occurring in current enhanced oil recovery processes and contaminant transport. Because of the intense computational effort, all of the algorithms will be designed for efficient implementation on modern supercomputers, and effective visualization techniques will be employed.
