AARON WANDLER, PHD CANDIDATE

Aaron, second from left, and fellow members of the Reservoir Characterization Project team

Aaron Wandler plays a key role in Mines’ Reservoir Characterization Project, researching ways to improve how CO2 is monitored when it is injected into mature oil fields for enhancing oil recovery as well as a means to sequester CO2 and reduce greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. By supporting Aaron with an academic scholarship and summer internship, BP has enabled him to focus on his research and to accelerate his studies at Mines.

Aaron’s road to pursuing a PhD in geophysics at Mines began in Montana, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in mathematics and a master’s degree in geophysical engineering, and then went to work for an independent oil and gas producer. He spent last summer as an intern with BP helping to develop an integrated workflow to detect unconventional tight gas sands which are below the resolution of a seismic wave length. This summer, Aaron will intern with Schlumberger Data and Consulting Services in Denver and will gain valuable experience related to his research in petrophysics and geomechanics.

 “At Mines you get exposed to very advanced technology,” Aaron says. “As students, we have the opportunity to interact with experts in a variety of very specialized fields.”