TAMIU’s Dr. Khaled Enab Awarded $55,000 ACS PRF Grant for Research
A Texas A&M International University (TAMIU) faculty member has been named the recipient of a competitive American Chemical Society Petroleum Research Fund (ACS PRF) Grant of $55,000 for a two-year research project.
Dr. Khaled Enab, TAMIU assistant professor, School of Engineering, will research the “Impact of the CO2 Impurities on the Gas-Liquid Diffusion: Essences for Enhanced Oil Recovery and Carbon Capture.” Nationally, only 126 ACS PRF grants were awarded this Fall.
Dr. Enab’s ACS PRF research aims to bridge the gap in understanding CO2 diffusion into oil and brine, which is crucial for understanding carbon capture, utilization, storage, and Enhanced Oil Recovery processes.
Enab said the ACS PRF Grant is especially critical as it expands research from simulation-based to hands-on experimental studies.
“This award is invaluable for TAMIU and my research group as it allows us to expand from simulation-based research into hands-on experimental studies. The outcomes of this work will provide fundamental insights into a key phenomenon in carbon dioxide storage, helping to understand the long-term impacts of storing CO2 in depleted oil reservoirs and saline aquifers. This grant also plays a crucial role in enhancing the research skills of our Petroleum Engineering students, equipping them to contribute to the energy transition and the evolving demands of the industry,” Enab explained.
His research highlights TAMIU’s growing contributions to cutting-edge energy research and the University’s commitment to preparing students to tackle global challenges in energy and sustainability. The award also reflects the University’s dedication to fostering impactful research that addresses critical societal needs while providing students with transformative educational opportunities.
Enab’s current research combines advanced numerical modeling with artificial intelligence to explore energy transition challenges. His work has previously garnered support from major funding agencies, including the National Science Foundation and the Department of Energy.
ACS PRF grants, first approved in 1953 are intended as seed money for an investigator to initiate a new research direction. Since their launch, grant programs have evolved to serve different scientific community segments.
The Petroleum Research Fund (PRF) is an endowed fund, managed by the American Chemical Society (ACS) that supports fundamental research directly related to petroleum or fossil fuels at nonprofit institutions, generally colleges and universities, in the United States and other countries.
More about the ACS PRF grants is available at www.acs.org/funding/grants/petroelum-research-fund/about
For more on TAMIU’s School of Engineering, call 956.326.2446, or visit offices in the Lamar Bruni Vergara Science Center, room 312. Additional information is also available at https://www.tamiu.edu/coas/soen/index.shtml.
Registration for the Wintermester and Spring 2025 at TAMIU is underway.
University news and information are found online at tamiu.edu and via TAMIU’s social channels: Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, and YouTube.
