Voices from the University of Texas labs

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January 30th, 2020

These are some of the projects taking shape in the labs of the University of Texas at Austin, where a select group of students is working on potential energy solutions of tomorrow. 

The students, more formally known as University of Texas Energy Institute Emerging Technology Fellows, are supported by ExxonMobil and are looking to solve big energy challenges, including how to provide more energy with fewer emissions.

The fellows program provides research funding and an external industrial perspective through the involvement of mentors, many of whom work in ExxonMobil’s R&D labs.

After they graduate, fellows pass the baton to the next generation of aspiring energy scientists, ensuring a continuous supply of fresh thinking.

Here are five fellows who are leading the next generation of university research.

A new class of researchers

Meet the UT Energy Institute Emerging Technology Fellows. These graduate students each have a hand in progressing the world's energy transition with the support of ExxonMobil. Listen to five current and former fellows explain how their work is transforming our energy future.

  • Palash Acharya, Mechanical engineering, Ph. D.
    CO2 hydrates: Palash is working on freezing CO2 by trapping carbon dioxide in blocks of ice-like structures, called hydrates, for long-term storage. His research focuses on creating hydrates that freeze more quickly and efficiently than ever while capturing CO2. This technology could one day be a part of the carbon capture portfolio.
  • Emily Beckham, Science and geology, MA
    Subsurface CO2 capture: Emily, a recent UT graduate, identified reservoirs that are suitable for CO2 storage. After identifying those reservoirs, she developed pathways to efficiently flow carbon dioxide into them.
  • Sam Johnson, Mechanical engineering, Ph. D.
    Grid instability: Focusing on the Texas energy grid, Sam explores the effect renewables have on grid stability. He's expanding knowledge of energy infrastructure by working with both researchers and grid operators to support a reliable transition to lower-emission power.
  • Prasanna Krishnamurthy, Petroleum engineering, Ph. D.
    Modeling CO2: Prasanna's research explores large- and small-scale carbon capture and storage. Specifically, he builds physical reservoir models that use 3D printed rocks to mimic the movement of CO2 inside the earth. He works with other engineers and geologists to apply his findings to actual sites.
  • Jenny Ryu, Petroleum engineering, MA
    Injecting CO2: Jenny is a recent UT grad. As a fellow, she developed geomechanical models to answer questions like how much carbon dioxide reservoirs can hold and how best to inject CO2.

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    Collaborating with leading universities to meet global energy demand

    Collaborating with leading universities to meet global energy demand

    ExxonMobil has worked with dozens of leading universities and academic research institutions around the world as part of our commitment to finding meaningful and scalable solutions to meet global energy demand and reduce emissions.

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    ExxonMobil expands agreement with Global Thermostat, sees promise in direct air capture technology

    IRVING, Texas – ExxonMobil and Global Thermostat have expanded their joint development agreement following 12 months of technical evaluation to determine the feasibility and potential scalability of Global Thermostat’s technology that captures carbon dioxide (CO2) directly from the air.   

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    ExxonMobil, Georgia Tech and Imperial College London publish joint research on potential breakthrough in membrane technology

    IRVING, Texas – Scientists from ExxonMobil, the Georgia Institute of Technology and Imperial College of London have published joint research on potential breakthroughs in a new membrane technology that could reduce emissions and energy intensity associated with refining crude oil. Laboratory tests indicate the patent-pending membrane could be used to replace some heat-intensive distillation at refineries in the years ahead.

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    Advancing Science: Partnering with the Department of Energys National Labs

    Advancing Science: Partnering with the Department of Energy’s National Labs

    ExxonMobil will work with the Department of Energy’s National Labs to bring lower emission technologies to commercial scale. This work includes collaborative research in areas such as biofuels, carbon capture and storage, and lifecycle analysis.

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    ExxonMobil, FuelCell Energy expand agreement for carbon capture technology

    IRVING, Texas and DANBURY, Connecticut – ExxonMobil and FuelCell Energy, Inc. said today they have signed a new, two-year expanded joint-development agreement to further enhance carbonate fuel cell technology for the purpose of capturing carbon dioxide from industrial facilities.

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    ExxonMobil and Mosaic Materials to explore new carbon capture technology

    IRVING, Texas – ExxonMobil and Mosaic Materials said today that they have entered into an agreement to explore the advancement of breakthrough technology that can remove carbon dioxide from emissions sources.

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    ExxonMobil to invest up to $100 million on lower-emissions R&D with U.S. National Labs

    IRVING, Texas – ExxonMobil said today it will invest up to $100 million over 10 years to research and develop advanced lower-emissions technologies with the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory and National Energy Technology Laboratory.

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    ExxonMobil to join Oil and Gas Climate Initiative

    IRVING, Texas — ExxonMobil today said it will join the Oil and Gas Climate Initiative (OGCI), a voluntary initiative representing 13 of the world’s largest oil and gas producers working collaboratively toward solutions to mitigate the risks of climate change.

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    An ExxonMobil scientist working in a lab

    ExxonMobil invests $1 billion per year in energy research, emerging technologies

    ExxonMobil believes human ingenuity and innovation are critical to supplying the fuels and products that consumers need in a manner that is safe for our employees, communities and the environment.

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    ExxonMobil and MagnaBond to collaborate on new well integrity evaluation technologies

    SPRING, Texas — ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company announced today that it has signed a three-year joint development agreement with MagnaBond, LLC to develop new technologies that could enhance cost-effective evaluation of well cementing, casing and tubing. 

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    ExxonMobil partners with Singapore universities to focus on energy innovation and lower-emissions technologies

    SINGAPORE — ExxonMobil announced today that it is partnering with two Singapore universities to open a Singapore Energy Center in 2019 to focus on new discoveries and significant improvements to technologies that could improve energy production, and enhance energy efficiency and other efforts to mitigate the risk of climate change.

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    ExxonMobil and University of Wisconsin-Madison to advance research into conversion of biomass into transportation fuel

    IRVING, Texas & MADISON, Wis. — The University of Wisconsin-Madison and ExxonMobil have announced a two-year renewal of an agreement to research the fundamental chemistry of converting biomass into transportation fuels. 

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    ExxonMobil and Synthetic Genomics report breakthrough in algae biofuel research

    IRVING, Texas & LA JOLLA, Calif. — ExxonMobil and Synthetic Genomics Inc. today announced a breakthrough in joint research into advanced biofuels involving the modification of an algae strain that more than doubled its oil content without significantly inhibiting the strain’s growth.

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    ExxonMobil and SABIC sign agreement for next phase of proposed U.S. Petrochemical Project

    RIYADH, Saudi Arabia — Affiliates of Exxon Mobil Corporation(NYSE: XOM) and SABIC (Saudi Basic Industries Corporation) signed an agreement today to conduct a detailed study of the proposed Gulf Coast Growth Ventures project in Texas and begin planning for front-end engineering and design work.

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    Synthetic genomics and ExxonMobil renew algae biofuels research agreement

    LA JOLLA, Calif. — Synthetic Genomics, Inc. and ExxonMobil (NYSE: XOM) announced today that they have extended their agreement to conduct joint research into advanced algae biofuels after making significant progress in understanding algae genetics, growth characteristics and increasing oil production.

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    ExxonMobil and Princeton University announce new energy research projects

    IRVING, Texas — ExxonMobil and Princeton University today announced the selection of five research projects associated with their partnership focused on energy technologies. The projects will center on solar and battery technologies, plasma physics, Arctic sea-ice modeling, and the impact of carbon dioxide absorption on the world’s oceans. 

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    ExxonMobil and Georgia Tech innovation could lead to significant cuts in chemical manufacturing energy use and emissions

    IRVING, Texas — Scientists from ExxonMobil and the Georgia Institute of Technology have developed a potentially revolutionary new technology that could significantly reduce the amount of energy and emissions associated with manufacturing plastics.

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    Partnering with more than 80 leading research universities, including Princeton, Stanford and MIT

    Partnering with more than 80 leading research universities, including Princeton, Stanford and MIT

    ExxonMobil has worked with dozens of leading universities and academic research institutions around the world as part of our commitment to finding meaningful and scalable solutions to meet global energy demand and reduce emissions.

    Research partners Article

    Working with the Department of Energys National Labs on lower-emission technologies

    Working with the Department of Energy’s National Labs on lower-emission technologies

    ExxonMobil will work with the Department of Energy’s National Labs to bring lower emission technologies to commercial scale. This work includes collaborative research in areas such as biofuels, carbon capture and storage, and lifecycle analysis.

    Research partners Article