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Southern Unconventional Resources Center of Excellence

The vision of SOURCE (Southern Unconventional Resources Center of Excellence) is to be the source of knowledge on Southern Source &Seal Rocks. The mission of SOURCE is:

  • To push the boundaries of science, technology, and best practices in the evaluation of source and seal geologic formations.
  • To contribute to the development and well-being of society through research on energy production.
  • To train the next generation of petroleum engineers with intellectual merit and potential to benefit society.
  • To enhance the economic development of the State of Louisiana through scientific research projects.
  • To provide a platform for effective and efficient collaboration among academia, industry, and State/Federal government.
  • To promote environmental stewardship regarding the development of unconventional resources and carbon storage.
  • To empower qualified women, minorities, and low-income students with an advanced education and research skills.
  • To disseminate knowledge on source and seal formations.
Some example projects underway at the SOURCE are listed below:
  1. Comparative Study of Petrophysical and Elastic Properties of Marl and Interbedded Limestone Layers within the Eagle Ford Formation 
  2. Prediction and analysis of geomechanical properties of the upper and middle Bakken Formation utilizing artificial inteligence and data mining 
  3. Developing correlations for velocity models in vertical transverse isotropic media: Bakken Formation case study
  4. Production Behavior and Decline Curve Analysis of Tuscaloosa Marine Shale Wells in Wilkinson and Amite Counties, Mississippi
  5. Characterization of Elastic Mechanical Properties of Tuscaloosa Marine Shale from Well Logs using the VTI Method
  6. The examination of fracture behavior in anisotropic rocks
  7. Heterogeneity of the Mineralogy and Organic Content of the Tuscaloosa Marine Shale
  8. Improving the Total Organic Carbon Estimation of the Eagle Ford Shale with Density Logs by Considering the Effect of Pyrite
  9. Characterization of Anisotropy in the Permeability of Organic-Rich Shales

Dr. Mehdi Mokhtari (Petroleum Engineer)
Director of the Southern Unconventional Resources Center of Excellence (SOURCE)

Home Academic Unit: Petroleum Engineering 

Email: mehdi.mokhtari@louisiana.edu

Phone: 337.482.6115

Links: UL SOURCE, Unconventionals.org