Susan Schrader - Department of Petroleum Engineering

Susan SchraderAssociate Professor
Petroleum Engineering
NRB 354
Phone: 406-496-4796
Email Susan Schrader

Biography

Her research interests include flow modeling, data analytics, accreditation and program assessment. She received her PhD in Petroleum Engineering from the New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology, her MA in Applied Mathematics from The University of New Mexico and is ABD towards a PhD in Mathematics from Montana State University.

Research Interests

  1. Numerical PDEs
  2. Low permeability flow
  3. Petroleum data analytics and machine learning
  4. Climate change and sequestration

Non-Research Academic Interests

  1. Assessment and instructional improvement
  2. Diversity in STEM fields

Career in Brief

  • Assistant Professor, Petroleum Engineering, Montana Tech, 2008-present
  • Assistant Professor, Petroleum Engineering, UTPB, 2006-2008
  • RA/Post-Doc/ Researcher, Petroleum Recovery Research Center, 2001-2006
  • Faculty, Mathematics, ENMU-R, 1996-2003

Courses Taught

Data Modeling for Petroleum Engineers, Data Science, Petroleum Computer Fundamentals Lab, Reservoir and Rock Properties Lab, Rock Properties, Reservoir Engineering, Advanced Reservoir Engineering, Fluid Mechanics, Advanced Simulation.

Selected Publications

  1. Steinberg, S., Das, B., Schaffer, S. and Weber, S.M.: “Finite Difference Methods for Modeling Porous Media Flows,” in Transport in Porous Media, v 17 (1994) p. 171-200.
  2. Balch, R. S., Ruan, T., Weiss, W. W., and Weber, S.M.: “Simulated Expert Interpretation of Regional Data to Predict Drilling Risk,” paper SPE 84067 presented at the 2003 SPE Annual Technical Conference and Exhibit, Denver, October 4-8.
  3. Balch, R. S., Ruan, T., and Schrader, S. M.: “Drilling Risk Reduction with a Fuzzy Expert Exploration Tool,” American Association of Petroleum Geologists, Southwest Section Annual Meeting, El Paso, March 8-9, 2004.
  4. Ruan, T., Balch, R.S., and Schrader, S.M.: “The Fuzzy Expert Exploration Tool,” Sixth IASTED International Conference on Intelligent Systems and Control, Honolulu, August 23-25, 2004.
  5. Schrader, S.M.: “A New Method of Recoverable Reserves Estimation Using an Expert System,” presented at the 2004 SPE Annual Technical Conference International Student Paper Contest, Houston, September 26.
  6. Schrader, S.M., Balch, R.S., and Bunnell, D.: “Where Will The Next Generation of Petroleum Engineers Come From? Disturbing Observations from a Texas Oil Town.” presented at the 2007 SPE Annual Technical Conference and Exhibit, Anaheim, November 11-14.
  7. Schrader, S.M., Balch, R.S., and Ruan, T.: Understanding Neural Networks and their Applications in Petroleum Engineering.” presented at the 2008 Southwestern Petroleum Short Course, Lubbock, April 23-24.
  8. Schrader, S.M., Balch, R.S., and Ruan, T.: The Fuzzy Expert Exploration Tool for the Delaware Basin, Development, Testing and Application, in Expert Systems with Applications, 2008, doi:10.1016/j.eswa.2008.08.004   
  9. Schrader, S.M, and Isaiah, J.O.:” Performing Reservoir Simulation with Neural Network Enhanced Data.” presented at the 2012 SPE Digital Energy Conference and Exhibition, Houston, March 5-7.
  10. Schrader, S.M., Danielson, C., and Borglum, S, “Investigating the Connections Between Oil and Gas Industry Affiliation and Climate Change Concerns”, in Drake, J., Kontar, Y., and Rife, G.: New Trends in Earth-Science Outreach and Engagement, Springer, 2014.
  11. Richards, S., Schrader, S.M., Schrader, R., and Ereaux, B., “Improved Methods of Measuring Proppant Conductivity.” presented at the 2019 SPE Western Regional Meeting, San Jose, April 23-26.
  12. Schrader, S.M., “An Extended Model for Fluid Flow in Low Permeability Media”, presented at the 2021 InterPore conference, Berlin, May 21-June 4.

Personal Interests

My outside interest include spending time with family, violin, weight training and skiing.