Energy Sector Innovation Brings Top Prize for Mechanical Engineer

How the technology works

The technology exploits the contrasting electrical properties of water versus hydrocarbons. When an electrical voltage is applied to a surface, it electrically attracts water toward that surface, which drives away hydrocarbons and prevents deposits. This technology also offers real-time electrical control options to respond to changing production conditions. Additionally, corrosion can be prevented by adding a thin insulating coating on the surface.

Electrical systems are already used in the oil and gas industry. Cathodic protection systems and electrostatic coalescers rely on electricity to prevent corrosion and separate oil-water mixtures respectively. The UT Austin team’s technology targets the use of electricity for much wider ranging applications to enable greener and safer hydrocarbon production.

Moving forward, Bahadur will continue his efforts to understand the more intricate details of this technology. Chris Galvin, a mechanical engineering graduate student on Bahadur’s team, is working toward a lab-scale demonstration of this technology. The team plans to mature the technology to the point where it can be field-tested by industry.