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Cevat O Karacan

Dr. C. Özgen Karacan is a Research Petroleum Engineer with the USGS Geology, Energy & Minerals (GEM) Science Center in Reston, VA.

Dr. Karacan conducts research related to CO2-EOR, CO2 sequestration, reservoir engineering of petroleum system, and coal mine and abandoned mine methane resources. Before joining the USGS, Dr. Karacan worked for the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health’s (NIOSH) Pittsburgh Mining Research Division for 13 years, where he managed research projects related to ventilation, and sources of gob gas and its control in coal mines.

Dr. Karacan is one of the Editors of International Journal of Coal Geology, and a Bureau member and vice chair of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe’s (UNECE) Group of Experts on Coal Mine Methane. He holds associate professor of petroleum engineering accreditation in Turkey and an adjunct professor position at China University of Geosciences in Beijing (CUGB). Dr. Karacan won NIOSH Alice Hamilton Award in 2013 and 2016.

Dr. Karacan received his B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. degrees in petroleum and natural gas engineering from Middle East Technical University, in Ankara, Turkey and worked for the Pennsylvania State University between 1998 and 2003 as a research associate.

Education

  • Ph.D. Petroleum and Natural Gas Engineering, Middle East Technical University, Ankara, Turkey, 1998
  • M.S. Petroleum and Natural Gas Engineering, Middle East Technical University, Ankara, Turkey, 1993
  • B.S. Petroleum and Natural Gas Engineering, Middle East Technical University, Ankara, Turkey, 1991

Work Experience

  • 2017-present: USGS, Eastern Energy Resources Science Center, Reston VA 
  • 2003-2017: CDC/NIOSH, Pittsburgh Mining Research Division, Pittsburgh PA 
  • 1998-2003: The Pennsylvania State University, University Park PA
  • 1991-1998: Middle East Technical University, Ankara, Turkey

Science and Products

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Abandoned Mines Assessing Emissions Task 1 Representation Thumb

Assessing Emissions from Active and Abandoned Coal Mines

The gas emission zone liberates and accumulates significant amounts of coal mine methane as a by-product of active mining. In most active mines, coal mine methane is controlled by wellbores, called gob gas ventholes. Despite the presence of these wellbores, it is not possible to capture all of the methane generated within the gas emission zone. As a consequence, a large amount of gas migrates into...
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Energy Resources Program, Geology, Energy & Minerals Science Center
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Assessing Emissions from Active and Abandoned Coal Mines

The gas emission zone liberates and accumulates significant amounts of coal mine methane as a by-product of active mining. In most active mines, coal mine methane is controlled by wellbores, called gob gas ventholes. Despite the presence of these wellbores, it is not possible to capture all of the methane generated within the gas emission zone. As a consequence, a large amount of gas migrates into...
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Results from surveys to academic and industry and government geoscientists on the future of coal geoscientists

At recent technical conferences, many coal geoscientists in academia and government institutions as well as in industry organizations have expressed concern about the dwindling number of students and young staff members interested in careers in coal geoscience. To better understand what is driving these trends and to identify potential ways that the community can increase interest and participatio
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Energy Resources Program, Geology, Energy & Minerals Science Center
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Filter Total Items: 22

Stochastic reservoir simulation for the modeling of uncertainty in coal seam degasification

Coal seam degasification improves coal mine safety by reducing the gas content of coal seams and also by generating added value as an energy source. Coal seam reservoir simulation is one of the most effective ways to help with these two main objectives. As in all modeling and simulation studies, how the reservoir is defined and whether observed productions can be predicted are important considerat
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Energy Resources Program, Geology, Energy & Minerals Science Center

Time-lapse analysis of methane quantity in Mary Lee group of coal seams using filter-based multiple-point geostatistical simulation

Coal seam degasification and its success are important for controlling methane, and thus for the health and safety of coal miners. During the course of degasification, properties of coal seams change. Thus, the changes in coal reservoir conditions and in-place gas content as well as methane emission potential into mines should be evaluated by examining time-dependent changes and the presence of ma
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Energy Resources Program, Geology, Energy & Minerals Science Center

Sequential Gaussian co-simulation of rate decline parameters of longwall gob gas ventholes

Gob gas ventholes (GGVs) are used to control methane inflows into a longwall mining operation by capturing the gas within the overlying fractured strata before it enters the work environment. Using geostatistical co-simulation techniques, this paper maps the parameters of their rate decline behaviors across the study area, a longwall mine in the Northern Appalachian basin. Geostatistical gas-in-pl
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Energy Resources Program, Geology, Energy & Minerals Science Center

Geostatistical modeling of the gas emission zone and its in-place gas content for Pittsburgh-seam mines using sequential Gaussian simulation

Determination of the size of the gas emission zone, the locations of gas sources within, and especially the amount of gas retained in those zones is one of the most important steps for designing a successful methane control strategy and an efficient ventilation system in longwall coal mining. The formation of the gas emission zone and the potential amount of gas-in-place (GIP) that might be availa
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Energy Resources Program, Geology, Energy & Minerals Science Center

Zone identification and oil saturation prediction in a waterflooded field: Residual oil zone, East Seminole Field, Texas, Permian Basin

Recently, the miscible CO2-EOR tertiary process used in the main pay zone (MP) of suitable reservoirs has broadened to include exploitation of the underlying residual oil zone (ROZ) where a significant amount of oil may remain. The objective of this study is to identify the ROZ and to assess the remaining oil in a brownfield ROZ by using core data and conventional well logs with probabilistic and
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Energy Resources Program, Geology, Energy & Minerals Science Center

Carbon dioxide enhanced oil recovery and residual oil zone studies at the U.S. Geological Survey

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is preparing a national resource assessment of the potential hydrocarbons recoverable after injection of carbon dioxide (CO2) into conventional oil reservoirs in the United States. The implementation of CO2-enhanced oil recovery (CO2-EOR) techniques can increase hydrocarbon production, and lead to incidental retention of CO2 in reservoir pore space allowing long-t
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Energy Resources Program, Geology, Energy & Minerals Science Center

Assessment of coal mine methane (CMM) and abandoned mine methane (AMM) resource potential of longwall mine panels: example from Northern Appalachian Basin, USA

"Coal mine methane (CMM) and abandoned mine methane (AMM), are by-products of underground coal mining. The quantity and the emission rate of CMM and AMM may vary depending on the type of mine, gas content of the mined coal seam, and gas sourced from strata and coal beds in overlying and underlying formations affected by mining. Therefore, if a mine has the potential of accumulating gas after being
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Energy Resources Program, Geology, Energy & Minerals Science Center

Insights from Rock-Eval analysis on the influence of sample weight on hydrocarbon generation from Lower Permian organic-matter rich rocks, West Bokaro basin, India

Among the different Rock-Eval parameters, the hydrocarbons released under S2 peak of Rock-Eval is of significance as it indicates the residual hydrocarbon content of the rock. Further, through its relationship with TOC content, it helps in calculating hydrogen indices (HI) which helps in understanding the type of organic-matter present in a rock [HI= (S2/TOC)*100]. The present study documents the
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Energy Resources Program, Geology, Energy & Minerals Science Center

An ANCOVA model for porosity and its uncertainty for oil reservoirs based on TORIS dataset

Porosity is one of the most important parameters to assess in-place oil or gas in reservoirs, and to evaluate recovery from enhanced production operations. Since it is relatively well-established to determine porosity using different laboratory and field methods, its value is usually determined at many locations across a reservoir as part of the common practice to capture reservoir heterogeneity a
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Energy Resources Program, Geology, Energy & Minerals Science Center

Petrology and geochemistry of migrated hydrocarbons associated with the Albert Formation oil shale in New Brunswick, Canada

Samples of the Carboniferous oil shale of the Albert Formation in New Brunswick, Canada, were examined using reflected white and fluorescence light microscopy, Rock-Eval pyrolysis, and ICP-MS (for elements). The presence of fractured filled solid bitumen in contact with, and within the Albert Formation oil shale, particularly in fractures at the right angle to the bedding of oil shale indicated th
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Energy Resources Program, Geology, Energy & Minerals Science Center

A fuzzy logic approach for estimating recovery factors of miscible CO2-EOR projects in the United States

"Recovery factor (RF) is one of the most fundamental parameters that define engineering and economical success of any operational phase in oil and gas production. The effectiveness of the operation, e.g. CO2-EOR (enhanced oil recovery with carbon dioxide injection), is usually defined by multiplying the resultant recovery factor by the original oil in place. Moreover, investment decisions for such
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Energy Resources Program, Geology, Energy & Minerals Science Center

A probabilistic assessment methodology for carbon dioxide enhanced oil recovery and associated carbon dioxide retention

The U.S. Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 authorized the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) to conduct a national assessment of the potential volume of hydrocarbons recoverable by injection of carbon dioxide (CO2) into known oil reservoirs with historical production. The implementation of CO2 enhanced oil recovery (CO2-EOR) techniques could increase the U.S. recoverable hydrocarbon resource
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Energy Resources Program, Geology, Energy & Minerals Science Center

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