Memorial University of Newfoundland | Mining

Key facilities

Hibernia EOR Lab is the centerpiece for experimental investigating oil recovery at the core scale; Drilling Technology Laboratory

The Earth Resources Research and Analysis (TERRA) Facility provides chemical and physical analyses expertise and equipment.

Micro Analysis Facility (MAF-IIC) specializes in high-resolution imaging and in-situ microbeam chemical analysis and age dating of minerals. Develops new analytical methods and instrument components for microanalysis and provides research support

Major collaborations

Hibernia Project Geoscience Program – This project supports geophysics field-based studies for undergraduate and graduate courses, as well as student and faculty research projects for geophysical exploration.

Innovative Mining Research – In collaboration with Anaconda Mining, Memorial is conducting an R&D project to develop, prototype and optimize a new cost-effective technology for gold mining.

Hibernia Enhanced Oil Recovery – This is a multidisciplinary research program with a dedicated laboratory providing simulation support to the enhanced oil recovery (EOR) activities of the local oil and gas industry.

Researchers

Lesley James, Chevron Chair in Petroleum Engineering: Working closely with industry, Dr. James has developed an enhanced oil recovery laboratory concentrating on sustainable oil production. Her group’s goal is to maximize recovery from offshore Newfoundland and Labrador oil and gas fields through understanding the fluid-fluid and rock-fluid interactions.

John Jamieson, Canada Research Chair in Marine Geology: Dr. Jamieson has quickly become an internationally recognized expert in the formation of hydrothermal seafloor massive sulfide (SMS) deposits. With growing interest in these metal rich deposits, his research will increase the understanding of seafloor hydrothermal circulation processes and the potential for sustainable development of marine mineral resources.

Steve Piercey, Professor, Economic Geology; recipient of the W.W. Hutchison Medal and the President’s Award for Outstanding Research; former NSERC-Altius Industrial Research Chair: Internationally recognized for his rigorous and insightful research on the geological makeup and origin of Paleozoic and Precambrian volcanic terranes that host some of Canada’s most important ore deposits. He has made key contributions to the understanding of mineral endowment and its link to magmatic evolution in many different parts of the world.

Alison Malcolm, Chevron Industrial Chair in Reservoir Characterization: Employing an interdisciplinary blend of geophysics and mathematic, Dr. Malcom uses seismic data, often in non-traditional ways, to understand where fluids and fractures are in the subsurface and what fluids are present without the need to directly sample those fluids.

Special programs and work integrated learning initiatives

Faculty of Engineering & Applied Science Bachelor of Engineering (Co-operative) program is fully accredited by the Accreditation Council of the Canadian Association for Cooperative Education. Undergraduate programs in Civil, Mechanical, Electrical and Process Engineering

Department of Earth Sciences Field Schools

MASc in Oil and Gas Engineering

University-industry research partnerships