Harold Vance Department of Petroleum Engineering
Faculty Information

Gioia Falcone
Gioia Falcone

Assistant Professor of Petroleum Engineering
Holder of the Chevron Faculty Fellowship in Petroleum Engineering

401 J Richardson Building
College Station, TX 77843-3116
Phone: (979) 847-8912
e-mail: gioia.falcone@pe.tamu.edu


Gioia Falcone joined the faculty in 2006 as an Assistant Professor. She holds a “Laurea Cum Laude” in Environmental-Petroleum Engineering from the University “La Sapienza” of Rome, an M.Sc. degree in Petroleum Engineering from Imperial College London and a Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from Imperial College London. Prior to joining Texas A&M, she worked with ENI-Agip, Enterprise Oil UK, Shell E&P UK and TOTAL E&P UK, covering both offshore and onshore assignments.  She has served on the SPE ATCE Technical Programme Committee and, on several occasions, on the SPE ATCE Well Operations Subcommittee. She is a Technical Editor for the SPE Projects, Facilities & Construction Journal, a Member of the SPE R&D Technical Section and a Member of the Editorial Advisory Board for Scientific Journals International.


Education
  • Ph.D., Chemical Engineering, Imperial College, London, 2006
  • M.Sc., DIC, Petroleum Engineering, Imperial College, London, 1999
Areas of Specialization
  • Well Performance and Production Optimization
  • Production Allocation and Metering
  • Multiphase Flow Modeling
  • Liquid Unloading in Gas Wells
  • Dynamic Link Reservoir/Wellbore
  • Geothermal Systems
Patents, Awards, and Honors
  • 2008: Appointed as the inaugural holder of the Chevron Faculty Fellowship.
  • 2006-2008: SPE Technical Editor for the "Projects, Facilities and Construction Journal". Reviewer for "Nuclear Engineering and Design Journal". Member of the Editorial Advisory Board for Scientific Journals International. Referee for the 13th International Conference on Multiphase Production Technology. Membership Chairperson for the SPE R&D Technical Section. Member of the Multiphase Measurement Roundtable Advisory Board. Member of Petroleum Engineering Undergraduate Curriculum Committee, Texas A&M University.
  • Nov 2005: US Patent Application no. 10/558,612 relating to "Multiphase Flowmeter". Inventors: G.F. Hewitt and G. Falcone.
  • December 2004: Publication of International (PCT) Patent Application relating to "Multiphase Flowmeter". International Publication Number WO2004/106861. Inventors: G.F. Hewitt and G. Falcone
  • 2003-2005: Chairperson of the 2005 SPE ATCE Technical Subcommittee for Well Operations. Chairperson of the Production Management session at the 2004 SPE ATCE. Member of the 2003 & 2004 SPE ATCE Technical Subcommittee for Well Operations
  • 2000-2005: Financial support from Enterprise Oil, Shell and Total for the PhD (part-time until Sep 2004, full-time Oct 2004-Nov 2005).
  • 1998-99: Scholarship from ENI-Agip Spa for the M.Sc. course at Imperial College.
  • 1994-97: Three annual Scholarships from ENI-Agip (National Competition "Professione petrolio").
  • 1991: Literary prize "Unione italiana lettori", Rome, Italy.
Technical Publications

Books (Author and Contributor)

  1. Falcone, G., Hewitt, G.F., Alimonti, C., Multiphase Flow Metering: principles and applications, Elsevier, Textbook for the Developments of Petroleum Science series. Expected Release Date: Oct 2008. www.elsevier.com/wps/product/cws_home/714238
  2. Falcone, G., Alimonti, C., Hewitt, G.F., Harrison, B., Multiphase Flow Metering: Current Trends and Future Developments, Offshore Multiphase Production Operations, SPE Reprint Series No. 58, Vol. 2, Part IV, Dec 2004.

Journal Publications

  1. (UNDER REVIEW) Falcone, G., Teodoriu C., Oil and Gas expertise for Geothermal Exploitation: the Need for Technology Transfer, (original SPE 113852), submitted in March 2008 for publication in the SPE Journal.
  2. (UNDER REVIEW) Falcone, G., Teodoriu, C., Reinicke, K.M., Bello, O.O., Multiphase Flow Modelling Based on Experimental Testing: A Comprehensive Overview of Research Facilities Worldwide and the Need for Future Developments, (original SPE 110116) submitted in March 2008 for publication in the SPE Projects, Facilities & Construction Journal.
  3. (UNDER REVIEW) Falcone, G., Alimonti, C., Challenges of Multiphase Flow Metering: Today and Beyond, submitted to the ASME Journal of Energy Resources Technology in September 2007.
  4. (UNDER REVIEW) Costantini, A., Falcone, G., Hewitt, G.F., Alimonti, C., Using Transient Inflow Performance Relationships to Model the Dynamic Interaction Between Reservoir and Wellbore During Pressure Testing, approved by Associate Editor in February 2008 for publication in the ASME Journal of Energy Resources Technology.
  5. Teodoriu, C., Falcone, G., Increasing Geothermal Energy Demand: the Need for Urbanization of the Drilling Industry, accepted in December 2007 for publication in the Bulletin of Science, Technology & Society.
  6. Al-Darmaki, S., Falcone, G., Hale, C.P., Hewitt, G.F., Experimental Investigation and Modeling of the Effects of Rising Gas Bubbles in a Closed Pipe, (original SPE 10312) revised manuscript accepted in November 2007 for publication in the SPE Journal.
  7. Falcone, G., Harrison, B., Teodoriu, C., Can We Be More Efficient in Oil and Gas Exploitation? A Review of the Shortcomings of Recovery Factor and the Need for an Open Worldwide Production Database, Journal of Physical and Natural Sciences, Vol. 1, Issue 2, 2007.
  8. Alimonti, C., Falcone, G., Integration of Multiphase Flow Metering, Artificial Neural Networks and Fuzzy Logic in Field Performance Monitoring, SPE Production & Facilities, Feb 2004, 25-32.
  9. Falcone, G., Alimonti, C., Hewitt, G.F., Harrison, B., Multiphase Flow Metering: Current Trends and Future Developments, Distinguished Author Series, JPT, Apr 2002, 77-84.
  10. Falcone, G., Harrison, G., Model predicts more accurate PI over a field's life, Oil & Gas Journal, 19 Mar 2001, 41-45.

Refereed Conference Publications

  1. Falcone, G., Teodoriu C., Solomon, F., The Need to Understand the Dynamic Interaction Between Wellbore and Reservoir in Liquid Loaded Gas Wells, to be presented at the 27th International Conference on Offshore Mechanics and Arctic Engineering (OMAE 2008), Estoril, Portugal, 15-20 June 2008.
  2. Teodoriu C., Falcone, G., Investigation of Drilling Problems in Gas Hydrate Formations, to be presented at the 27th International Conference on Offshore Mechanics and Arctic Engineering (OMAE 2008), Estoril, Portugal, 15-20 June 2008.
  3. Teodoriu, C., Falcone, G., Espinel, A., Letting Off Steam and Getting Into Hot Water – Harnessing the Geothermal Energy Potential of Heavy Oil Reservoirs, 20th World Energy Congress - Rome 2007, Rome, Italy, 11-15 Nov 2007.
  4. Costantini, A., Falcone, G., Hewitt, G.F., Alimonti, C., Using Transient Inflow Performance Relationships to Model the Dynamic Interaction Between Reservoir and Wellbore During Pressure Testing, 26th International Conference on Offshore Mechanics and Arctic Engineering (OMAE 2007), San Diego, California, 10-15 Jun 2007.
  5. Falcone, G., Alimonti, C., Challenges of Multiphase Flow Metering: Today and Beyond, 26th International Conference on Offshore Mechanics and Arctic Engineering (OMAE 2007), San Diego, California, 10-15 Jun 2007.
  6. Bello, O.O., Falcone, G., Teodoriu, C., Experimental Validation of Multiphase Flow Models and Testing of Multiphase Flow Meters: a Critical Review of Flow Loops Worldwide, Multiphase Flow 2007, 4th International Conference on Computational and Experimental Methods in Multiphase and Complex Flow, Bologna, Italy, 12-14 Jun 2007 (ISSN 1743-3533, ISBN: 978-184564-079-8).
  7. Alimonti, C., Falcone, G., Improving Multiphase Flow Metering Performance Using Artificial Intelligence Algorithms, Proceedings of the 2nd International Symposium on Two¬-Phase Modelling and Experimentation, Pisa, Italy, 22¬-24 Sep 2004. v. II-811 (ISBN: 88-467-1075-4).
  8. Alimonti, C., Bilardo, U., Falcone, G., Experimental characterisation of gas-¬liquid flows through an angle valve, Proceedings of the 8th International Conference Multiphase Flow in Industrial Plants, ANIMP, Alba, Cuneo, Italy, 18-20 Sep 2002.
  9. Alimonti, C., Bilardo, U., Falcone, G., Checking the Ashford¬-Pierce model through a field data base, Proceedings of the Offshore Mediterranean Conference, Ravenna, Italy, 19-21 Mar 1999, pp.1245¬-1248.

Other Conference Publications

  1. Falcone, G., Teodoriu C., Oil and Gas expertise for Geothermal Exploitation: the Need for Technology Transfer, SPE 113852, to be presented at the EAGE/SPE EUROPEC Conference, Rome, 9-12 June 2008.
  2. Teodoriu C., Falcone, G., Labyrinth Packer Lowers the Costs for Steam Injections Wells: Theoretical and Experimental Results, SPE 110454, to be presented at the 2008 SPE Improved Oil Recovery Symposium, Tulsa, Oklahoma, 21-23 April 2008.
  3. Teodoriu C., Falcone, G., Fatigue Life Prediction of Buttress Casing Connection Exposed to Large Temperature Variations, to be presented at the 33rd Stanford Workshop on Geothermal Reservoir Engineering, Stanford University, California, 28-30 January 2008.
  4. Teodoriu C., Falcone, G., Comparison of Well Completions used in Oil/Gas Wells and Geothermal Wells: a New Approach to Technology Transfer, to be presented at the 33rd Stanford Workshop on Geothermal Reservoir Engineering, Stanford University, California, 28-30 January 2008.
  5. Falcone, G., Teodoriu, C., Reinicke, K.M., Bello, O.O., Multiphase Flow Modelling Based on Experimental Testing: A Comprehensive Overview of Research Facilities Worldwide and the Need for Future Developments, SPE 110116, 2007 SPE Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition, Anaheim, California, U.S.A., 11–14 November 2007.
  6. Teodoriu C., Falcone, G., Low cost completion for steam injections wells: theoretical and experimental results, SPE Romanian Conference “150 Years of the Romanian Petroleum Industry: Tradition and Challenges”, Bucharest, Romania, 14-17 October 2007.
  7. Teodoriu, C., Falcone, G., Urbanization of the drilling industry: the next generation of drilling facilities, International Conference for Sustainable Urbanism, College Station, Texas, 1-3 April 2007.
  8. Al-Darmaki, S., Falcone, G., Hale, C.P., Hewitt, G.F., Experimental Investigation and Modeling of the Effects of Rising Gas Bubbles in a Closed Pipe, SPE 103129, SPE Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition held in San Antonio, Texas, 24-27 Sep 2006.
  9. Falcone, G., Alimonti, C.,Critical Review of Wet Gas Definitions, 24th North Sea Flow Measurement Workshop, St. Andrews, Scotland, 24-27 October 2006.
  10. Ali, A.M., Falcone, G., Hewitt, G.F., Bozorgzadeh, M., Gringarten, A.C., Experimental Investigation of Wellbore Phase Redistribution Effect on Pressure Transient Data, SPE 96587, SPE Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition, Dallas, Texas, 9¬-12 Oct 2005.
  11. Falcone, G., Alimonti, C., Hewitt, G.F., Harrison, B., Multiphase flow metering: 4 years on, 23rd North Sea Flow Measurement Workshop, Tonsberg, Norway, 18-¬21 Oct 2005.
  12. Falcone, G., Gosselin, O., Maire, F., Marrauld, J., Zhakupov, M., Petro¬Elastic Modelling as a Key Element in 4D History Matching – A Field Example, SPE 90466, SPE Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition held in Houston, Texas, 27-¬29 Sep 2004.
  13. Falcone, G., Maire, F., Gosselin, O., Brechet, E., Marrauld, J., Caie, D., Impact of Petro-¬Elastic Modelling and Cut ¬Offs on the Integration of Quantitative 4D Seismic into Reservoir Modelling”, EAGE 66th Conference and Exhibition, Paris, France, 7¬-11 Jun 2004.
  14. Falcone, G., Hewitt, G.F., Lao, L., Richardson, S.M., ANUMET: A Novel Wet Gas Flowmeter, SPE 84504, SPE Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition, Denver, Colorado, 5¬-8 Oct 2003.
  15. Alimonti, C., Falcone, G., Knowledge Discovery in Databases and Multiphase Flow Metering: the integration of statistics, data mining, neural networks, fuzzy logic and ad ¬hoc flow measurements towards well monitoring and diagnosis, SPE 77407, SPE Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition, San Antonio, Texas, 24-27 Sep 2002.
  16. Falcone, G., Alimonti, C., Hewitt, G.F., Harrison, B., Multiphase Flow Metering: Current Trends and Future Developments, SPE 71474, SPE Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition, New Orleans, Louisiana, 30 September¬ - 3 Oct 2001.

Recent Conference Abstracts & Invited Speaker Contributions

  1. Teodoriu, C., Falcone, G., Reinicke, K.M, Popa, A., Teleteaching: between High-Tech and Low-Cost resources, 4th Teaching with Technology Conference, College Station, Texas,13 February 2008.
  2. Falcone, G., Exploiting geothermal energy beneath our cities: the need to urbanise the drilling industry, Invited Speaker, Sustainable Energy Conference, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, 3 September 2007.
  3. Falcone, G., The Challenges of Multiphase Flow Metering’, Graduate Seminar, Dept. of Petroleum Engineering, TU Delft, 12 July 2007.
  4. Teodoriu, C., Falcone, G., Urbanization of the drilling industry: the next generation of drilling facilities, J.L. “Corky” Frank ’58 Graduate Seminar Series, Texas A&M University, 10 Apr 2007.
  5. Falcone, G., Multiphase Flow Metering, Recovery Factor and the Need for an Open Worldwide Production Database, MUR-South America, Rio de Janeiro, 12-14 March 2007.
  6. Falcone, G., Seafloor Metering: the Need for Dedicated Research and Test Facilities, presented as Chairperson of the Discussion Session on Seafloor Metering, RPSEA Seafloor Technologies Forum, College Station, Texas, 9 March 2007.
  7. Teodoriu, C., Falcone, G., How Real Time Monitoring Technology Will Change the Future of Laboratory Classes, 3rd Teaching with Technology Conference, College Station, Texas, 14 Feb 2007.
  8. Teodoriu, C., Falcone, G., The Future of Laboratory Classes: Virtual and Remote Controlled Experiments Using Real-Time Monitoring and Web-Integrated Approaches, J.L. “Corky” Frank ’58 Graduate Seminar Series, Texas A&M University, 13 Feb 2007.
  9. Falcone, G., What Can Multiphase Flow Metering Really Do?, Keynote Speaker, Multiphase Measurement Roundtable, Houston, Texas, 3 May 2006.

 

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