Research interests

Dr. Johny Mouallem’s research focuses on sustainable subsurface energy technologies, with particular emphasis on carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS), CO₂ sequestration in geological formations, and CO₂–rock–fluid interactions. His research interests include experimental and numerical investigation of CO₂ storage in carbonate reservoirs, reactive transport, mineral and capillary trapping, reservoir characterization, petrophysics, enhanced oil recovery, and reservoir simulation. His work combines laboratory-based core-flooding experiments with advanced characterization techniques and computational modeling to better understand the long-term behavior, storage capacity, and safety of geological CO₂ sequestration. He is also interested in applying artificial intelligence and data-driven approaches to subsurface energy and reservoir engineering problems, with the broader goal of developing sustainable solutions for energy transition and carbon management. A further area of research interest is the utilization of CO₂ for enhanced oil recovery (CO₂-EOR) as a pathway that combines hydrocarbon recovery with carbon management. His research examines the mechanisms governing CO₂ injection and oil displacement, including miscible and immiscible flooding, CO₂–oil–brine interactions, phase behavior, relative permeability, reservoir heterogeneity, and residual CO₂ trapping. Particular interest is placed on optimizing CO₂-EOR strategies to improve hydrocarbon recovery while maximizing the storage and retention of CO₂ within the reservoir, contributing to the development of more sustainable and economically viable CCUS solutions. Dr. Johny’s research interests include but are not limited to:

1. CO₂/H₂ Sequestration
2. Rock-Fluid Interactions
3. Machine Learning applications in Reservoir Engineering
4. Geochemical Reactions/ Reactive Transport
5. CO₂ Utilization in Enhanced Oil Recovery

Selected Publications

Journal publications:

1. J. Mouallem, M. Arif, A. Raza, G. Glatz, M.M. Rahman, M. Mahmoud, S. Iglauer (2024). Critical review and meta-analysis of the interfacial tension of CO₂-brine and H₂-brine systems: Implications for CO₂ and H₂ geo-storage, Fuel 356, 129575.
2. J. Mouallem, A. Raza, G. Glatz, M. Mahmoud, M. Arif (2023). Estimation of CO₂-Brine Interfacial Tension using Machine Learning: Implications for CO₂ geo-storage, Journal of Molecular Liquids, 123672.
3. J. Mouallem, M. Arif, A. Isah, A. Raza, M. Motiur Rahman, M. Mahmoud, M. Shahzad Kamal (2024). Effect of formation brine on interfacial interaction: Implications for CO₂ storage. Fuel 371, 131986.
4. J. Mouallem, A. Raza, M. Mahmoud, J. Mouallem, M. Arif, Impact of petrophysical properties on CO₂ residual trapping in limestone formations, Fuel 396 (2025) 135327.
5. J. Mouallem, R. Abdrabalnabi, A. Raza, M. Mahmoud, A. Isah, M. Arif (2025). Experimental investigation of CO₂ residual trapping in naturally water-wet and artificially tailored oil-wet limestones: Implications for geological CO₂ storage, Advances in Geo energy Research.

Conference Articles:

1. J. Mouallem, M. Arif, M. Mahmoud (2023). Numerical Simulation of CO₂ Mineral Trapping Potential of Carbonate Rocks, in GOTECH, DUBAI, UAE.
2. J. Mouallem, A. Fathy, M. Arif, M. Mahmoud (2023). CO₂ Mineral Trapping Potential of Carbonates: A Numerical Investigation, in Middle East Oil, Gas and Geosciences Show (MEOS), Manama, Bahrain.
3. J. Mouallem, M. Arif, A. Raza, M. Mahmoud (2024). Comparative Study of CO₂ Mineral Trapping: A Numerical Investigation, in International Petroleum Technology Conference (IPTC), Dammam, KSA.
4.  J. Mouallem, M. Arif, M. Motiur, A. Raza, A. Isah, M. Mahmoud and M. Kamal (2024). Experimental Investigation of the effect of Interfacial Tension on CO₂ geo-storage efficiency in Carbonate Saline Aquifers, ADIPEC, Abu Dhabi, UAE.
5.  J. Mouallem, M. Arif, M. Motiur, A. Raza and M. Mahmoud (2025). Physicochemical Interactions of Carbonates/Brine/CO₂ and their Impact on Residual Trapping: Application for CO₂ Geo-Storage, CCUS SPE conference, Houston, Texas.

Academic degrees

​Ph.D., Petroleum Engineering, Khalifa University, UAE, 2025
M.S., Petroleum Engineering, Herio-Watt University, UK, 2018
B.E., Chemical and Petrochemical Engineering, Lebanese University, 2017

Membership

Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE)