The University of Texas Permian Basin
|
Back to Directory
Prasad Pothana

Prasad Pothana

Postdoctoral Research Fellow
College of Engineering and Sciences
Department of Geosciences
Email
pothana_p@utpb.edu
Office
Geosciences 110
Campus Map

Prasad Pothana is a Postdoctoral Fellow in Geosciences at the University of Texas PermianBasin, currently working on petrophysics and geological modeling with Geoscience facultyas part of the Permian Regional Carbon Sequestration Hub project. This feasibility study isevaluating the potential to develop a CO₂ storage hub for the Southern Delaware Basin(Ward, Winkler, Reeves, and Loving Counties, Texas), targeting Ordovician–Devonianformations with an estimated capacity of 75 million metric tons of CO₂.His broader research focuses on geomechanics, rock physics, and subsurface processesrelated to geological CO₂ storage, hydrocarbon reservoirs, and sustainable energyapplications. He combines experimental techniques with numerical methods such asdiscrete element modeling and physics-integrated machine learning to study rockproperties and fluid flow in the subsurface.Before joining UTPB, Pothana worked as a Research Associate at the University of NorthDakota in both petroleum engineering and UAS research projects funded by federalagencies. He also brings professional experience as a petrophysicist and geophysicist withthe Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) in India, where he specialized in well logging,formation evaluation, and geomechanical analysis.

Research Interests

  • Petrophysics and Well Logging, Rock Physics, Experimental Rock Mechanics, Reservoir Geomechanics, Machine learning Applications in Geoscience, Discrete-element modeling, UAS Risk Assessment and UAS applications in Geoscience

Journal Articles

  • Pothana, P., Ling, K. Schultz, R. (2025). Rock physics and petrophysical evaluation of diagenetic effects in the Broom Creek CO2 sequestration site. Geoenergy Science and Engineering, 214229.
  • Ramaseri-Chandra, A.N., Reza, H., Pothana, P. (2025). Exploring the Feasibility of Head-Tracking Data for Cybersickness Prediction in Virtual Reality. Electronics, 14(3), 502.
  • Pothana, P., Snyder, P., Vidhyadharan, S., Ullrich, M., Thornby, J. (2025). Air Traffic Trends and UAV Safety: Leveraging ADS-B Data for Predictive Risk Mitigation. Aerospace, 12(4), 284.
  • Pothana, P., Ling, K. (2025). Physics-integrated neural networks for improved mineral volumes and porosity estimation from geophysical well logs. Energy Geoscience, 6(2), 100410.
  • Ifrene, G., Schultz, R., Pothana, P., Nagel, N., Singh, K., Egenhoff, S. (2025). Triaxial Analysis of Mechanical Properties in Additively Manufactured Layered Material. Polymer Engineering & Science (In Press).
  • Ifrene, G., Singh, K., Schultz, R.A., Pothana, P., Nagel, N., Egenhoff, S. (2025). DNS Simulations of Inertial Flow Phenomena in 3D Intersecting Rough Fractures. Advances in Water Resources, 105093.
  • Pothana, P., Garcia, F.E., Ling, K. (2024). Effective Elastic Properties and Micro-mechanical Damage Evolution of Composite Granular Rocks: Insights from PDEM. Rock Mechanics and Rock Engineering, 57(9), 6567–6611.
  • Gokapai, V., Pothana, P., Ling, K. (2024). Nanoparticles in Drilling Fluids: A Review of Types, Mechanisms, Applications, and Future Prospects. Eng, 5(4), 2462–2495.
  • Pothana, P., Rasouli, V., Ling, K. (2024). Polyaxial Stress-Dependent Tensorial Permeability Variations of a Columnar Jointed Rock Mass: Insights from 3D DEM. Indian Geotechnical Journal, 1–18.
  • Pothana, P., Ifrene, G., Ling, K. (2024). Integrated Petrophysical Evaluation and Rock Physics Modeling of Broom Creek Deep Saline Aquifer for Geological CO₂ Storage. Fuels, 5(1), 53–74.
  • Pothana, P., Ifrene, G., Ling, K. (2023). Stress-Dependent Petrophysical Properties of the Bakken Unconventional Petroleum System. Fuels, 4(4), 397–416.
  • Ifrene, G., Irofti, D., Ni, R., Egenhoff, S., Pothana, P. (2023). New Insights into Fracture Porosity Estimations Using Machine Learning and Advanced Logging Tools. Fuels, 4(3), 333–353.
  • Chandrasekhar, E., Pothana, P., Gurijala, V.G. (2013). Geomagnetic jerks: A study using complex wavelets. In Wavelets and Fractals in Earth System Sciences, CRC Press.

Conference Papers (full-length)

  • Pothana, P., Ling, K., Garcia, F.E. (2024). Deformation and Damage Evolution Characteristics in Laminated Rocks Using DEM. ARMA 58th U.S. Rock Mechanics/Geomechanics Symposium, Golden, CO (D022S022R009).
  • Ifrene, G., Pothana, P., Egenhoff, S., Nagel, N., Hickey, J. (2024). Investigating Mechanical and Acoustic Properties of 3D Printed Materials. ARMA 58th, Golden, CO (D042S060R010).
  • Ullrich, M., Pothana, P., Thornby, J., Snyder, P., Vidhyadharan, S. (2024). Determining the Saturation Point for UAV Operations in Airport Environments: A Probabilistic Approach. IEEE ICNS, Herndon, VA.
  • Pothana, P., Ifrene, G., Ling, K., Garcia, F.E. (2023). Investigating Grain Size Influence on Stress-Dependent Permeability Using PDEM. ARMA 57th, Atlanta, GA (ARMA-2023-0827).
  • Pothana, P., Gokapai, V., Ifrene, G., Ling, K. (2023). Effect of Binding Material on Acoustic/Elastic/Strength Properties of Artificial Granular Rocks. ARMA 57th, Atlanta, GA (ARMA-2023-0560).
  • Ifrene, G.E.H., Pothana, P., Egenhoff, S., Nagel, N., Li, B. (2023). High-Resolution Fluid Flow Simulation in X-Crossing Rough Fractures. ARMA 57th, Atlanta, GA (ARMA-2023-0333).
  • Ifrene, G.E.H., Irofti, D., Khouissat, A., Pothana, P., Aihar, A., Li, B. (2023). Fracture Roughness Characterization from 360° Unrolled Core Images. ARMA 57th, Atlanta, GA (ARMA-2023-0511).
  • Pothana, P., Joy, J., Snyder, P., Vidhyadharan, S. (2023). UAS Air-Risk Assessment in and Around Airports. IEEE ICNS, 1–11, Herndon, VA.
  • Pothana, P., Soma, C., Avadhani, V.L.N., Deo, P. (2020). Prediction of Reservoir Parameters Using Support Vector Machines. 5th CEWELL Symposium, Mumbai, India.
  • Avadhani, V., Pothana, P., Kushwaha, S., Haldia, B., Solomon, R., Deo, P. (2020). Micro Depositional Environment and Reservoir Delineation… 13th SPG Biennial Conference, Kochi, India.

Extended Abstracts

  • Pothana, P., Garcia, F.E., Ling, K. (2024). Effect of Grain Contact Elastic Properties on Compliance Behavior of Unconsolidated Sandstones (DEM). IMAGE ’24 (SEG/AAPG), Houston, TX.
  • Pothana, P., Garcia, F.E., Ling, K. (2024). Effective Elastic Properties of Composite Granular Rocks Using PDEM. SEG/SPE/SPWLA Workshop, Norman, OK.
  • Pothana, P., Thornby, J., Ullrich, M., Vidhyadharan, S., Snyder, P. (2023). UAS Risk Analysis in and Around Airports. UAS Summit & Expo, Grand Forks, ND.
  • Hagberg, J., Pothana, P., Ramchandra, A., Snyder, P., Nair, S. (2023). Acoustic Detection of UAS with Edge Analytics. UAS Summit & Expo, Grand Forks, ND.

Presentations (selected)

  • Effect of Grain-Contact Elastic Properties in Unconsolidated Sandstones (DEM), IMAGE ’24, Houston, 2024.
  • Deformation and Damage in Laminated Rocks (DEM), ARMA 58th, Golden, CO, 2024.
  • Effective Elastic Properties of Composite Granular Rocks (PDEM), SEG/SPE/SPWLA Workshop, Norman, OK, 2024.
  • Investigating Grain-Size Effects on Stress-Dependent Permeability (PDEM), ARMA 57th, Atlanta, 2023.
  • Binding Material Effects on Acoustic/Elastic Strength, ARMA 57th, Atlanta, 2023.
  • Optimizing Reservoir Characterization via ML (KG Basin), CEWLT, ONGC, 2020.

Services

  • Editorial
    • Early-Career Editorial Board Member, Geosciences
  • Peer Reviewer
    • Geoenergy Science and Engineering, Bulletin of Engineering Geology and the Environment, Geotechnical and Geological Engineering, Scientific Reports, Geosciences, Energies, Minerals, Journal of Natural Gas Geoscience

Memberships

  • ARMA · SEG · SPE · SPWLA · ISRM

Personal Links