• Conditions for fault creation and fault re-activation. Critical stress state. Instability/sliding phenomena. Frictional behaviour (focus on stable sliding and stick-slip sliding modes). Fractures and faults interactions.
• Laboratory versus Field: Understanding induced seismicity due to fluid and gas flows. Understanding the role of pore pressure, fluid/gas flow and temperature variations on the creation and/or re-activation of micro-faults at the laboratory scale.
• Localised deformation in rocks and sediments. Nucleation and evolution of deformation bands, such as dilation bands, dilatant and compactant shear bands and shear-enhanced and compaction bands at the laboratory scale.  Transition from brittle to ductile behaviour.
• Application of a range of experimental methods with different resolution and sensitivity such as: a) X-ray Computed Tomography, b) Neutron Radiography and Tomography, c) 3D Digital Image Correlation, d) Passive wave monitoring (e.g. Ultrasonic Tomography), e) Active wave monitoring (e.g. Acoustic Emission monitoring), f) Source Mechanisms and Moment Tensor Analysis, g) Microstructural analysis based on optical and scanning electron microscopy.
• Pore-scale characterisation, pore network extraction and fluid flow front propagation and fluid flow simulations.
• Shear experiments on 2D (analogue) granular materials. Investigation of the impact of different shape of grains on the mechanical behaviour of a granular material. Comparison of experimental results with numerical simulations using Discrete Element Method (Molecular Dynamics).  

Teaching

• G10UG - Introduction to Petroleum Engineering: Geology and Geophysics
• G11FA - Flame Appraisal: Petroleum Geology and Geophysics
• G11RG - Rock Mechanics, Geomechanics and Geophysics: Rock Mechanics, Geomechanics
• G11GM - Geomechanics and Flow Mechanics: Geomechanics
• G11DP - Design Project: tutorials and presentation skills
  
• G11EP - Field Evaluation Project: presentation skills
  
• G11TP - Field Exploration Project: presentation skills
• G11IP - Individual Projects: presentation skills
  

PhD Supervision

• Ms Soriano Ilaria (2015- ) : 'Micromechanics of cemented granular materials' - First Supervisor
• Mr Mohammad Madankan (2017- ): 'Neutron and x-ray imaging of fluid flow and deformation in carbonates'  - First Supervisor
  
• Mr Hosein Doryanidaryuni (2017- ): 'Experimental and theoretical study of gas and condensate flow and fluid confinement in unconventional reservoirs' - Second Supervisor

MSc Supervision

• Mr Berry Paul (2018) : 'Laminaria Oilfield: Wellbore stability data review' - First Supervisor
• Mr Gjini Eldi (2015) : 'Shear and Compaction Band impact on the Fluid Flow within Vosges Sandstone' - Second Supervisor

Teaching Administration

• Course leader (Edinburgh, Malaysia and IDL) for G11FA