Earth Sciences Division Staff: Christine Doughty

Christine Doughty

Christine Doughty

Staff Scientist

Hydrogeology Department

 

 

Phone: 510-486-6453

Fax: 510-486-5686

Email: cadoughty@lbl.gov

Additional Information

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Biographical Summary

I received my B.Sc. degree in Engineering Physics (1978), and obtained my M.Sc. (1991) and Ph.D. (1995) in Hydrogeology from the Department of Material Science and Mineral Engineering, all from the University of California, Berkeley.  My Ph.D. work involved the hydrologic characterization of heterogeneous geologic media using inverse methods based on iterated function systems (a fractal-generation technique), under the direction of Paul Witherspoon.  I am currently a staff scientist in the Hydrogeology Group of the Earth Sciences Division at E.O. Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.  My research interests include development and application of techniques for analyzing well-log, well-test, and tracer data to infer the distribution of hydrologic properties in heterogeneous geologic settings, including fractured rock; mathematical modeling of multi-component, multi-phase fluid flow and transport in such systems; coordination of modeling studies with laboratory and field work; collaboration with geophysicists, geochemists, and geologists in interdisciplinary studies.  Applications include the geologic storage of carbon dioxide and nuclear waste, groundwater and vadose-zone contaminant remediation, optimal utilization of geothermal and petroleum reservoirs, and design and analysis of aquifer and soil thermal energy storage systems.

Education

 

  • Ph.D. 1995, (Material Science and Mineral Engineering), University of California, Berkeley.
    • Hydrologic characterization of heterogeneous geologic media using inverse methods based on iterated function systems.
  • M.Sc. 1991, (Material Science and Mineral Engineering), University of California, Berkeley.
    • Mathematical modeling of multi-phase fluid flow with heat transfer in geologic media.
  • B.Sc. 1978, (Engineering Physics), University of California, Berkeley.
    • Theoretical physics and mathematics with an emphasis on geosciences applications.

Experience

  • Staff Scientist, Earth Sciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, Mathematical modeling of the hydrothermal behavior of geothermal and petroleum reservoirs, aquifer and soil thermal energy storage systems, geologic sequestration of nuclear waste and carbon dioxide, and groundwater and vadose-zone contamination problems, 10/78 - Present.
  • Consultant, BP Exploration, Houston, TX, Petroleum resource evaluation 8/97-10/97, 6/02-9/02
  • Consultant, Oxbow Geothermal, Reno, NV, Geothermal resource evaluation 2/86 – 3/94
  • Technical Assistant, Energy and Environment Division, Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, Development of calculational meshes for numerical simulation of two-phase geothermal systems, 7/77 - 9/77.

Honors

  • LBNL award for outstanding performance (2006)
  • LBNL award for excellence in technology transfer (2004)
  • Editors’ citation for excellence in refereeing, Water Resources Research (1999)
  • Achievement Rewards for College Scientists (ARCS) Foundation scholarship (1978)
  • Undergraduate honors, University of California, Berkeley (1974-1978)

Affiliations

  • Member, Phi Beta Kappa
  • Member, American Geophysical Union

Current Research Interests

Development of conceptual and numerical models for the hydrological and thermohydrological behavior of fractured and porous rock, in particular investigation of fracture/matrix interactions; development and application of techniques for inverting dynamic reservoir data (e.g., fluid logging, pump tests, tracer tests, production history) to infer the distribution of hydrologic properties in heterogeneous geologic media, including use of global optimization methods; mathematical modeling, using numerical and analytical methods, of multi-component, multi-phase fluid flow and transport in fractured and porous rock, including hysteretic formulations for characteristic curves; application of nonlinear dynamics and chaos theory to subsurface hydrogeology.