Norman Robert Morrow

Norman Morrow to Give UW President's Speaker Series Talk

May 22, 2006 - Norman Robert Morrow, Wold Chair of Energy and J.E. Warren Distinguished Professor in the University of Wyoming Department of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering, will deliver the UW President's Speaker Series talk Tuesday, Oct. 10.

He is scheduled to discuss "Oil: The Inside Story" at 7:00 p.m. in Casper at the University Outreach Building Room 150.

Morrow, who received the 2006 UW Presidential Award for Excellence in Research, is a recognized authority on the movement of hydrocarbons in geological formations. He is credited with more than 150 publications representing work from his research group and collaboration with fellow scientists throughout the world.

The President's Speaker Series encourages and honors individual faculty members who have been especially successful in balancing the educational, research, and service goals of the university. The series was begun to call attention to some of the individuals who have made important, well-rounded contributions to the university's national standing.

Working with support from industry, the federal government and the state of Wyoming through the UW Enhanced Oil Recovery Institute, Morrow has researched techniques to increase productivity of oil or gas by removing water or gas condensate blocks. He presently leads pioneering studies on the fundamentals of imbibition and improved oil recovery from carbonate rocks.

He helped develop an innovative recovery technique relying on injection brine composition that has been successfully pilot tested in Alaska.

"This process has special potential for application in the Powder River Basin because of the availability of low salinity brine associated with production of coalbed methane," Morrow says. "All of this research is directly relevant to increasing the nation's recoverable reserves."

"The guidelines for the President's Award state that recipients must demonstrate a career of research. That's most certainly true in Professor Morrow's case," says Bill Gern, UW vice president for research and economic development. "Norman's work is internationally recognized, and he has enhanced UW's reputation for high-quality fundamental research in an area that plays a critical role in both the economic health and security of this country."

Morrow earned his bachelor's degree with honors from the University of Leeds in 1959 and completed his Ph.D. in 1962. From there he embarked on a remarkable research career, beginning at Columbia University in New York, moving on to work at Esso Production Research Company, Calgary Alberta's Petroleum Recovery Institute, and New Mexico's Institute of Mining and Technology before accepting a joint position as Professor of Petroleum Engineering and Distinguished Scientist at the Western Research Institute in 1992.

In 2004 he was named the John and Jane Wold Endowed Chair of Energy at UW. Among Morrow's long list of awards is his 2001 election to the National Academy of Engineering, the highest professional distinction accorded U.S. engineers. His citation read: "For contributions to the understanding of interfacial phenomena governing wettability, connate water saturation, and spontaneous imbibition."