Dr -Eng. Salima Baraka-Lokmane

After gaining my Engineer diploma in Hydrogeology at the University of Science and Technology in Algiers, Algeria, I continued my education, taking an international advanced studies course in "Hydrogeology and Engineering Geology of Tropical and Subtropical Regions" at the University of Tuebingen, Germany (awarded a scholarship from DAAD (Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst, e.V.)). At the University of Orsay, France, I gained a DEA (Diplôme d'études approfondies) in Water resources and Management. I returned to the University of Tuebingen, Germany to do a Ph.D., working on the flow in fractured porous media (awarded a scholarship from KAAD (Katholischer Akademischer Auslaender-Dienst)). Since 1999, I have been employed as a research fellow at the Rock Physics and Chemistry research group at the University of Edinburgh, Scotland. I am currently working on the Mussle (stress sensitivity of multiphase flow) project studying the effects of stress on the relative permeability of rocks, in collaboration with the department of Petroleum Engineering, Heriot-Watt University and VIPS Ltd, financed by Mobil and British petroleum.

Mussle (Stress Sensitivity of Multiphase Flow) project

The petrophysical properties of the samples, particular their wettability, porosity, degree of saturation, and absolute and/or relative permeabilities, are all affected by the microstructural properties of the rock. These include: the nature of the constituent minerals and cement, the degree of rock cementation; the degree of sorting or equivalently the particle size distribution of the grains; and the pore-size distribution. We characterise and analyse the rock samples both before and after the two-phase (brine/oil) flow experiments, and analyse then chemical constituents of the exit brine. This procedure is designed to establish the underlying cause for any correlation between the changes in microstructure and any observed changes both in absolute permeability and/or relative permeabilities of the oil/water phase.

Several complementary and overlapping methods have been used in this study to characterise the material composition, texture and wetting characteristics. This strategy allows both a full range of characteristics to be determined, and allows internal checking between measurements. The methods explored so far include Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR), X-ray Computer Tomography (CT) Scanning, particle size analysis, the point counting method based on petrographic thin sections, Environmental Scanning Microscopy (ESEM), Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectrum (EDX), X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), and X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF).

Research Interests

• Flow and transport mechanisms in fractured porous media.
• Multiphase flow in fractured porous media.
• Determination of the fracture geometry.
• Fluid-rock interactions.
• Use of NMR and MRI methods for the study of the flow and transport in fractured porous media.
• Water resources engineering in arid and sub-arid countries.

Education

• Ph.D. (Hydrogeology), 1999, University of Tuebingen, Germany
• DEA (Diplôme d'études approfondies) in Water resources and Management, 1992, University of Orsay, France
• Certificate Course on Hydrogeology and Engineering Geology of Tropical and Subtropical Regions, 1991, University of Tuebingen, Germany
• Engineer Diploma in Hydrogeology, 1990, University of Algiers, Algeria

Field Training

• Stream gauging, Climatology, Water budgets, Geophysical methods, 1992, Montpellier, Thonon, Garchy, France.
• Applied Hydrochemistry and Groundwater protection, Surveying techniques, Rock mechanics, Well construction, Pumping tests, Soil science, 1991, Schoenbuch, Dettingen, Herrenberg, Stuttgart, Renchen, Echterdingen, Germany.
• Geoelectrical and refraction seismical methods (Firm Geco-Prakla), 1991, Hannover, Germany.
• Geotechnical and Hydrogeological study of a subtropical country, 1991, Tunisia
• Surveying Techniques, Pumping tests, Hydrochemistry, Geoelectric sounding, Stream gauging, 1988, Mitidja, Algeria.
• Study and cartography of Paleozoic-Mesozoic sediments, 1987, Boussaada, Algeria.
• Study and cartography of metamorphic rocks, 1987, Michelet, Algeria.
• Cartography, Paleontology, Stratigraphy, Sedimentology, 1986, Boussaada, Algeria.

Practical Training

Planning Department: SOCIETE D'ASSISTANCE GEOTECHNIQUE (SAGEO), 1993, Paris, France
Topic: Consolidation of a substratum with vugular pore space (Gypsum) using injection methods

Laboratory Training

• Hydrochemistry analysis, 1988, University of Algiers, Algeria.
• Permeability measurements, 1989, University of Algiers, Algeria.
• Soil mechanics, Rock mechanics, 1990, University of Algiers, Algeria.
• Soil mechanics, 1991, University of Stuttgart, Germany.

• Hydrogeology of the oued Sébaou valley in Algeria. Interaction of aquifers in crystalline rocks, limestones and alluvial deposits, 1990, University of Algiers, Algeria
• A modelling element to be introduced into a method of calculation of a flood quantile in a catchment that is not gauged, 1992, CEMAGREF (Centre National du Machinisme Agricole, du Genie Rural, des eaux et des forets), Paris, France
• Determination of Hydraulic Conductivities from Discrete Geometrical Characterisation of Fractured Sandstone Cores, 1999, University of Tuebingen, Germany

S. Baraka (1990): Synthèse des études hydrogéologiques de la vallée de l'oued Sébaou (Grande Kabylie), 208p, Institut des Sciences de la Terre, Département d'Hydrogéologie, Université des Sciences et de la Technologie d'Alger, Algérie.

S. Baraka-Lokmane (1992): Elément de modélisation à introduire dans une méthode de calcul d'un quantile de crue sur un bassin non jaugé, CEMAGREF ANTONY HHAN, 95p.

S. Baraka-Lokmane (1999): Determination of Hydraulic Conductivities from Discrete Geometrical Characterisation of Fractured Sandstone Cores. Tuebinger Geowissenschaftliche Arbeiten (TGA), C, No 51, 119p, Department of Applied Geology, University of Tuebingen, Germany.

C. Leven, Ch. I. McDermott, S. Baraka-Lokmane, M. Sauter, R. Liedl, G. Teutsch (2000): Festgesteins-Aquiferanalog: Laborexperimente und Entwicklungneuer Untersuchungsmethoden. 3. Workshop: Kluft-Aquifere, Hannover, Germany, November 2000.

S. Baraka-Lokmane, G. Teutsch, I.G. Main (2000): Influence of Open and Sealed Fractures on Fluid Flow and Water Saturation in Sandstone Cores using Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Geophysical Journal International, accepted.

S. Baraka-Lokmane, G. Teutsch (2001): Characterisation of Discrete Fractures in Sandstone Cores 1- Development of a New Impregnation Technique for Determining the Fracture Geometry in Sandstone Cores (In preparation for publication in Journal of Hydrology).

S. Baraka-Lokmane, G. Teutsch (2001): Characterisation of Discrete Fractures in Sandstone Cores 2- Determination of the Correlation between the Hydraulic and Pneumatic Parameters of Fractured Sandstone Cores (In preparation for publication in Journal of Hydrology).

S. Baraka-Lokmane, R. Lidl, G. Teutsch (2001): Characterisation of Discrete Fractures in Sandstone Cores 3- Determination of Hydraulic Conductivities from Discrete Geometrical Characterisation of Fractured Sandstone Cores (In preparation for publication in Journal of Hydrology).

S. Baraka-Lokmane, R. Liedl, G. Teutsch (2001): Comparison of Measured and Modelled Hydraulic Conductivities of Fractured Sandstone Cores (In preparation for publication in Pure and Applied Geophysics).

Mail:
Dept. of Geology and Geophysics
Edinburgh University
West Mains Road - EH9 3JW
Edinburgh, Scotland (UK)

Phone: +44 (0) 131 650 8511
Fax: +44 (0) 131 668 3184
E-mail: S.Baraka-Lokmane@glg.ed.ac.uk