• Engineering Geomechanics
• Discrete Fracture Network (DFN)
• Hydraulic Fracturing
• CO2 Geological Sequestration

King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, KSA

Doctor of Philosophy in Energy Resource and Petroleum Engineering, Dec. 2020 

Dissertation Title: “Investigation of Subsurface Systems of Polygonal Fractures” Supervisor: Prof. Tadeusz W. Patzek

King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, KSA

M.S., Earth Science and Engineering, Dec. 2017 GPA:3.9/4.0, Supervisor: Prof. Tadeusz W. Patzek

China University of Petroleum, Beijing, China

B.S., Petroleum Engineering, June, 2015, GPA: 4.07/5.0

   

Special-term Professor Feb, 2025-now

Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China

Associate Professor   Oct, 2023 - Feb, 2025

Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China

Post-doctoral researcher Apr, 2021- Oct, 2023

Tsinghua University, Beijing, China Host Professor: Prof. Moran Wang

[1]Zhu W, Chen Z, He X, Liu J, Guo S, Zheng B, Yousef, A, Qi S*, and Wang M*. 

Numerical analysis of the dynamic mechanisms in hydraulic fracturing with a focus on natural fractures. 

Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth, 129, e2024JB029487.  (JCR: Q1, Nature-index Journal, IF:3.9).  2024

[2]Zhu W, He X, Patzek T. W, Chen Z, Hoteit H, Elsworth D, Qi S* and Wang M.* 

A novel connectivity metric of identified multi‐cluster fracture networks in permeable formations. 

Geophysical Research Letters, 51, e2024GL109569 (JCR: Q1, Nature-index Journal, IF:5.4). 2024.

[3]Zhu W, Tian Z, Chen Z, and Wang M* 

Numerical Investigation of Influential Factors in Hydraulic Fracturing Processes Using Coupled Discrete Element-Lattice Boltzmann Method, 

Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth, 128, e2023JB027292 (JCR: Q1, Nature-index Journal, IF:3.9).  2023

[4]Zhu W*, Khirevich S, Patzek T W. 

Impact of fracture geometry and topology on the connectivity and flow properties of stochastic fracture networks 

Water Resources Research, 57(7): e2020WR028652 (JCR: Q1, IF: 5.4). 2021

[5]Zhu W, Lei G, He X, Yang Y, Santoso R and Wang M*. 

Can we infer the percolation status of 3D fractured media from 2D outcrops?

Engineering Geology, 302: 106648 (JCR: Q1, IF: 7.4). 2022

[6]Zhu W, Chen Z, Yang Y, Gong W and Wang M*. 

Impacts of T-type intersections on the connectivity and flow in Complex two-dimensional fracture networks. 

Engineering Geology, p.107122. (JCR: Q1, IF: 7.4). 2023

[7]Zhu W, He X, Li Y, Lei G, Santoso R and Wang M*. 

Impacts of fracture properties on the formation and development of stimulated reservoir volume: A global sensitivity analysis

Journal of Petroleum Science and Engineering, 110852 (JCR: Q1, IF: 5.168). 2022

[8]Zhu W*, Khirevich S, Patzek T W. 

HatchFrac: A fast open-source DFN modeling software

Computers and Geotechnics, 150: 104917 (JCR: Q1, IF:5.3,). 2022

[9]Zhu W, He X, Ryan S, Lei G, Patzek T. W., and Wang M*. 

Enhancing fracture network characterization: A data-driven, outcrop-based analysis

Computers and Geotechnics, 152: 104997 (JCR: Q1, IF:5.3). 2022

[10]Zhu W*, He X, Khirevich S., and Patzek T. W. 

Fracture sealing and its impact on the percolation of subsurface fracture networks

 Journal of Petroleum Science and Engineering, 111023. (JCR: Q1, IF: 5.168). 2022

[11]Zhu W, He X, Lei G, and Wang M*. 

Complexity analysis of three-dimensional stochastic discrete fracture networks with fractal and multifractal techniques

Journal of Structural Geology, 104690. (JCR: Q2, IF: 3.1). 2022

[12]Zhu W, Lei G, He X, et al. 

Fractal and multifractal characterization of stochastic fracture networks and real outcrops

Journal of Structural Geology, 155: 104508 (JCR: Q2, IF:3.1). 2022

[13]Zhu W*, Yalcin B, Khirevich S, and Patzek T. W. 

Fault Traces: Generation of Fault Segments and Estimation of Their Fractal Dimension

Lithosphere, (Special 4): 4991604. (JCR: Q1, IF:2.4). 2021  

[14]He X, Zhu W*, Kwak H, Yousef A, Hoteit H*. 

Deep learning-assisted Bayesian framework for real-time CO2 leakage locating at geologic sequestration sites

Journal of Cleaner Production, 141484 (JCR: Q1, IF: 11.1).2024

US patent: Method and System for Quick Mud Loss Diagnostics in Fractured Formations, in progress, Xupeng He, Weiwei Zhu, Hussein Hoteit, Submitted.

US patent: Method and System for Real-Time Locating Subsurface CO2 Leakage, in progress, Xupeng He, Weiwei Zhu, Hyung Kwak, Hussein Hoteit, Submitted.

Chinese patent: A method and device to generate discrete fracture networks, granted, Moran Wang, Weiwei Zhu

Chinese patent: A method and device to detect fractures, granted, Moran Wang, Weiwei Zhu

Weiwei Zhu is a special-term professor at the Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences (IGGCAS), and a recipient of the Hundred Talents Program from CAS. Dr. Zhu earned his Ph.D. in 2020 from King Abdullah University of Science and Technology and his B.E. in 2015 from the China University of Petroleum, Beijing. His research focuses on the characterization of complex subsurface structures and their dynamic evolution under stress disturbances, with broad applications in areas such as mega construction, geohazard prediction, CO2 geological sequestration, and unconventional reservoir exploitation.

 

Dr. Zhu has participated in multiple key research projects sponsored by the national government and CAS, resulting in over 30 papers published in prestigious international journals, including Engineering Geology, Geophysical Research Letters, Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth, Water Resources Research, and others, along with numerous presentations at academic conferences. His achievements have earned him several accolades, including the Richard Wolters Prize from the International Association for Engineering Geology and the Environment (IAEG). He has also received the Outstanding Project Award at the Global Youth Zero-Carbon Future Summit, ranked among the top ten most downloaded papers in Water Resources Research in 2021, and won First Prize for Outstanding Academic Presentation and Paper at National Academic Conferences.

​Richard Wolters Prize from IAEG