The UCL group are led by Professor Mahgerefteh's (FIChemE) from the Chemical Engineering department, rated 5* in the last RAE. His main research interest is failure consequence modelling in the oil and gas industries. He has over 15 years of experience in CFD modelling of highly transient flows [e.g 2, 5-9] in pressurised pipelines. His work in this area was initially funded through an EC project (HCM Programme, project no: ERBCHCT941583). A second multinational project supported by a NATO Collaborative Linkage Grant (ref JSTC.CLG.978213) focused on the development of fast numerical techniques for reducing the computational workload of the pipeline rupture model developed in the earlier study. The success of this project led to further funding from the NATO Defence Against Terrorism Programme (ref SST.CLG.980564), Royal Society (ref 2006/R1) and Royal Academy of Engineering (ref 10508) with the latter work establishing low-temperature induced fracture propagation as a credible pipeline failure mechanism. The results of this study form the ground work for Work Package 6.1.

Mahgerefteh’s industrial experience has been gained through several secondments as Senior Safety Assessment Engineer during the design of North Sea offshore platforms. Technology transfer is a key feature of Prof Mahgerefteh’s work. Awarded an IChemE Engineering Excellence Award (2005), his pipeline rupture computer simulation developed through significant (ca. £0.6m) industry funding for example is licensed by HSE and a number of major oil and gas operators.

Mahgerefteh is the Author of over 100 publications/granted patents and the recipient of several other national prizes including IChemE Eurochem Prize, CBI/EPSRC/NPL World Class Manufacturing Award and a presenter at the Royal Society Frontiers in Science Exhibition.  He has been the principal supervisor of 16 successful PhDs and 5 PDRAs’.