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Memorial Tributes Volume 19 (2015) / Chapter Skim
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PAUL A. WITHERSPOON
Pages 333-337

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From page 334...
... , he made significant contributions to the understanding of the flow of fluids in porous media and fractured rock, and he applied his findings to a diverse set of societally important issues, including the development of geothermal energy, use of underground gas storage, and siting and design of nuclear waste disposal facilities. In all these spheres of interest he emphasized the need to marry theoretical studies and field testing.
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From page 335...
... Paul joined the faculty in UC Berkeley's Department of Mineral Technology in 1957. Declining enrollments in petroleum engineering prodded him toward research on a broader suite of geological engineering topics, especially those involving groundwater issues.
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From page 336...
... In 1977 Paul became the first director of LBNL's Earth Sciences Division, while maintaining a dual appointment with UC Berkeley, where he taught until 1989. At LBNL he and his team made major contributions in geothermal reservoir engineering, numerical modeling of flow through fractured rocks, large-scale field and laboratory testing of flow and transport parameters, and the integrated assessment of the thermohydrologic and hydromechanical couplings between the flow field, stress field, and heat field in subsurface environments.
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From page 337...
... He was predeceased by son David, who was killed in a car accident in 2006 at the age of 57. Readers can learn more about Paul in his own words in a 2007 videotaped interview posted on the website of the International Association of Hydrogeologists (http://timecapsule.ecodev.ch/)
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Key Terms

  • petroleum engineering
  • earth sciences
  • geothermal energy
  • underground gas
  • fractured rock

  • geophysical union
  • engineering division
  • horton medal
  • engineering physics
  • fractured rocks

  • viable methodologies
  • tant issues
  • major contributions
  • based numerical
  • engineering topics

  • underground nuclear
  • eminent clay
  • broader suite
  • transport parameters
  • geological survey

  • hydrogeology division
  • hydrologic sciences
  • distinguished service
  • proposed nuclear
  • laboratory testing

  • hydromechanical couplings
  • various capacities
  • maxey distinguished
  • american role
  • paul credited


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