Dr Jimmy Li
Postdoctoral Research Fellow
School of Mechanical and Mining Engineering
+61 7 336 51568
Researcher biography
Dr Jimmy Li is a geoscientist specialising in the intersection of geophysics and geomechanics for resource and geoenergy development. He brings a unique blend of high-level industry experience and rigorous academic research to his work.
Before transitioning to academia, Dr Li spent a decade with Halliburton Energy Services (Sperry Drilling), where he managed complex onshore and offshore geophysical logging projects for global majors including Shell, ConocoPhillips, and PetroChina. This practical foundation informed his PhD research at Curtin University (2021), where he developed a pioneering theory on wettability-affected wave propagation. His work established a new experimental framework for rock wettability characterisation using elastic wave measurements, a breakthrough with direct applications for multi-frequency sonic logging.
Since joining The University of Queensland in 2021, Dr Li has focused on rock mechanics and geotechnical engineering for underground mining. Notably, he led the development of the Quality Management System (QMS) for the Mechanical Testing Laboratory, securing its NATA accreditation for rock mechanics measurement.
Journal Articles
Zhang, Tiancheng, Zhu, Yiran, Li, Jimmy Xuekai, Rudolph, Victor and Chen, Zhongwei (2025). Impact of effective stress on coal relative permeability: experiment and model development. Rock Mechanics and Rock Engineering, 59 (3), 1-24. doi: 10.1007/s00603-025-05020-7
Zhang, Tiancheng, Ding, Luwei, Li, Jimmy Xuekai, Zhu, Yiran, Rudolph, Victor and Chen, Zhongwei (2025). Experimental investigation of anisotropy ratio evolution in coal permeability: implications for underground compressed air energy and CO2 storage. International Journal of Mining Science and Technology, 35 (10), 1713-1729. doi: 10.1016/j.ijmst.2025.09.006
Zhang, Tiancheng, Li, Jimmy Xuekai, Zhu, Yiran, Rudolph, Victor and Chen, Zhongwei (2025). Impact of gas adsorption on coal relative permeability: a laboratory study. International Journal of Rock Mechanics and Mining Sciences, 194 106191, 1-12. doi: 10.1016/j.ijrmms.2025.106191
Chen, Yangpu, Fu, Li-Yun, Müller, Tobias M., Han, Tongcheng and Li, Jimmy Xuekai (2025). Laboratory insights on acoustics of granular porous media with wettability changes. Geophysics, 90 (6), 1-50. doi: 10.1190/geo2024-0832.1
Li, Jimmy Xuekai, Flottmann, Thomas, Millen, Max, Chen, Shuai, Huang, Yixiao and Chen, Zhongwei (2025). Evolution of coal strength with dewatering and coal seam gas depletion: an integrated approach. Australian Energy Producers Journal, 65 (1) EP24227, 1-9. doi: 10.1071/ep24227
Huang, Yixiao, Shi, Zhang, Li, Jimmy, Zhang, Tiancheng and Chen, Zhongwei (2025). Quantifying the mechanical properties of coal matrix and cleat using digital image correlation method. Deep Resources Engineering, 2 (1) 100168, 1-13. doi: 10.1016/j.deepre.2025.100168
Li, Jimmy Xuekai, Zhang, Tiancheng, Zhu, Yiran and Chen, Zhongwei (2024). Artificial general intelligence for the upstream geoenergy industry: a review. Gas Science and Engineering, 131 205469, 205469. doi: 10.1016/j.jgsce.2024.205469
Li, Jimmy Xuekai, Tsang, Matt, Zhong, Ruizhi, Esterle, Joan, Pirona, Claire, Rajabi, Mojtaba and Chen, Zhongwei (2023). Automatic coal mine roof rating calculation using machine learning. International Journal of Coal Geology, 274 104292, 1-14. doi: 10.1016/j.coal.2023.104292
Li, Jimmy Xuekai, Rezaee, Reza, Müller, Tobias M., Madadi, Mahyar, Ma, Rupeng and Sarmadivaleh, Mohammad (2022). Wettability-dependent wave velocities and attenuation in granular porous media. Geophysics, 87 (4), MR177-MR187. doi: 10.1190/geo2021-0279.1
Li, Jimmy X., Rezaee, Reza, Mueller, Tobias M. and Sarmadivaleh, Mohammad (2021). Pore Size Distribution Controls Dynamic Permeability. Geophysical Research Letters, 48 (5) e2020GL090558. doi: 10.1029/2020gl090558
Li, Pei, Zhang, Jinchuan, Rezaee, Reza, Dang, Wei, Li, Xuekai, Fauziah, Cut Aja, Nie, Haikuan and Tang, Xuan (2021). Effects of swelling-clay and surface roughness on the wettability of transitional shale. Journal of Petroleum Science and Engineering, 196 108007, 1-15. doi: 10.1016/j.petrol.2020.108007
Li, Jimmy X., Rezaee, Reza, Müller, Tobias M. and Sarmadivaleh, Mohammad (2020). Elastic waves in porous media saturated with non-wetting fluid. The APPEA Journal, 60 (1), 315-325. doi: 10.1071/aj19196
Zhang, Yadong, Rezaee, Reza, Muller, Tobias M., Zheng, Guangjie, Li, Jimmy X., Fan, Yu, Zeng, Bo and Zhou, Xiaojin (2020). Permeability inversion using induced microseismicity: a case study for the Longmaxi shale gas reservoir. Interpretation , 8 (2), SG21-SG31. doi: 10.1190/int-2019-0182.1
Li, Jimmy X., Rezaee, Reza and Mueller, Tobias M. (2020). Wettability effect on wave propagation in saturated porous medium. Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, 147 (2), 911-920. doi: 10.1121/10.0000616
Conference Papers
Zhang, Tiancheng, Li, Jimmy Xuekai, Rudolph, Victor and Chen, Zhongwei (2024). Evolution of water-gas relative permeability with effective stresses in coal and sandstone. APOGCE 2024, Perth, WA Australia, 15-17 October 2024. Richardson, TX USA: Society of Petroleum Engineers. doi: 10.2118/221360-MS
Li, Jimmy Xuekai, Chen, Shuai, Qin, Sijin, Flottmann, Thomas, Huang, Yixiao, Saber, Erfan and Chen, Zhongwei (2024). Correlation of static and dynamic mechanical properties of Australian sedimentary rocks. 58th U.S. Rock Mechanics/Geomechanics Symposium, Golden, CO USA, 23-26 June 2024. Richardson, TX USA: American Rock Mechanics Association. doi: 10.56952/ARMA-2024-0635
Qian, Sijin, Lu, Mingyuan, Li, Jimmy Xuekai, Huang, Yixiao, Chen, Zhongwei and Shen, Luming (2024). Evolution of proppant embedment and its impact on shale permeability. 58th U.S. Rock Mechanics/Geomechanics Symposium, Golden, CO USA, 23-26 June 2024. Richardson, TX USA: American Rock Mechanics Association. doi: 10.56952/ARMA-2024-0613
Qian, Sijin, Zhu, Yiran, Shi, Zhang, Lu, Mingyuan, Shen, Luming, Li, Jimmy Xuekai and Chen, Zhongwei (2023). Impact of Surface Roughness and Liquid Salinity on Shale Wettability. Asia Pacific Unconventional Resources Symposium APUR 2023, Brisbane, QLD Australia, 14–15 November 2023. Richardson, TX United States: Society of Petroleum Engineers. doi: 10.2118/217315-MS
Li, Jimmy Xuekai, Hu, Jinghao, Zhang, Tiancheng and Chen, Zhongwei (2023). Comparative Analysis of Sonic Velocities in Partially Saturated Rocks Containing H2, CH4, N2 and CO2. Asia Pacific Unconventional Resources Symposium APUR 2023, Brisbane, QLD Australia, 14–15 November 2023. Richardson, TX United States: Society of Petroleum Engineers. doi: 10.2118/217273-MS
Saber, Erfan, Qu, Qingdong, Aminossadati, Saiied M., Li, Jimmy and Chen, Zhongwei (2023). A New coupled approach to simulating fault reactivation during CO2 sequestration. Asia Pacific Unconventional Resources Symposium, Brisbane, QLD, Australia, 14-15 November 2023. Brisbane, QLD, Australia: SPE. doi: 10.2118/217287-ms
Li, Jimmy Xuekai, Tsang, Matt, Giese, Stephen, Zhong, Ruizhi, Esterle, Joan, Pirona, Claire, Rajabi, Mojtaba and Chen, Zhongwei (2022). UCS prediction by group-based machine learning method. Resource Operators Conference, Virtual, 10-11 February 2022. Wollongong, NSW, Australia: University of Wollongong and University of Southern Queensland.
Li, Jimmy X., Rezaee, Reza, Müller, Tobias M., Madadi, Mahyar, Ma, Rupeng and Sarmadivaleh, Mohammad (2021). Path dispersion of elastic waves in granular matter. SEG/SPWLA 2020 Workshop: 7th Workshop on Porous Media: Structure, Flow and Dynamics, Online, 2–3 December 2020. Tulsa, OK United States: Society of Exploration Geophysicists. doi: 10.1190/prmd2020-05.1
Li, Jimmy X., Rezaee, Reza, Müller, Tobias M., Madadi, Mahyar and Sarmadivaleh, Mohammad (2020). Wettability dependent P-wave scattering and velocity saturation relation in granular medium. Society of Exploration Geophysicists Annual Meeting (SEG20), Houston, TX, United States, 11-16 October 2020. Tulsa, OK United States: Society of Exploration Geophysicists. doi: 10.1190/segam2020-3427195.1
Li, Hongsheng, Xia, Guofeng, Xu, Daicai, Li, Xuekai, Calleja-Djefel, Bronwyn and Liu, Youquan (2016). Advanced geosteering technology promotes the accuracy of well placement in the thin reservoirs of China mature oilfield. SPE/IADC Middle East Drilling Technology Conference and Exhibition, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, 26–28 January 2016. Bellingham, WA United States: Society of Petroleum Engineers. doi: 10.2118/178167-MS
Research Report
Chen, Zhongwei, Li, Jimmy Xuekai, Esterle, Joan, Zhong, Ruizhi and Pirona, Claire (2022). Reducing the subjectivity of CMRR calculation using machine learning. https://www.acarp.com.au/: ACARP.