Selim Shaker | Offshore and Deepwater Drilling | Best Offshore Exploration Award

Published on by Petroleum Engineering

Dr. Selim Shaker | Offshore and Deepwater Drilling | Best Offshore Exploration Award

Consultant at Geopressure Analysis Services | United States

Dr. Selim Shaker is a distinguished Prospect Generator and Analyst at Geopressure Analysis Services Inc. (G.A.S.), bringing over four decades of expertise in petroleum geology and geopressure evaluation to the global energy industry. He holds a B.Sc., M.Sc., and Ph.D. in Geology from ASU, Egypt, complemented by a postgraduate diploma in Hydrogeology from Prague University under UNESCO, establishing a strong academic foundation in subsurface sciences. His professional journey began in Egypt, where he worked as a well-site geologist, stratigrapher, and structural geologist, before expanding his career into the international petroleum sector. Throughout his tenure in the United States, Dr. Selim Shaker served as an Exploration Geologist, contributing to prospect generation and evaluation across diverse regions including the offshore Gulf of Mexico, onshore Texas and Louisiana, as well as Egypt, Northwest Australia, Algeria, Libya, the North Sea, and China. Following his retirement from Phillips Petroleum Company in 2000, he transitioned to consulting for Knowledge System Inc. (KSI), where he collaborated on the development of the DrillWork software platform, advancing industry practices in pore pressure analysis and wellbore safety. Building upon this expertise, Dr. Shaker established Geopressure Analysis Services Inc. to specialize in pore and fracture pressure prediction, risk assessment of exploration prospects, geopressure compartmentalization, seal integrity, and salt-sediment interaction studies, with a particular focus on the Gulf of Mexico and other complex basins worldwide. His prolific scholarly contributions include more than 50 published papers and articles that address critical challenges in petroleum exploration and drilling safety, with 37 citations by 32 documents and an h-index of 4, reinforcing his reputation as a thought leader in applied geoscience. A dedicated professional, he maintains active memberships in leading scientific and technical organizations such as the American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG), Society of Exploration Geophysicists (SEG), Canadian Society of Exploration Geophysicists (CSEG), American Association of Drilling Engineers (AADE), Houston Geological Society (HGS), and Geophysical Society of Houston (GSH). Through his enduring commitment to advancing geoscientific knowledge, mentoring future professionals, and applying innovative methodologies to reduce exploration risk, Dr. Selim Shaker continues to make lasting contributions to the petroleum industry, demonstrating both scientific rigor and industry leadership.

Profile: Scopus | ORCID

Featured Publications

Shaker, S. S. (2024). Pore and fracture pressures prediction — A new geomechanic approach in deepwater salt overthrusts: Case histories from the Gulf of Mexico.

Shaker, S. S. (2020). Kicks and blowouts prediction before and during drilling in the over-pressured sediments.

Shaker, S. S. (2019). Pore pressure prediction before and during drilling applying the four zones method.

Tieshan Zhang | Wellbore Stability and Control | Best Researcher Award

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Mr. Tieshan Zhang | Wellbore Stability and Control | Best Researcher Award

Associate professor at Ningxia Institute Of Science And Technology | China

Mr. Tieshan Zhang is an accomplished academic and researcher serving as an Associate Professor at the Ningxia Institute of Science and Technology. His work focuses on advancing intelligent control systems and magnetorheological devices, integrating engineering applications with innovative research outcomes. With years of teaching and research experience, he has contributed significantly to both academic excellence and practical solutions in engineering systems. His dedication to higher education, combined with impactful scholarly contributions, makes him a valuable contributor to the global scientific community. Mr. Tieshan Zhang efforts reflect a commitment to innovation, professional growth, and knowledge dissemination for the advancement of engineering.

Profile

Orcid

Education

Mr. Tieshan Zhang holds a Master’s degree in engineering, with specialization in electrical control and intelligent algorithm design. His education has provided him with a strong technical foundation, enabling him to bridge theory with practical applications in control systems. Throughout his academic journey, he has built expertise in vibration suppression and system optimization, laying the groundwork for impactful research. His educational experiences shaped his capacity to apply theoretical frameworks to real-world challenges, allowing him to emerge as an influential figure in his field. With consistent learning and adaptation, his education continues to fuel his professional and research success.

Experience

With extensive academic and research experience, Mr. Tieshan Zhang has made lasting contributions to teaching, scientific research, and innovation. He has successfully presided over projects funded by provincial and institutional agencies, participated in multiple national-level projects, and contributed to collaborative research in advanced engineering systems. His experience spans curriculum development, mentoring students, and publishing widely in indexed journals. Over the years, he has developed a unique teaching style that inspires students while integrating cutting-edge research findings into classroom learning. His academic experience is complemented by applied research efforts that address practical engineering problems, demonstrating his impact across multiple dimensions.

Research Interest

Mr. Tieshan Zhang research focuses primarily on magnetorheological intelligent devices and fluid transmission control. His pioneering work involves developing semi-active control methods for magnetorheological dampers, improving vibration suppression efficiency, and enhancing the stability of mechanical systems. He is particularly interested in combining intelligent algorithms with structural control to optimize performance in engineering applications. His work extends to simulation and modeling of advanced damping systems, creating innovative approaches that merge computational techniques with experimental validation. These research interests position him at the forefront of smart engineering systems, where his contributions advance both theoretical understanding and practical technological development.

Awards

Recognized for his impactful contributions, Mr. Tieshan Zhang has been nominated for the Best Researcher Award under the Petroleum Engineering Awards. His career reflects multiple achievements, including successful leadership of provincial research projects, innovative contributions to vibration suppression strategies, and the development of advanced intelligent control methods. Additionally, he has earned national vocational certifications, affirming his technical competence and professional commitment. His patents, publications, and academic engagements stand as evidence of his excellence and recognition within the research community. Such awards and recognitions reflect his growing influence and validate his standing as a forward-thinking researcher and educator.

Publications Top Notes

Mr. Tieshan Zhang has published extensively in peer-reviewed journals.

Title: Numerical Simulation and Performance Analysis of Magnetorheological Dampers Using BPP and HBP Models With Particle Swarm Optimization
Year: 2025

Title: Magnetorheological Damper Design Based on Improved H–B Model
Year: 2025

Title: Optimization of MR damper model based on improved genetic neural network algorithm
Year: 2024

Conclusion

Mr. Tieshan Zhang demonstrates a rare combination of scholarly depth, teaching excellence, and innovative research contributions. His work in magnetorheological devices and intelligent control systems continues to shape advancements in mechanical and electrical engineering. With multiple publications, patents, and research projects, he has established himself as a forward-looking researcher committed to real-world solutions. His nomination for the Best Researcher Award reflects his sustained dedication, academic leadership, and influential role in advancing engineering knowledge. Mr. Tieshan Zhang career exemplifies the qualities of innovation, perseverance, and excellence that make him a deserving candidate for this recognition.

Dandan Zhu | Intelligent Drilling and Completion | AI and Automation in Petroleum Award

Published on by Petroleum Engineering

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Dandan Zhu | Intelligent Drilling and Completion | AI and Automation in Petroleum Award

Associate Professor at China University of Petroleum, Beijing, China

Dr. Dandan Zhu is an accomplished Associate Professor at the China University of Petroleum, Beijing, in the College of Artificial Intelligence. With a strong academic foundation and innovative research output, she has emerged as a prominent expert in the integration of artificial intelligence with petroleum engineering. Her pioneering work in intelligent drilling technologies and wellbore guidance systems has advanced subsurface automation and decision-making under uncertainty. Dr. Zhu has led numerous national projects and maintains deep collaborative ties with China’s top energy enterprises. Through publications, patents, and cross-disciplinary innovations, she has significantly contributed to the modernization of petroleum exploration and production.

Profile

Google Scholar

Education

Dr. Zhu holds a Ph.D. in Precision Engineering from the University of Tokyo, where she developed advanced modeling tools for mechanical systems. Prior to this, she earned a Master’s degree in Aircraft Design from Beihang University, building her expertise in computational mechanics and control. This unique academic trajectory provided her with a solid grounding in both high-precision design and intelligent control systems, which later became central to her work in petroleum AI. Her educational foundation is characterized by a rigorous blend of systems engineering, applied mathematics, and programming, equipping her to bridge the gap between AI theory and practical energy applications.

Experience

Since joining the China University of Petroleum in 2015, Dr. Zhu has led over 40 national and provincial-level research projects, many in collaboration with energy industry leaders such as CNPC, Sinopec, and CNOOC. She has executed 27 consultancy and industry-sponsored projects, developing intelligent geo-steering, simulation environments, and adaptive drilling systems. Her responsibilities extend beyond research to include mentoring graduate students and integrating AI pedagogy into petroleum engineering curricula. Her professional trajectory reflects a deep commitment to both academic excellence and industrial application. Her field-tested tools and platforms demonstrate practical outcomes in hydraulic fracturing, reservoir modeling, and real-time trajectory control.

Research Interest

Dr. Zhu’s research focuses on the intersection of artificial intelligence and petroleum engineering, specifically intelligent drilling systems, reinforcement learning for wellbore trajectory control, and real-time decision-making in geo-steering. She has built generative simulation environments that replicate subsurface dynamics for training AI agents. A key innovation includes a high-interaction learning framework that integrates offline modeling, real-time drilling guidance, and strategic post-drilling analysis. Her recent work emphasizes robustness and adaptability in drilling operations by accounting for geological uncertainty. Through deep reinforcement learning, data-driven optimization, and control theory, Dr. Zhu is contributing to the intelligent automation of energy exploration systems.

Award

Dr. Zhu’s impactful research has positioned her as a strong candidate for the Best Researcher Award in Petroleum Engineering. Her innovations have earned recognition across academia and industry. She has received multiple provincial and institutional grants to pursue advanced simulation and AI research. Her patented technologies in wellbore trajectory control and geo-steering optimization are used in field applications. Furthermore, her interdisciplinary efforts have been integral to national science and technology programs in China. These accolades, combined with her extensive collaboration with major energy corporations, underscore her standing as a leading researcher advancing AI integration in energy systems.

Publication

Dr. Zhu has published 39 peer-reviewed journal articles, contributing significantly to petroleum AI literature. Select publications include:

  1. A target-aware well path control method based on transfer reinforcement learning.

  2. Gait coordination feature modeling and multi-scale gait representation for gait recognition.

  3. PPS-QMIX: Periodically Parameter Sharing for Accelerating Convergence of Multi-Agent Reinforcement Learning

  4. An intelligent drilling guide algorithm design framework based on high interactive learning mechanism

  5. End-to-end multiplayer violence detection based on deep 3D CNN

  6. Investigation on automatic recognition of stratigraphic lithology based on well logging data using ensemble learning algorithm

  7. A reinforcement learning based 3d guided drilling method: Beyond ground control

Her work has received over 68 citations since 2020 and continues to shape the AI-petroleum research landscape.

Conclusion

Dr. Dandan Zhu exemplifies the integration of technical innovation and practical relevance in petroleum engineering. Through her work in artificial intelligence, simulation, and intelligent control, she is reshaping the way subsurface operations are conceptualized and executed. Her contributions extend beyond academic theory into field-proven tools and methods widely adopted by industry leaders. By mentoring future engineers, publishing transformative research, and collaborating across sectors, she has established herself as a thought leader at the intersection of AI and energy. Her continued contributions reflect not only technical excellence but also a visionary approach to sustainable and intelligent resource development.