News :: van Oort Joins Faculty

Van Oort is ready to hit the ground running at UT PGE with an aggressive and forward thinking research program. “I want to formulate a state-of-the-art applied basic research program—both of high academic value but with clear applications in mind—that will be seen as world-leading, so that we can attract the very best undergraduate and graduate talent,” said van Oort. “That is the only way we can produce the next generation of well experts and professionals. UT PGE is mainly known as a reservoir school with expertise in many areas such as EOR and formation evaluation, and I want to help UT PGE maintain and grow its strength as a world leader in drilling and completions teaching and R&D.”

From the start, van Oort plans to initiate novel research into hole-making optimization, automated rig control systems, rock fluid interactions, etc.—all with a focus on cutting down non-productive time and invisible lost time in well delivery operations while improving their safety at the same time. Additionally, fracturing efficiency optimization, zonal isolation improvement and groundwater protection as well as frac water footprint reduction research will drive many of van Oort’s efforts towards a more sustainable, environmentally friendly future for the oil & gas industry.

Van Oort is a 20 year veteran of Shell, leaving behind a legacy of innovation in industry. After receiving his Ph.D. in Chemical Physics from the University of Amsterdam in 1990, Dr. van Oort joined Shell Research in The Hague in 1991 to work on shale stability problems and drilling fluid design, which led to several awards and papers that have become industry standards. He moved to the U.S. in 1996 to serve as team leader of the global hole stability team in Shell’s Houston-based Bellaire Technology Center. He transferred to New Orleans in 2000 to provide deepwater operations support for drilling and completion operations, and to direct Shell’s globally expanding network of real-time operations centers (RTOC). In 2006 in the aftermath of hurricane Katrina, he returned to Houston to run the extensive Wells Support organization. In his last role at Shell, he was a member of Shell’s Regional Wells Leadership Team and responsible for performance improvement and new technology identification and application in Shell’s growing North America onshore gas business. His particular focus was on drilling automation and rig de-manning, fit-for-purpose rig application and well manufacturing, fracturing technology, water management, wells performance benchmarking and competitive intelligence.

To learn more about Eric, check out his recent video from the “UT PGExperts” series on the thrill and importance of academic research: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AYOqy-dCg14