Willem has spent 32 years in the area of IOR/EOR, mostly internationally with Shell. His experience extends from research and field implementation to Value Assurance Reviews and company governance. He also teaches at the Delft University in courses on applied reservoir engineering and field development planning.
2010-Present CEO of SOGIC, independent consultancy firm
2007-2010 Chief Scientist RE, Shell
2003-2008 Program Manager Global IOR/EOR research, Shell
1998-2002 Value Assurance Review team leader, Shell
1996-1998 Research advisor on 4D seismic and effective properties, Shell
1993-1995 Team leader EOR research, Shell
1988-1993 Senior RE and Head RE of the Brent Business Unit, Shell Expro, Aberdeen
1979-1988 Researcher in the area of EOR and Tight gas, Shell
1978 PhD in Applied Physics on Beam Dynamics in cyclotrons, Eindhoven University
Area of expertise
Willem’s expertise is in the understanding of technologies to improve/enhance oil recovery, the practical application in oil assets, knowledge on the value of technology and defining company-wide technology strategies.
He studied the basic flow concepts in oil and gas reservoirs, knows how these will play out in the anticipated development plan and where vulnerabilities lie. By such understanding it is possible to select the right IOR/EOR option for any specific field, taking into account life cycle aspects and future optimisation. Each phase in a development needs to be executed optimally and prepare immediately for the next phase of development.
As Chief Scientist RE in Shell he has been involved in many critical technology strategy decisions at Executive Committee level, key technology projects and representation of Shell to the press.
His role as Global R&D Program Manager has brought him in contact with many key technology developments (chemical flooding, low salinity flooding, steam injection) and with research into novel recovery mechanisms (microbial EOR and nano technologies).
As Value Assurance team leader Willem has travelled the world and has seen many of the key projects of Shell and reviewed the status of many new projects, like Kashagan Sour Gas Injection, Sakhalin Field development, Thermal injection in Qarn Alam, Upgrading for Colorado Oil Shales, waterflooding in Asab/Bab/Bu Hasa and many more. The key to many decision lies in the understanding of the underlying displacement process, its vulnerability and opportunities for a set-up that allows further optimisation.
Willem played a key role in defining the Brent Field depressurisation development that has very successfully maximised the recovery of gas and oil from the Brent Field.
Through his teaching to students and his mentorship of other staff at Shell, he knows how to engage with and stimulate staff. In his current role as consultant, he is involved with various companies like ADNOC, Maersk, Petrom and JAPEX to analyze projects and future directions. He is the editor of the 2011 Resource-to-Reserves publication of the IEA (International Energy Agency, Paris). He is also the Chairman of the EAGE European IOR symposium and sits on the program committees of the SPE IOR meeting in Tulsa and the SPE EOR symposium in Oman.
