Yalda Barzin

A dynamic and multidisciplinary petroleum reservoir engineer with more than 15 years of experience in
research, consulting, technical sales, and product management.

  • Subject Matter Expert in Production Data Analysis, Optimization, and Forecast; Reserves Estimation; Data
    Mining, Economic Analysis, and Field Development of Unconventional Reservoirs.
  • Strong analytical and problem solving skills demonstrated through pioneering research projects, consulting
    projects, and development of new engineering methodologies leading to production optimization of
    conventional and unconventional reservoirs.
  • Interpersonal and multi-linguistic communicational strengths with 20 years of experience in collaborating
    with diverse groups of people in professional settings; and extensive public speaking.
  • Computer Proficiencies include reservoir simulation and data-management/analysis software: CMG
    (WinProp, IMEX, GEM, STARS), Eclipse 100, IHS Harmony (Full suit including RTA, Decline+, Well Test),
    KAPPA (Topaze, Rubis, Citrine), AccuMap, and Enerdeq.
    PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
    Petroleum Engineering Consultant (independent)
    March 2019- Present
  • Technical Assessment on the development plan of Argentina’s Bajada del Palo field (Vaca Muerta shale
    play) for a US-based investment fund group
    o Provided petroleum engineering and economics evaluation to development plan of the Bajada del
    Palo, designed (and to be operated) by an Argentina-based oil and gas company
    o Led comprehensive technical work including, but not limited to, production data analysis, numerical
    simulation, Monte Carlo probabilistic analysis, and risk management studies (in order to forecast
    field production, optimize spacing and frac design, and assess the overall proposed plan for drilling
    and production of hundreds of horizontal wells in the studied area.
    Associate Director of Product Management (IHS/Fekete, Calgary, Canada)
  • Product Manager- IHS Harmony and Data Driven Analytics
    April 2016- Sep 2018
    o Product owner of IHS Harmony Reservoir Software (Co-architected the IHS Enterprise software;
    refined the legacy analytical and numerical models; developed new type curves for unconventional
    reservoirs; planned, formulated, and supervised deployment of the advanced probabilistic module,
    strategized and orchestrated the collaboration of a group of 15 software developers on a daily
    basis)
    o Led the IHS initiative in data mining platform within the engineering portfolio
    o Maximized software sales, and captured new consulting and training business in Argentina (Vaca
    Muerta play), which converted and revitalized the engineering market for IHS Markit in 2016
    (endorsed by IHS Markit’s VP engineering)
    Senior Reservoir Engineer (IHS/Fekete, Calgary, Canada)
  • Program Manager- IHS Duvernay Community of Best Practices
    Feb 2015- April 2016
    o Initiated, spearheaded (in collaboration with business development sector), and launched a
    consortium associating the 5 major operators in the Canadian Duvernay unconventional play
    o Managed and accelerated the technical collaboration between the consortium members and a team
    of IHS reservoir engineers
    o Led the technical analyses and specialized projects, conducted by a team of 6 reservoir engineers
  • Principal Technical Advisor- Eagle Ford, Bakken, and Montney Communities of Best Practices (over 25
    operators, 700 unconventional wells, and a team of 9 reservoir engineers)
    o Provided technical advice on well analysis and optimization, reservoir characterization, reserves
    estimation, and field development
    Reservoir Engineer (IHS/Fekete, Calgary, Canada)
  • Subject Matter Expert- Production Data Analysis (RTA)
    Dec 2012- Feb 2015
    o Provided mentorship to sales engineers- leading and training 6 RTA software technical support and
    training engineers
    o Co-authored (with David Anderson) a handbook on theory and practice of modern production data
    analysis
    o Designed and delivered specialized advanced courses and workshops on play specific production
    data analysis to several companies in North/South America, Middle East, and Europe
  • Consulting Engineer- unconventional oil and gas well performance analysis
    o Horizontal and Vertical multi-frac well performance analysis of oil, volatile oil, gas, and gas
    condensate wells (several operators across American unconventional plays including, Duvernay,
    Montney, Eagle Ford, Bakken, Niobrara, Delaware, Marcellus, Vaca Muerta, and Utica)
  • Eagle Ford Technical Analyst- localized and global case study projects in the Eagle Ford shale play
    o Conducted more than 400 well studies for 15 major operators
    o Analyzed multi well pads, chock management and productivity loss issues
    o Developed a workflow for per-fracture type modeling and well spacing optimization
    o Developed new type curves for SRV characterization
    Research Assistant (University of Calgary, Canada)
    May 2006 – Dec 2012
  • Promoted a novel approach to understanding the kinetics of reactions in HPAI and initiated pioneering
    research.
  • Conducted experimental and numerical studies on the phase behavior and kinetics of light oil reservoirs
    under HPAI process using CMG WinProp and CMG STARS.
  • Developed a comprehensive kinetic model capable of accurate prediction of oxidation/combustion
    reactions’ behavior during HPAI and In-Situ Combustion recovery processes.
  • Actively collaborated with researchers and technicians during the design and data collection phase of the
    project, frequently assisted peers with their research, and mentored students.
    Teaching Assistant (University of Calgary, Canada)
    Sep 2006 – Sep 2010
  • Gave selected lectures on “Well Logging and Formation Evaluation”; and taught course concepts to
    students on an individual basis.
  • Formally voted by students to be awarded the 3 times “Excellence in Teaching Assistance” awards.
    EDUCATION
    Specialization, Composition and Arrangement
    EMC/ Berklee School of Music, Buenos Aires, Argentina
    Diploma, Spanish Language and Culture
    University of Calgary, Canada
    Ph.D., Petroleum Reservoir Engineering
    University of Calgary, Canada
  • Thesis: An Experimental and Numerical Study of the Oxidation/Combustion Reaction Kinetics in High
    Pressure Air Injection Process
    M.Sc., Petroleum Reservoir Engineering
    IFP School (Institut Francais du Petrole), Rueil-malmaison, France
  • Thesis: Simulation Study of Gas Gravity Drainage in Naturally Fractured Reservoirs
    B.Sc., Chemical Engineering
    Amir Kabir University of Technology (Tehran Polytechnics), Tehran, Iran

    SELECTED AWARDS AND RECOGNITIONS
  • “Schulich School of Engineering Teaching Assistant Award: Senior Effectiveness”
  • “Schulich School of Engineering Teaching Assistant Award: Excellence Award”
  • “Werner Graupe Pryor Foundation International Fellowship in Engineering” Award
  • “Petroleum Society of CIM Graduate Scholarship” Award
  • Recognized by Institute of Oil and Gas, UBA (university of Buenos Aires) for contribution to the
    academic excellence of their graduate program in reservoir engineering.
  • “Best Paper” Award by Petroleum Society of CIM at CIPC/SPE Conference (Canada)
  • Recognized by various oil and gas industry and academic institutions as invited speaker, and invited
    lecturer, including SPE Canada, SPE Argentina, SPE Colombia, Canadian Petroleum Society, REU
    Houston, University of Buenos Aires, University of Calgary, Argentine Institute of Petroleum and Gas.
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