A brain trust of veteran specialists

Dr. Abul Jamaluddin is the Founder and President of EnerGenix Consulting LLC, with over 35 years of global experience in the oil and gas industry across operating companies and service organizations. His career spans leadership roles with ENNOVA, Stratum Reservoir, PETRONAS, Saudi Aramco, KFUPM, Schlumberger, Noranda Research, and Hycal Laboratory Services.

Dr. Jamaluddin has extensive expertise in operations management and business development across the Americas, Middle East, and Asia. He also maintains strong technical engagement, specializing in fluid phase behavior, flow assurance, production chemistry, heavy oil production, acid gas management, and gas injection for enhanced oil recovery (EOR).

He holds nine U.S. patents and has authored more than 40 peer-reviewed journal articles and over 100 conference papers. His contributions have been recognized with several prestigious awards, including the Schlumberger Gold Medal for performance, the JCPT Best Paper Award, and multiple Best Paper Presentation awards from the Petroleum Society of CIM and the Gas Processors Association of America.

Dr. Jamaluddin served as an SPE Distinguished Lecturer (2004–2005) and was named an SPE Distinguished Member in 2012. He earned a BSc in Petroleum Engineering from King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals (KFUPM) in 1984 and MSc and PhD degrees in Chemical Engineering from the University of Calgary under a Commonwealth Scholarship in 1987 and 1990, respectively.

Dr. Arash Soleimani is a Principal Reservoir Engineer and a commercially minded Field Development and Energy Consultant with 28 years of international oil and gas experience across the United Kingdom, the United States, Saudi Arabia, China, Malaysia, Oman, Iraq, Kuwait, the UAE and Qatar. He has contributed to 43 reservoir engineering projects covering field development, enhanced oil recovery (EOR), simulation modeling, production optimization, and flow assurance. Dr. Soleimani authored / co-authored numerous papers on reservoir engineering and multiphase flow. He is also an entrepreneur focused on sustainability and has a strong interest in strategy and global energy economics. Most recently, Dr. Soleimani has focused on projects in Iraq, serving as a reservoir simulation, field development, and EOR specialist with Ad Terra and as advisor in reservoir management team for the Rumelia field (North Zubair formation) since 2023. He has also collaborated with Halliburton as a reviewer for ADNOC field-development quality assurance.

Dr. Soleimani also worked for Schlumberger from 2005 to 2013 as a Senior Reservoir Engineer and Scientist specializing in field development and EOR and for Total E&P in the UK from 2002 to 2004 as a Research Reservoir Engineer working on simulation for complex EOR methods in heavy oil and thermal recovery processes. He was a Research Fellow at the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign from 2000 to 2002. Early in his career, he held positions at Ranger Oil (UK) and Crescent Petroleum (UAE) between 1993 and 1994.

He earned an M.Eng. in Petroleum Engineering and a PhD in Chemical Engineering both from Imperial College London in 1995 and 1999, respectively. He also completed an MBA at Warwick Business School in 2021.

Dr. Oleksandr Chechotkin is a Chartered Engineer (UK) with over 40 years of international experience in the Oil & Gas, offshore and marine industries. He has led the development and execution of major offshore and onshore projects across the Middle East, Caspian Sea and CIS regions.

During his tenure in the Middle East with Dragon Oil (an ENOC company) and other companies, he managed complex EPC projects, field development programs planning and large-scale Engineering, Projects, Business Development and Abandonment & Decommissioning initiatives, coordinating multidisciplinary international teams and contractors in full compliance with international standards and stringent HSE requirements.

Dr. Chechotkin combines strong technical expertise with strategic project leadership across the full lifecycle from concept and FEED through construction, commissioning and start-up.

Dr. Oleksandr holds Master of Science degrees in Mechanical Engineering and a PhD in Hydromachinery, both from National Technical University “Kharkiv Polytechnic Institute”, Ukraine in 1978 and 1985, respectively.

Dr. Refaat Shulaiba has more than 25 years of experience in leading projects in engineering, technology and program management. His experience spans oil and gas, construction, IT, education, and health care, where he has managed complex projects and helped move strategic initiatives from planning into execution. In addition to his industry work, he has also contributed to doctoral education by mentoring Ph.D. students and supporting dissertation research. His academic involvement has included topics such as artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, project management, enterprise risk management, governance, leadership, and strategic planning. More recently, he has worked in the oil and gas sector, leading engineering and construction teams in demanding operating environments. He brings a combination of technical depth, leadership experience, and practical judgment to the work he does.

Dr. Shulaiba is a certified Project Management Professional and a certified Lean Six Sigma Black Belt. He holds a BSc in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Basra, Iraq (1987); MSc in computer and Information Technology from the University of Detroit-Mercy, Michigan, USA (1999) and a PhD degree in Management in Information Technology degree from Lawrence Technological University, Michigan, USA (2011).

Dr. Shahin Negahban is a reservoir engineering and energy technology expert with more than 30 years of international experience across the oil and gas industry, applied research, and academia. He has held senior leadership positions with Dragon Oil, ADNOC Onshore, BP, Amoco, and the University of Kansas, leading strategic initiatives in reservoir management, enhanced oil recovery (EOR), digital transformation, and AI-enabled subsurface technologies.

Throughout his career, Dr. Negahban has successfully designed and managed major field development, reservoir optimization, and EOR programs across North America, Europe, and the Middle East. He led ADNOC’s applied R&D strategy and the GCC’s first CO₂-EOR pilot and currently directed advanced subsurface technology programs for Dragon Oil, including AI-driven reservoir management, geomechanics, reservoir characterization, and production sustainability initiatives in Egypt and Iraq.

Beyond his industry accomplishments, Dr. Negahban has established a distinguished reputation in research and academia. As Research Director at the Petroleum Institute in Abu Dhabi and later Associate Professor and Director of R&D at the University of Kansas, he led major industry- and government-sponsored research programs in enhanced oil recovery, digital rock physics, subsurface monitoring, and artificial intelligence applications for reservoir management. His ability to bridge advanced research with field implementation has made him a recognized authority in reservoir technology, digital transformation, and recovery optimization. He holds a Ph.D. in Chemical and Petroleum Engineering from the University of Kansas and has authored numerous technical publications and conference papers on EOR, reservoir simulation and AI-enabled subsurface technologies.

Before joining VOST, Dr. Jalali served as Product Line Director, TGT Diagnostics, based in Dubai. He was responsible for the development of Reservoir and Flow Diagnostics solutions for TGT clients globally. Prior to his role at TGT, Dr. Jalali was the Reservoir Engineering Advisor at Schlumberger Oilfield Services (SLB), with postings in technology centers in Paris, Cambridge, Houston, Beijing, and Tokyo. His work spanned the development and introduction of technologies in Wireline and Testing, Completions, and Permanent Monitoring and Control systems. He was Assistant Professor of Petroleum Engineering at Stanford University before joining the industry.

Dr. Jalali holds BSc and MSc in Petroleum Engineering from the University of Tulsa in 1981 and 1983, respectively, and a PhD in Petroleum Engineering from the University of Southern California, USA (1987).

Dr. Zeiad Al-Hachami is a registered Professional Engineer (PE) and Project Management Professional (PMP with over 30 years of diversified experience in engineering, and project management/engineering with extensive experience in the Oil & Gas (offshore and onshore) and the Chemical industry, proficient with the stage/gate project management system. Dr. Al-Hachami worked extensively on brownfield project engineering and project management in the US and the Middle East and gained remarkable hands on experience on the design and construction of several multi disciplines engineering and construction projects from concept to close outs including project plan development, conceptual design, risk planning and risk assessment, design reviews, construction management, interface managements, and many other aspects of engineering and project management.

Dr. Al-Hachami holds Bachelor degree in Civil Engineering, Mosul University, Mosul City, Iraq (1988), Master degree in civil/Structural Engineering, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, USA (1995) and a PhD degree in Project Management (oil and gas project focused), University of Liverpool, UK (2022)

Mr. Ephraim Edo Ebodaghe is an accomplished executive with over 35 years of extensive international experience in the oil and gas industry across multiple regions. He is recognized for driving operational excellence and profitability across global markets via his strong managerial and leadership skills and his focus on results, team development and client relations. Mr. Ebodaghe’s multi-disciplinary expertise is across technical and support roles. He possesses a deep understanding of E&P operations, P&L oversight, HSE and Risk Management, Project Management, human capital management and development. He is reputed for ensuring that operational goals align with long-term commercial success

Prior to joining VOST, Mr. Ebodaghe was the Director of Procurement at the Dargon Oil HQ, where he managed large teams and budgets. Prior to that, the HSE Director, streamlining safety processes. He also held a double role as Afghanistan Country Manager, leading seismic surveys and liaising with government authorities. His previous roles included being Vice President & General Manager at Schlumberger in Turkmenistan, managing multiple business segments; Country Manager in Cameroon and Equatorial Guinea, overseeing operations and profitability; and regional support center leadership in Sub-Saharan Africa and Europe. His early career involved oilfield operations and engineering across Nigeria, Kazakhstan and worldwide seismic projects.

Mr. Ebodaghe holds a Bachelor degree in Physics / Surveying from Rivers State University of Science and Technology, Port Harcourt, Nigeria (1987).

Previously, Mr. Abboud served as the Artificial Lift Team Leader for ADNOC Onshore, where he established strategies and engineering standards for several "super-giant" oil reservoirs. His expertise spans the entire field lifecycle, integrating subsurface requirements with surface facilities, including power supply and distribution. This is backed by his early career experience in operating and maintaining extensive power generation and electrical grid systems.

With a proven track record of delivering executable strategies, he joined Intelligent Energy Solutions-UAE as the Artificial Lift Technical Manager. In this role, he provides consultancy on field development, ESP design and selection, and lifecycle optimization. Mr. Abboud is recognized for executing world-class ESP projects that achieve high well availability and optimized production costs. By integrating petroleum, process, and electrical engineering, he ensures robust, comprehensive strategies for long-term production.

Mr. Abboud holds a Bachelor of Engineering (Honors) in Power Systems from the University of Sheffield, UK (1980).

Mahmoud Vaziri is an Asset Integrity and Reliability Consultant with more than 35 years of experience in civil, onshore, and offshore structural engineering and asset integrity and reliability management. His career spans over 10 years in major UK North Sea projects, over a decade with ADMA‑OPCO (now ADNOC Offshore) and 16 years in senior leadership roles at Dragon Oil.

In Dragon Oil, he established the Asset Integrity Department, led offshore platform life‑extension programs, implemented Risk Based Inspection (RBI), Structural Integrity Management System (SIMS), Pipeline Integrity Management (PIMS), Corrosion Management System (CMS) and secured ISO 9001 and ISO 55001 certifications.

In 2025, Mahmoud founded APM Oil and Gas Consultancy, providing asset performance, integrity, and reliability services to operators and engineering firms.

He holds a BSc in Civil Engineering and an MSc in Ocean Engineering (Design of Offshore Platform) both from the University College London (UCL) in 1983 and 1985, respectively.

Ms. Naira A. Wakil brings over 30 years of experience in the oil and gas industry in both the United States and across the Middle East.

She most recently served as a Petrophysicist Advisor with Bapco Energy in Bahrain supporting field development activities within the reservoir development team. Prior to that, she worked with Occidental Petroleum (OXY) in Houston, TX, USA as a Senior Petrophysicist, where she supported assets in different regions. Ms. Naira has extensive expertise in petrophysical analysis and modelling, log interpretation for both conventional (carbonate and sandstone) and unconventional reservoirs, reservoir characterization and evaluation studies and workover identification and production optimization. She is also equipped with extensive experience in cased-hole log interpretation, including PLT, RST, and cement bond log evaluation, integration of core, log, and production data to improve reservoir understanding and support decision-making.

Naira holds a Bachelor of Science in Petroleum Engineering from the University of Baghdad (1984).

Mr. Akram Noreldin has more than 35 years of international experience in the oil and gas industry, specializing in asset evaluation, business growth, project development, capital project delivery, and operational excellence. His career has included leadership roles with major organizations such as BP, ADNOC Offshore, Dragon Oil, TechnipFMC, ENPPI, and SUCO, delivering strategic offshore and onshore developments across multiple regions.

Mr. Noureldin expertise covers project evaluation, asset management, mergers and acquisitions support, risk management, project governance, stakeholder alignment, and the execution of major capital investments. He has proven track record of successful contribution to mega projects serving as Program Manager responsible for supporting investment decisions, value creation, and sustainable business growth for both operators and contractors.

Mr. Noureldin holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Zagazig, Egypt (1987) and Post Graduate Diploma in Construction Project Management from Ain Shams University, Egypt (1992). He also holds a Master Certificate in Project Management from George Washington University and a Postgraduate Diploma in Managing Projects from the University of Manchester. Mr. Noureldin is a certified Project Manager Professional (PMP) from the PMI (Project Management Institute).

Mr. Ahmed Musa Al-Jarah is the Director of the "Sabit Center for Research and Scholarly Publishing” and faculty member in the Department of Petroleum Engineering at the University of Karbala. He boasts a distinguished career blending academic depth with robust administrative expertise. His professional journey includes key roles in the global industrial sector, notably as an engineer with the multinational company, Lafarge.

An active contributor to the global scientific community, Mr. Al-Jarah has published numerous peer-reviewed research papers in prestigious international journals and has been a featured speaker at various investment and scientific conferences both within Iraq and internationally. Driven by a passion for development, he has founded several progressive initiatives across multiple sectors and is currently supervising the establishment of the "Al-Warith City for Science and Innovation", which is considered one of the most important and promising projects in Iraq