Dr. Ahmed Abdelaal

Post-Doc Researcher, Department of Petroleum Engineering

Dr. Ahmed Abdelaal is a Postdoctoral Researcher in the Petroleum Engineering Department at King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals (KFUPM). He previously worked as a research and teaching assistant in the Petroleum Engineering Department at KFUPM from 2018 to 2023, during which he completed his Ph.D. and Ms. He has been an integral member of the Drilling Research Group at KFUPM since 2020. Before joining KFUPM, he served as a faculty member in the Petroleum Engineering Department at Suez University in Egypt from 2015 to 2018. His Ph.D. research focused on developing innovative non-Portland cement systems aimed at advancing the circular economy and reducing cementing costs, while his master’s work addressed challenges in CO2 foam enhanced oil recovery (EOR). His scholarly contributions are reflected in several publications in peer-reviewed journals and presentations at international conferences Furthermore, he currently serves as a peer reviewer for several Q1 & Q2 journals. In addition, he shares his expertise as a part-time instructor and subject matter expert (SME) for renowned drilling institutes.

Beyond his academic pursuits, Dr. Abdelaal was involved in many activities at KFUPM, at regional and international levels. He served as the chairman of the IADC student chapter at KFUPM after co-founding it in 2021. He also served in different officer positions in the SPE-KFUPM which received the Presidential Award in 2022 for the first time and Excellence Award in 2023. In addition, he was the team leader for the KFUPM SPE Petrobowl team which won multiple titles for 5 years. In 2023, he won 1st place in the international SPE paper contest (Ph.D. division) with his Ph.D. work in ATCE, USA after winning 1st place in the MENA regional SPE paper contest in GOTECH, Dubai. He also graduated from the Entrepreneurial Emerging Leaders Acceleration (EELA) Program at KFUPM EI in 2022.

Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=l5OAfuEAAAAJ&hl=en
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pmeahmed1/?trk=opento_sprofile_details

Educational Qualification

Ph.D., Petroleum Engineering, KFUPM, Saudi Arabia, 2023 (GPA: 4.0/4.0)
M.S., Petroleum Engineering, KFUPM, Saudi Arabia, 2019 (GPA: 3.93/4.0)
B.S., Petroleum Engineering, Suez University, Egypt, 2014 (Excellent with Honors)

Research Interests

Drilling Engineering & Automation
Geopolymer Technology
Sustainability in Upstream Industry
Machine Learning Applications in Petroleum Industry
Foam Applications in Petroleum Industry

Selected Publications

Abdelaal, A., Elkatatny, S., Abdel Fattah A. (2024). A Volcanic Tephra-Based Non-Portland Cement System for Well Cementing Sustainability, SPE Journal.
Abdelaal, A., Elkatatny, S., Abdel Fattah A. (2024). Perlite incorporation for sedimentation reduction and improved properties of high-density geopolymer cement for oil well cementing, Scientific Reports.
Mahmoud, A., Abdelaal, A., Adjei, S., Elkatatny, S. (2024). Foamed Cement Applications in Oil Industry Based on Field Experience: A Comprehensive Review. ACS Omega.
Abdelaal, A., Elkatatny, S. (2023). Mixed Micromax and hematite-based fly ash geopolymer for heavy-weight well cementing. Scientific Reports.
Abdelaal, A., Ibrahim, A., Elkatatny, S. (2023). A Data-Driven Framework for Real-time Rheological Properties Prediction of Flat Rheology Synthetic Oil-based Drilling Fluids. ACS OMEGA.
Abdelaal, A., Elkatatny, S., Abdel Fattah A. (2023). Development of Heavy-Weight Hematite-Based Geopolymer for Oil and Gas Well Cementing. ACS OMEGA.
Abdelaal, A., Elkatatny, S. (2023). Synergy of Retarders and Superplasticizers for Thickening Time Enhancement of Hematite Based Fly Ash Geopolymers. Geoenergy Science and Engineering.
Abdelaal, A., Gajbhiye, R., AlShehri, D., Mahmoud, M., Patil, S., Zhou, X. (2023). Improvement of supercritical carbon dioxide foam performance for EOR in sandstone reservoirs: An experimental and optimization study. Gas Science and Engineering.
Ahmed, A., Abdelaal, A., Elkatatny, S. (2023). Evaluation of Hematite and Micromax-Based Cement Systems for High- Density Well Cementing. Journal of Petroleum Science and Engineering.
Abdelaal, A., Elkatatny, S., Abdulraheem, A. (2022). Real-time prediction of formation pressure gradient while drilling. Scientific Reports.
Abdelaal, A., Aljawad, M., Alyousef, Z., Almajid, M. (2021). A review of foam-based fracturing fluids applications: From lab studies to field implementations. Journal of Natural Gas Science and Engineering.
Abdelaal, A., Gajbhiye, R., AlShehri, D. (2020). Mixed CO₂/N₂ Foam for EOR as a Novel Solution for Supercritical CO2 Foam Challenges in Sandstone Reservoirs. ACS Omega

Awards & Honors