CPG

Dr. Yuzhu Wang

Tel: + 966 (013) 860-2749

Location: Bldg. 76, Rm. 1249

Dr. Yuzhu Wang

Assistant Professor, Department of Petroleum Engineering

Dr. Wang is an Assistant professor in the Petroleum Engineering Department at KFUPM. His research interest focuses on multiscale reservoir characterization using machine learning.  His academic experience covers geology, geophysics, and petroleum engineering. Besides, Dr. Wang has four years’ work experience as an engineer in the SINOPEC, China.

Educational Qualification

  • Ph.D., Petroleum Engineering, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia, 2018
  • M.S., Geophysics, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, China, 2010
  • B.S., Geology, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, China, 2007

Research Interests

  • Digital Core Analysis
  • Multiscale Reservoir Modelling
  • Geostatistics

Selected Publications

  • Yuzhu Wang, Shuyu Sun, A rock fabric classification method based on the grey level co-occurrence matrix and the Gaussian mixture model, Jounal of Natural Gas Science and Engineering, 2022.
  • Yuzhu Wang, Abdulaziz Alzaben, Christoph H.Arns, Shuyu Sun. Image-based rock typing using local homogeneity filter and Chan-Vese model, Computers & Geosciences, 2021.
  • Yuzhu Wang, Shuyu Sun, Image-based rock typing using grain geometry features, Computers & Geosciences, 2021.
  • Yuzhu Wang, Shuyu Sun, Multiscale pore structure characterization based on SEM images, Fuel, 2021.
  • Yuzhu Wang, Christoph H Arns, Sheik S Rahman, Ji-Youn Arns. Porous Structure Reconstruction Using Convolutional Neural Networks, Mathematical geosciences, 2018.
  • Yuzhu Wang, Ji-Youn Arns, Sheikh S. Rahman, and Christoph H. Arns. Three-dimensional porous structure reconstruction based on structural local similarity via sparse representation on micro-computed-tomography images, Physical Review E, 2018.
  • Yuzhu Wang, Sheik S Rahman, Christoph H Arns. Super resolution reconstruction of -CT image of rock sample using neighbour embedding algorithm. Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and its Applications, 2018

Awards & Honors

  • Best paper Award 2018, Computers and Geosciences
Tel: + 966 (013) 860-8692

Location: Bldg. 76, Rm. 2213

Dr. Madhar Sahib Azad

Assistant Professor, Department of Petroleum Engineering

Dr. Madhar Sahib Azad joined CPG as a visiting assistant professor in Jan 2021. Prior to that, he worked as a post-doctoral research fellow in the petroleum engineering department at the University of Alberta for a period of around 2 years. During his Ph.D., he introduced a new capillary number and an injectivity model for polymer flooding applications. Between July 2009 to June 2011, he also worked in India for a UAE based drilling company. He has been serving as a technical editor for petroleum engineering journals such as SPE journal, journal of petroleum science and engineering, energy and fuel, ACS omega, etc.

Educational Qualification

  • Ph.D. in Petroleum Engineering from the University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada, Jan 2019.
  • M.S. in Petroleum Engineering from the King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, Dec 2014.
  • B. Tech in Petroleum Engineering from the RGCE, Chennai, Tamil Nadu India, May 2009 (First class with distinction)

Research Interests

  • Fundamental and applied aspects of EOR
  • Applied rheology for reservoir engineering applications
  • Unconventional oil recovery
  • Reservoir simulation
  • Pressure transient testing

Selected Publications

  • Azad, M.S and Trivedi, J.J. 2020. “Quantification of Sor reduction during viscoelastic polymer flooding using extensional capillary number” SPE Journal, 1-30, SPE 204212-PA.
  • Azad,M.S and Trivedi,J.J.2020.“Extensional effects during viscoelastic polymer flooding: Understanding the unresolved challenges” SPE Journal, 25(04): 1827-1841, SPE 201112-PA.
  • Azad,M.S and Trivedi,J.J.2020.“Does polymer’s viscoelasticity influence the heavy oil sweep efficiency and injectivity at 1ft/day?” SPE Reservoir Evaluation and Engineering Journal, 23 (02): 446-462, SPE 193771-PA.
  • Azad,M.S and Trivedi,J.J.2019.“Quantification of viscoelastic effects during polymer flooding: A critical review” SPE Journal, 24 (06): 2731-2757, SPE 195687-P
  • Azad, M.S and Trivedi, J.J.2019.“A novel viscoelastic model for predicting the synthetic polymer’s viscoelastic behavior in porous media using direct extensional rheological measurements” Fuel, 235: 218-226
Tel: +966 (013) 860-8946
Fax: +966 (013) 860-4447

Location: Bldg. 76, Rm. 2113-1

Dr. Ahmed Abdulhamid Ahmed Mahmoud

Assistant Professor, Department of Petroleum Engineering

Dr. Mahmoud is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Petroleum Engineering at KFUPM since September 2023. He was a Post-Doctoral researcher in the Department since September 2021, has an impressive academic and professional background. He previously worked as a Researcher in the Petroleum Engineering department from 2016 to 2020, during which he completed his Ph.D. Dr. Mahmoud has been an integral part of the Drilling Fluid and Oil-Well Cementing Research Team at the Department of Petroleum Engineering since 2016.

Before joining KFUPM, he contributed to the academic community by serving as a faculty member in the Petroleum and Natural Gas Engineering Department at the University of Khartoum from 2012 to 2015. In addition, Dr. Mahmoud shared his expertise as a part-time instructor at Estidama Training Centre, Sudan, from 2011 to 2013. Furthermore, in 2015, he served as a part-time instructor for the Petroleum Training Centre (PTC) in Sudan. During this period, he played a significant role in a team dedicated to the preparation, training of trainers, and conducting an in-depth qualitative evaluation of a 10-day advanced oil production optimization course.

Dr. Mahmoud’s contributions to the field are evident through his numerous publications in refereed journals and conferences. Furthermore, he currently serves as a peer-reviewer for several Q1 journals, underscoring his commitment to advancing the field of petroleum engineering. He has also recently achieved recognition as one of the top 2% scientists worldwide.

Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=q6kdJV0AAAAJ&hl=en
ResearchGate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Ahmed-Abdulhamid-Mahmoud

Educational Qualification

  • Ph.D., Petroleum Engineering, KFUPM, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, 2020
  • M.S., Petroleum Engineering, KFUPM, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, 2015
  • B.S., Petroleum Engineering, University of Khartoum, Sudan, 2011

Research Interests

  • Oil-Well Cementing
  • Application of Artificial Intelligence in Petroleum engineering
  • Wellbore Clean-up

Selected Publications

  • Mahmoud, A.A., Gamal, H. & Elkatatny, S. 2023. Evaluation of the wellbore drillability while horizontally drilling sandstone formations using combined regression analysis and machine learning models. Journal of Petroleum Exploration and Production Technology. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13202-023-01635-0.
  • Ali, A., Mahmoud, A.A., Al Ramadan, M., Elkatatny, S., 2023. The Effect of Olive Waste on the Rheological Properties, Thickening Time, Permeability, and Strength of Oil Well Cement. ACS Omega 8, 33, 30139–30144. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsomega.3c02621.
  • Al-Malki, M., Mahmoud, A.A.*, Elkatatny, S. 2023. Performance of the Hole Cleaning Factor in Predicting the Hole Cleaning Conditions in Vertical and Deviated Wells: Real Case Studies. Arab Journal of Science and Engineering. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13369-023-08042-x.
  • Al-AbdulJabbar, A., Mahmoud, A.A., Elkatatny, S., and Abughaban, M., 2022. Artificial neural networks-based correlation for evaluating the rate of penetration in a vertical carbonate formation for an entire oil field. Journal of Petroleum Science and Engineering 208, Part D; 109693. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.petrol.2021.109693.
  • Mahmoud, A.A., and Elkatatny, S., Al-Majed, A., and Al Ramadan, M., 2022. The Use of Graphite to Improve the Stability of Saudi Class G Oil-Well Cement against the Carbonation Process. ACS Omega 7 (7), 5764-5773. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsomega.1c05686.
  • Mahmoud, A.A., Elkatatny, S., Al-Abduljabbar, A., 2021. Application of Machine Learning Models for Real-Time Prediction of the Formation Lithology and Tops from the Drilling Parameters. Journal of Petroleum Science and Engineering 203, 108574. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.petrol.2021.108574.
  • Mahmoud, A.A., and Elkatatny, S., 2020. Improved durability of Saudi Class G oil-well cement sheath in CO2 rich environments using olive waste. Construction and Building Materials 262. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2020.120623.
  • Mahmoud, A.A., and Elkatatny, S., 2020. Improving Class G Cement Carbonation Resistance for Applications of Geologic Carbon Sequestration Using Synthetic Polypropylene Fiber. Journal of Natural Gas Science and Engineering 76, 103184. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jngse.2020.103184.

Extended Publications (+)

  • Mahmoud, A.A., Elzenary, M., and Elkatatny, S., 2020. New Hybrid Hole Cleaning Model for Vertical and Deviated Wells. Journal of Energy Resources Technology 142(3), 034501. https://doi.org/10.1115/1.4045169.
  • Mahmoud, A.A., Elkatatny, S., and Al-Shehri, D., 2020. Application of Machine Learning in Evaluation of the Static Young’s Modulus for Sandstone Formations. Sustainability 12(5). https://doi.org/10.3390/su12051880.
  • Siddig, O., Mahmoud, A.A., and Elkatatny, S., 2020. A review of different approaches for water-based drilling fluid filter cake removal. Journal of Petroleum Science and Engineering 192, 107346. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.petrol.2020.107346.
  • Mahmoud, A.A., and Elkatatny, S., 2019. Mitigating CO2 Reaction with Hydrated Oil Well Cement under Geologic Carbon Sequestration Using Nanoclay Particles. Journal of Natural Gas Science and Engineering 68, 102902. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jngse.2019.102902.
  • Mahmoud, A.A., Al-Hashim, H., 2019. Evaluating the integrity of clayey sandstone rocks flooded with high pH EDTA chelating agent solutions. Journal of Petroleum Science and Engineering 177, 614-623. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.petrol.2019.02.074.
  • Mahmoud, A.A., and Elkatatny, S., Chen, W., and Abdulraheem, A., 2019. Estimation of Oil Recovery Factor for Water Drive Sandy Reservoirs through Applications of Artificial Intelligence.  Energies 12(19), 3671. https://doi.org/10.3390/en12193671.
  • Mahmoud, A.A., Al-Hashim, H., 2018. Insight into the mechanism for oil recovery using EDTA chelating agent solutions from clayey sandstone rocks. Journal of Petroleum Science and Engineering 161, 625-635. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.petrol.2017.11.046.
  • Mahmoud, A.A., Elkatatny, S., Mahmoud, M., Abouelresh, M., Abdulraheem, A., Ali, A., 2017. Determination of the total organic carbon (TOC) based on conventional well logs using artificial neural network. International Journal of Coal Geology 179, 72–80. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.coal.2017.05.012. 

Awards & Honors

  • Second Place, Middle East and North Africa & South Asia and the Pacific SPE Regional Students Paper Contest, PhD Division, Online, 2021.
  • Best Student’s Project, Endogenous 2020, Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, 2020.
  • First Place, College of Petroleum and Geosciences Club Hackathon, Khobar, Saudi Arabia, November 2019.
  • First Place, Middle East and North Africa SPE Regional Students Paper Contest, PhD Division, Manama, Bahrain, 2019.
  • Third Place, SPWLA International Paper Contest, PhD Division, Texas, USA, 2019.
  • First Place, SPWLA Regional Paper Contest, PhD Division, Khobar, Saudi Arabia, 2019.
  • Schlumberger prize for the outstanding academic performance in the fifth year at petroleum engineering department, University of Khartoum, Sudan, 2011.
Tel: +966 (013) 860-8597

Location: Bldg. 76, Rm. 2113-1

Dr. Arshad Raza

Assistant Professor, Department of Petroleum Engineering

Dr. Arshad Raza joined as a faculty member at the College of Petroleum Engineering and Geosciences (CPG) of KFUPM in September 2023. Prior to this role, he worked for 2 years as a postdoctoral researcher at CPG, KFUPM, where his work focused on carbon mineralization, adsorption, and underground storage of gases. During his Ph.D. studies, he introduced an innovative modified Laplace Model for the estimation of residual CO2 saturation in depleted reservoirs using static reservoir data. With over a decade of experience in the field of Petroleum Engineering, he is skilled in both teaching and research. His specific research areas include carbon capture and storage, underground hydrogen production and storage, as well as reactive flow dynamics. Dr. Raza is also serving as editorial board member in Petroleum, KeAi Journal.

Google Scholar: ‪Arshad Raza – ‪Google Scholar

Educational Qualification

  • Ph.D., in Petroleum Engineering, Curtin University, Australia, 2017
  • M.S., in Petroleum Engineering, UET. Pakistan, 2012
  • B.S., in Petroleum Engineering, UET. Pakistan, 2009

Research Interests

  • Carbon Capture, Utilization and Storage (CCUS)
  • Subsurface Hydrogen Production and Storage
  • Rock Fracturing Techniques
  • Natural Hydrogen Media Assessment  

Selected Publications

  • Raza, A., Mahmoud, M., Arif, M., Alafnan, S. (2023). Underground hydrogen storage prospects in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Fuel, 2023
  • Raza, A., Mahmoud, M., Arif, M., Alafnan, S. (2023). Predictive power of theoretical adsorption models for gases (H2, CO2 and CH4) in overmature kerogen. Arabian Journal for Science and Engineering
  • Raza, A., Mahmoud, M., Murtaza, M., Arif, M., Hassan, A., Glatz, G., … & Al-Karnos, A. (2023). Experimental Investigation of Mafic Rocks for Carbon Mineralization Prospect. Energy & Fuels, 37(8), 5976-5985.
  • Raza, A., Glatz, G., Alafnan, S., Mahmoud, M., & Gholami, R. (2023). Depleted shale gas formations as naturally-occurring storage compartments for hydrogen: A molecular-level assessment. Fuel, 334, 126695.
  • Raza, A., Arif, M., Glatz, G., Mahmoud, M., Al Kobaisi, M., Alafnan, S., & Iglauer, S. (2022). A holistic overview of underground hydrogen storage: Influencing factors, current understanding, and outlook. Fuel, 330, 125636.
  • Raza, A., Alafnan, S., Glatz, G., Arif, M., Mahmoud, M., & Rezk, M. G. (2022). Hydrogen Diffusion in Organic-Rich Porous Media: Implications for Hydrogen Geo-storage. Energy & Fuels, 36(24), 15013-15022.
  • Glatz, G., Alafnan, S., Gholami, R., Raza, A., Mahmoud, M., Al-Azani, K., & Awotunde, A. (2022). Effect of kerogen maturity on the adsorption capacity of CO2 and CH4: A molecular investigation. Fuel, 327, 125188.
  •  

Extended Publications (+)

  • Raoof Gholami, Arshad Raza, Aadnøy, B., Rabiei, M., & Rasouli, V. 2021. Time-Dependent compaction of deep-water reservoirs: a study on the viscous behavior of unconsolidated sandstone. Journal of Natural Gas Science and Engineering, 103952, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jngse.2021.103952. Q1
  • Raoof Gholami., Arshad Raza, Pål Andersen, Alejandro Escalona, Nestor Cardozo, Dora Marín, Mohammad Sarmadivaleh, 2021, Long-Term Integrity of Shaly Seals in CO2 Geo-Sequestration Sites: An Experimental Study, International Journal of Greenhouse Gas Control, Elsevier. 109, 103370, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijggc.2021.103370. Q2
  • Gholami, R., Raza, A., Andersen, P., Escalona, A., Cardozo, N., Marín, D., & Sarmadivaleh, M. (2021). Long-term integrity of shaly seals in CO2 geo-sequestration sites: An experimental study. International Journal of Greenhouse Gas Control, 109, 103370.
  • Gholami, R., A. Raza and S. Iglauer (2021). “Leakage risk assessment of a CO2 storage site: A review.” Earth-Science Reviews: 103849. IF 12.413
  • Ismail, A., H. M. A. Rashid, R. Gholami and A. Raza (2021). “Characterization based machine learning modeling for the prediction of the rheological properties of water-based drilling mud: an experimental study on grass as an environmental friendly additive.” Journal of Petroleum Exploration and Production Technology: 1-19. IF 2.077
  • Gholami, R. and A. Raza (2022). “CO2 sequestration in sandstone reservoirs: How does reactive flow alter trapping mechanisms?” Fuel 324: 124781. IF 6.609
  • Bakhshian, S., A. Shariat and A. Raza (2022). “Assessment of CO2 storage potential in reservoirs with residual gas using deep learning.” Interpretation 10(3): SF37-SF46. 124781. IF 1.201
  • Glatz, G., Alafnan, S., Raza, A., & Mahmoud, M. (2022). Multicomponent gas adsorption behavior of kerogen: A molecular investigation. Energy & Fuels, 36(13), 6695-6710.
  • Saffou, E., Raza, A., Gholami, R., Aci, C., Donker, J. V. B., Salem, S., … & Manzi, M. S. (2022). Full‐scale simulation of a nearly depleted gas field in South Africa for carbon utilisation and storage. Greenhouse Gases: Science and Technology, 12(4), 486-507. IF 2.518 (2022).
  • Arif, M., Wülling, W., Adila, A. S., Raza, A., Mahmoud, M., & Iglauer, S. (2022). Shale Wettability and Influencing Factors: A Statistical Investigation. Energy & Fuels, 36(20), 12651-12662. IF 4.654 (2021)
  • Raza, A., & Kirmani, F. U. D. (2023). Numerical simulation of the reservoir and operational parameters to optimise steam flooding performance. International Journal of Oil, Gas and Coal Technology, 32(1), 24-47. IF, 0.82
  • Yu, T.; Gholami, R.; Raza, A.; Vorland, K. A. N.; Mahmoud, M. CO2 storage in chalks: What are we afraid of? International Journal of Greenhouse Gas Control 2023, 123, 103832 IF 4.4 (2022)

Awards & Honors

  • Best poster presentation award in 3rd Faculty of Engineering Postgraduate Research Colloquium, UNIMAS, Kuching, Malaysia, 2015
  • Presented Top Paper nominated by AAPG for 13th International Petroleum Technology Conference (IPTC) 23-25 March 2021 | Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
  • CSRI fully funded PhD Scholarship 2014-2018
  • Energy & Fuel Rising Star by American Chemical Society 2025
  • Highly Impact Paper Award 2023

Location: Bldg. 76, Rm. 1251

Dr. Kausar Sultan Shah

Assistant Professor, Department of Petroleum Engineering

Dr. Kausar Sultan Shah a distinguished expert in Mining Engineering, joined the College of Petroleum Engineering and Geosciences (CPG) at KFUPM in May 2026, bringing extensive expertise and a strong commitment to innovation and excellence in the field of mining engineering. Prior to joining KFUPM, he served at the National University of Sciences and Technology (NUST), Pakistan, where he contributed to teaching, research, and academic development in mining engineering, with particular emphasis on rock mechanics, remote sensing, mine safety, and surface mine design. Dr. Shah earned his Ph.D. in Mining Engineering, specializing in rock mechanics, from Universiti Sains Malaysia. His doctoral research focused on the effects of differential weathering on the macro- and micro-scale failure characteristics of sandstone in semi-arid regions. His broader research interests include rock mechanics, mine safety, predictive analytics in mining, mine accident analysis, and the modeling and optimization of surface mining operations.

With strong academic, research, and industry experience, including practical exposure to coal mining operations, Dr. Shah is dedicated to advancing innovative and sustainable solutions to complex mining and geotechnical challenges.

Educational Qualification

  • Ph.D., in Mining Engineering, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 2022
  • M.S., in Mining Engineering, UET Peshawar. Pakistan, 2017
  • B.S., in Mining Engineering, BUITEMS. Pakistan, 2013

Research Interests

  • Rock Mechanics
  • Surface Mining
  • Mine Safety
  • Remote sensing

Selected Publications

  • Munzareen, M., Bibi, F., Ihsan, S., Shah, K. S., & Emad, M. Z. (2025). Advanced CNN-based remote sensing for mineral mapping of porphyry systems in the Gilgit region. Mining of Mineral Deposits, 19(4). https://doi.org/10.33271/mining19.04.053
  • Junaid, M., Al-Atroush, M. E., Mahmood, S., Sultan Shah, K., & Ullah, A. (2025). Recent developments in unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) surveys for rock slope stability analysis—a review. Geocarto International, 40(1), 2519915. https://doi.org/10.1080/10106049.2025.2519915
  • Shah, K. S., Rehman, H. U., Shahani, N. M., Ullah, B., Abbas, N., Junaid, M., & Hashim, M. H. B. M. (2024). Towards safer mining environments: an in-depth review of predictive models for accidents. Arabian Journal of Geosciences, 17(11), 292. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12517-024-12090-4
  • Shah, K. S., Hashim, M. H. B. M., Rehman, H., & Ariffin, K. S. (2024). Effect of wet-dry cycling on the microstructure of various weathering grade sandstone. Applied Mechanics and Materials, 920, 183-187. https://doi.org/10.4028/p-103kzT
  • Shahani, N. M., Ullah, B., Shah, K. S., Hassan, F. U., Ali, R., Elkotb, M. A., … & Tag-Eldin, E. M. (2022). Predicting angle of internal friction and cohesion of rocks based on machine learning algorithms. Mathematics, 10(20), 3875. https://doi.org/10.3390/math10203875
  • Shah, K., & Ur Rehman, S. (2020). Modeling and Optimization of truck-shovel allocation to mining faces in cement quarry. Journal of Mining and Environment, 11(1), 21-30.
  • Shah, K. S., Hashim, M. H. B. M., Emad, M. Z., Ariffin, K. S. B., Junaid, M., & Khan, N. M. (2020). Effect of particle morphology on mechanical behavior of rock mass. Arabian Journal of Geosciences, 13(15), 708. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12517-020-05680-5
  • Jiskani, I. M., Ullah, B., Shah, K. S., Bacha, S., Shahani, N. M., Ali, M., … & Qureshi, A. R. (2019). Overcoming mine safety crisis in Pakistan: An appraisal. Process safety progress, 38(4), e12041. https://doi.org/10.1002/prs.12041

Awards & Honors

  • Fully funded scholarship for PhD studies (2018-2022)
  • UET Peshawar postgraduate scholarship
  • Badge of Honor in undergraduate studies
Tel: + 966 (013) 860-5845
Fax: + 966 (013) 860-4447

Location: Bldg. 76, Rm. 2119

Dr. Misfer Almarri

Assistant Professor, Department of Petroleum Engineering

Dr. Misfer Almarri joined KFUPM as an Assistant professor in August 2024. He worked as a Chief Operating officer at Advanced Energy Technologies for two years. He worked for several years at Saudi Aramco before that. In Saudi Aramco, He worked on several major reservoir management and Unconventional Resources projects. Dr. Misfer also spent several years in EXPEC ARC at Saudi Aramco working on various research projects. His research focuses on Hydraulic fracturing optimization, Geomechanics, well stimulation, and unconventional resources. He is actively involved in various social organizations and committees. Dr. Misfer filed several Patents and published numerous publications in refereed journals and conferences.

Educational Qualification

  • Ph.D., in Petroleum Engineering, Heriot Watt University, 2018
  • M.S., in Petroleum Engineering, Heriot Watt University, 2015
  • M.S., in Biomechanical Engineering, Southern Illinois University, 2012
  • B.S., in Mechanical Engineering, Southern Illinois University, 2010

Research Interests

  • Hydraulic fracturing optimization
  • Geomechanics
  • Well Stimulation
  • Unconventional Resources

Selected Publications

  • Almarri, M. (2020). Efficient History Matching of Thermally Induced Fractures Using Coupled Geomechanics and Reservoir Simulation. Energies, 13(11), 3001.
  • Almarri, M. (2021). Identification and characterization of Thermally Induced Fractures through integrated analytical and semi-analytical models. Journal of Petroleum Science and Engineering, 196, 107930.
  • Almarri, M. J., AlTammar, M. J., Alruwaili, K. M., & Fowler, G. (2022). Enhancing the Fracture Growth Uniformity of Perforation Clusters by Pre-injection of Cold Water. ACS omega, 8(1), 289-296.
  • Almarri, M. J., AlTammar, M. J., Alruwaili, K. M., & Zheng, S. (2022). Numerical feasibility of near-wellbore cooling as a novel method for reducing breakdown pressure in hydraulic fracturing. Journal of Natural Gas Science and Engineering, 102, 104549.

Location: Bldg. 76, Rm. 2143

Dr. Sami Alnuaim

Adjunct Faculty, Department of Petroleum Engineering

Dr. Sami Al Nuaim is the 2019 SPE President. He has been with Saudi Aramco for 35 years, where he has worked in reservoir engineering, production engineering, research and development, and at the upstream computer center, leading information technology support for all upstream operations, including drilling, production, reservoir engineering, and facility design. He has a long history of service to SPE and has won several local, regional, and international awards. Dr. Al Nuaim obtained BS and MS degrees from King Fahad University of Petroleum and Minerals, and a PhD degree from the University of Texas at Austin, all in petroleum engineering. He completed the Wharton Advanced Management Program at the University of Pennsylvania and the Advanced Asian Business and Culture Program at Pennsylvania State University. Dr Alnuaim has been teaching at KFUPM since 2007. His current research focus areas are Well Productivity/Performance, Intelligent Field and Smart Wells and Energy Sustainability including the Economic, Social and Environmental challenges. 

Educational Qualification

  • Ph.D., Petroleum Engineering – The University of Texas at Austin – 1995
Tel: +966 (013) 860-xxxx

Dr. Mohammad Sarim Jamal

Instructor, Department of Petroleum Engineering

Dr. Mohammad Sarim Jamal joined as an Instructor in the Department of Petroleum Engineering at CPG in 2024. Previously he worked as Post Doctoral researcher in the same department from 2020-2023 where his research focused on developing data-driven proxy models for transport in subsurface porous media. Dr. Jamal holds a Ph.D. in Petroleum Engineering from KFUPM, awarded in 2018. His doctoral research centered on the development of innovative numerical techniques aimed at significantly reducing simulation runtimes in Karst reservoirs. He has over a decade of experience in teaching and research.

Educational Qualification

  • Ph.D., Petroleum Engineering, King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals, K.S.A., 2018
  • M.S., Petroleum Engineering, Heriot-Watt University, U.K., 2012
  • B.Tech., Petrochemical Engineering, Aligarh Muslim University, India, 2010

Research Interests

  • Reservoir Simulation and Numerical Modeling
  • Fluid Flow and Transport in Porous Media
  • Groundwater Flow and Contaminant Transport
  • Reservoir Optimization Case Studies
  • Carbonate and Fractured Reservoirs

Selected Publications

  • Jamal, M. S., Awotunde, A. A., Al-Kobaisi, M. S., Al-Yousef, H. Y., Sadeed, A., & Patil, S. (2023). Interwell simulation model for the advection dispersion equation. Computers & Geosciences, 171, 105283. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.CAGEO.2022.105283
  • Jamal, M.S., Awotunde, A.A., Patil, S.. Management of saltwater intrusion in coastal karstic aquifers under geological uncertainties associated with shapes and locations of cave networks. J. Water Res. Planning and Management. doi: 10.1061/(ASCE)WR.1943-5452.0001603
  • Jamal, M. S. & Awotunde, A. A. Darcy model with optimized permeability distribution (DMOPD) approach for simulating two-phase flow in karst reservoirs. J. Pet. Explor. Prod. Technol. 12, 191–205 (2022).doi: 10.1007/s13202-021-01385-x
  • Asad, A., Awotunde, A.A., Jamal, M.S., Liao, Q., Abdulraheem, A., 2021. Simulation of wellbore erosion and sand transport in long horizontal wells producing gas at high velocities. J. Nat. Gas Sci. Eng. 89, 103890. doi:10.1016/j.jngse.2021.103890
  • Kalam, S., Olayiwola, T., Al-Rubaii, M.M., Amaechi, B.I., Jamal, M.S., Awotunde, A.A., 2020. Carbon dioxide sequestration in underground formations: review of experimental, modeling, and field studies. J. Pet. Explor. Prod. Technol. doi:10.1007/s13202-020-01028-7
  • Jamal, M.S., Awotunde, A.A., 2020. Darcy’s model with optimized permeability distribution for the simulation of stokes flow and contaminant transport in karst aquifers. Hydrogeol. J. 1–19. doi:10.1007/s10040-020-02124-y
  • Mohammed, I., Afagwu, C.C., Adjei, S., Kadafur, I.B., Jamal, M.S., Awotunde, A.A., 2020. A review on polymer, gas, surfactant and nanoparticle adsorption modeling in porous media. Oil Gas Sci. Technol. doi:10.2516/ogst/2020063
  • Jamal, M.S., Awotunde, A.A., Abdulraheem, A., Al-Yousef, H.Y., Al-Mouhamed, M.A., Fairag, F.A., 2019. Assessment of unsteady Brinkman’s model for flow in karst aquifers. Arab. J. Geosci. 12, 12. doi:10.1007/s12517-018-4160-8
  • Jamal, M.S., Awotunde, A.A., 2018. Full-field to sector modeling for efficient flow simulation in karst aquifers. J. Hydrol. 564, 682–696. doi:10.1016/J.JHYDROL.2018.07.028

Awards & Honors

  • Fully Funded Ph.D. scholarship at KFUPM (2014-2018)
  • Awarded with the University Merit Scholarship for being one of the top two students in the Petrochemical engineering department (2010)

Location: Bldg. 76, Rm. 2160

Dr. Changdi He

Post-Doc Researcher, Department of Petroleum Engineering

Educational Qualification

  • Ph.D., Mining Engineering, University of Utah, USA, 2022-2025
  • M.S., Civil Engineering, Central South University, China, 2015-2018
  • B.S., Civil Engineering, China University of Mining and Technology, China, 2011-201

Research Interests

  • Computational Mechanics of Brittle Materials
  • In-Situ X-Ray Micro-CT Scanning
  • Digital Image Processing
  • Numerical Simulation in Geomechanics
  • Deep Learning/Machine Learning in Geomechanics

Selected Publications

  • He, C., Wang, X., Shi, Q., Zhao, G., Li, W., & Mishra, B. (2025). 3D analysis of mineralogical and fracture features in granite and impact of biotite distribution on uniaxial compressive strength. Engineering Geology, 108279. doi:10.1016/j.enggeo.2025.108279
  • He, C., Sadeghpour, H., Shi, Y., Mishra, B., & Roshankhah, S. (2024). Mapping distribution of fractures and minerals in rock samples using Res-VGG-UNet and threshold segmentation methods. Computers and Geotechnics, 175, 106675. doi: 1016/j.compgeo.2024.106675
  • He, C., Mishra, B., Yuan, W., Wang, X., & Shi, Q. (2024). Investigation of the dynamic behavior and fracturing mechanism of granite. Fuel, 360, 130579. doi: 10.1016/j.fuel.2023.130579
  • He, C., Mishra, B., Shi, Q., Zhao, Y., Lin, D., & Wang, X. (2023). Correlations between mineral composition and mechanical properties of granite using digital image processing and discrete element method. International Journal of Mining Science and Technology, 33(8), 949-962. doi: 10.1016/j.ijmst.2023.06.003

Awards & Honors

  • Rio Tinto-Kennecott Graduate Scholarship, 2024
  • WAAIME Scholarship, 2023, 2024
Tel: + 966 (013) 860-1793
Fax: + 966 (013) 860-4447

Location: Bldg. 76, Rm. 2160

Dr. Abdulmalek Ahmed

Researcher, Department of Petroleum Engineering

Dr. Abdulmalek Ahmed joined KFUPM as a Post-doctoral researcher in the Petroleum Engineering Department in 2024. He previously worked as a research assistant in the same department from 2016 to 2023, during which he completed his master’s and Ph.D. He was a teaching assistant for some courses such as artificial intelligence in petroleum engineering, unconventional resources evaluation, drilling engineering, petroleum economics, drilling fluid, reservoir engineering, and well control. He worked at Baker Hughes Dhahran Research and Technology Center as an intern in 2015. Dr. Abdulmalek has more than 40 publications in peer-reviewed journals and international conferences. He is an active member of the SPE, ARMA, IADC, SPWLA, DGS, and SEG societies.

Educational Qualification

  • Ph.D., Petroleum Engineering, KFUPM, Saudi Arabia, 2023
  • M.S., Petroleum Engineering, KFUPM, Saudi Arabia, 2019
  • B.S., Petroleum Engineering, KFUPM, Saudi Arabia, 2016

Research Interests

  • Oil-Well Cementing
  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Lost Circulation
  • Rock Mechanics

Selected Publications

  • Ahmed, A., Elkatatny, S., (2023). Deep characterization of heavy-weighted oil well cement segregation by a novel nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) technique. Geoenergy Science and Engineering. 226, 211755. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geoen.2023.211755.
  • Ahmed, A., Mahmoud, A.A., Elkatatny, S., (2023). The effect of polypropylene fiber on the curing time of class G oil well cement and its mechanical, petrophysical, and elastic properties. Journal of Petroleum Exploration and Production Technology. Technol. 13, 1181–1196. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13202-022-01601-2.
  • Ahmed, A.; Elkatatny, S.; Ali, A.; Mahmoud, M.; & Abdulraheem, A. (2018). New Model for Pore Pressure Prediction While Drilling Using Artificial Neural Networks. Arabian Journal for Science and Engineering. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13369-018-3574-7.
  • Ahmed, A., Abdelaal, A., Elkatatny, S. (2022). Evaluation of hematite and Micromax-based cement systems for high- density well cementing, Journal of Petroleum Science and Engineering, doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.petrol.2022.111125.
  • Ahmed, A., Mahmoud, A. A., & Elkatatny, S. (2020). The Use of the Granite Waste Material as an Alternative for Silica Flour in Oil-Well Cementing. ACS Omega, 5(50), 32341-32348. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsomega.0c04261.
  • Ahmed, A., Elkatatny, S., Ali, A., Abughaban, M., & Abdulraheem, A. (2020). Application of Artificial Intelligence Techniques in Predicting the Lost Circulation Zones Using Drilling Sensors. Journal of Sensors, 2020, 1–18. https://doi.org/10.1155/2020/8851065.
  • Ahmed, A.; Mahmoud, A.A.; Elkatatny, S.; Chen, W. (2019). The Effect of Weighting Materials on Oil-Well Cement Properties While Drilling Deep Wells. Sustainability, 11, 6776. https://doi.org/10.3390/su11236776.B
  • Ahmed, A., Elkatatny, S., & Ali, A. (2020). Fracture Pressure Prediction Using Surface Drilling Parameters by Artificial Intelligence Techniques. Journal of Energy Resources Technology, 143(3): 03320. https://doi.org/10.1115/1.4049125.
  • Ahmed, A., Mahmoud, A.A., Elkatatny, S., (2023). The Combined Effect of Nanoclay Powder and Curing Time on The Properties of Class G Cement. Geofluids, vol. 2023, Article ID 7316335, 14 pages, 2023. https://doi.org/10.1155/2023/7316335
  • Ahmed, A., Mahmoud, A. A., Elkatatny, S., Mahmoud, M., & Abdulraheem, A. (2019). Prediction of Pore and Fracture Pressures Using Support Vector Machine. IPTC-19523-MS. Paper presented at the International Petroleum Technology Conference held in Beijing, China, 26-28 March 2019. https://doi.org/10.2523/IPTC-19523-MS.

Awards & Honors

  • Second Place, PhD Division, SPWLA International Students Paper Contest, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, May 2024.
  • Prestigious patent award, KFUPM, Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, May 2024.
  • NMR Award, PhD Division, SPWLA 65th Annual Symposium, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, May 2024.
  • Second Place, PhD Division, CPG Students Paper Contest, Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, January 2024.
  • Third Place, ARAMCO-KFUPM Datathon, Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, March 2019.
  • Second Honor Award, during undergraduate studies from KFUPM, Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, May 2016.
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