Our Experts

Dr Mikel Morvan, is Technical Director of Enhanced Oil Recovery project at Solvay. In his current assignment he is responsible for setting and developing chemical EOR Research & Development program within Solvay and feed the innovation pipe-lines. He ensures coordination of global R&D activities on chemical EOR (Europe, USA, Asia).
Prior to this appointment, Mikel served as Director of Complex Fluids Laboratory (Bristol, New-Jersey, USA) a joint laboratory between Rhodia and the French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS). He obtained his PhD in chemistry from University of Paris VI in 1993 with specialization in physical-chemistry. His domain of expertise deals with soft condensed matter with a focus on polymer and surfactant science. He is author and co-author of more than 75 patents and papers dealing with colloids.

Max Chabert joined Solvay in 2008. Since then he has been involved in the design of chemical EOR solutions for wettability alteration and foam applications. He is currently heading the technical platform on foam EOR for Solvay in collaboration with The EOR Alliance partners. He has co-authored more than 10 technical papers related to fluid flow in porous media and EOR and holds 5 patents directly related to the topic. Max Chabert holds an MS in engineering from ESPCI (Paris) and a PhD in liquid physics from Paris 6 University.

David SORIN is Vice-President of EOR at Solvay, where he oversees technical, business and operational activities in EOR. As a member of the global leadership team of the EOR Alliance, he is jointly setting priorities for the Alliance, and is leading its development in several geographies. David Sorin has a multi-industry, international experience as a partner of Oliver Wyman, a global consulting firm, and as an operational manager in industrial companies. He holds an MSc in engineering from Ecole Centrale de Paris (1996).

Patrick Moreau is surfactant flooding lab manager at Solvay. He has been involved in surfactant and polymer formulations for 13 years. He has performed and managed several chemical EOR studies and is in charge of the EOR Alliance R&D program on surfactant-polymer flooding. Patrick has been involved in challenging SP projects including projects in hard brines, high temperatures or low permeability. Patrick holds a PhD in Physical chemistry from University of Bordeaux, and a MS in Fundamental Physics from University Paris XI.

Guillaume Degré joined Solvay in 2007 as a research engineer. He has been working on surfactant and polymer technologies for chemical EOR. His activities have been focused on the design as well as performance evaluation of EOR formulations using innovative screening tools (robotics and microfluidics) and also on the development of new surfactant chemistries. He has authored or co-authored 12 publications (7 on chemical EOR) and 6 patents. Since 2013, as a Senior Project Leader he is currently involved in several chemical EOR projects (mainly with National Oil Companies). He holds a PhD. in Physics (Univ. Paris VI) and a MSc. in Chemical Engineering (ESPCI, Paris).

Eric Delamaide, P.Eng. is a reservoir engineer, with 25 years of experience. He is currently General Manager of IFP Technologies (Canada) Inc. in Calgary as well as the Manager EOR, Americas for the EOR Alliance. He specializes in EOR and heavy oil. Eric has worked on projects (including 13 polymer floods) in 24 countries worldwide. Eric has a degree in chemical engineering from the School of Mines in Saint Etienne, and a masters in Petroleum Engineering from the IFP School, both in France. He has published over 40 papers on reservoir engineering and EOR and has served on multiple conference technical committees. He is an Associate Editor for the SPE Reservoir Engineering Journal and Editor for the SPE Journal and the Journal of Petroleum Science and Engineering. In 2014 he received an award for outstanding services as Technical Editor for SPE Reservoir Evaluation & Engineering.

David Rousseau joined IFP Energies nouvelles in 2003. Since more than 10 years, he has been working on: fundamentals aspects regarding the rheology of polymer melts and polymer gels ; development of water shut-off and conformance control technologies based on microgels and associative polymers ; formation damage modeling during produced water re-injection with and without chemical EOR additives ; polymer/associative polymer flooding studies with a focus on injectivity issues ; development and improvement of SP/ASP chemical EOR through core-scale laboratory assays and reservoir simulation. Within the EOR Alliance, he is project manager in charge of developing chemical EOR solutions for heavy oil recovery. He holds a Ph.D in Soft Matter Physics from the University of Strasbourg (France, 2002). He is a member of SPE, EAGE, ACS and the executive committee of the IEA EOR Joint Implementing Agreement.

René Tabary joined IFP Energies nouvelles in 1976. He has been working on Polymer Flooding, well treatment such as Conformance Control, Water Shutoff. He has been involved in Daqing and Pelican Lake, the two largest polymer flood in the world. His activity relates to upstream research, development of new methods and processes, field applications and on-site technical assistance. As project leader, he is now involved in the EOR integrated Offer (The Alliance) dedicated to the application of surfactant-based processes. He holds a four-year technical degree in Chemistry, Mathematics and Physics from The University of Paris.

Lahcen Nabzar joined IFPEN as a research Engineer in the Reservoir Engineering Direction, Petrophysics Department on July, 98.He is the project leader of several IFPEN’s projects addressing the issues of well productivity and injectivity improvement. These include applied research projects (industrial, collaborative and JIP projects) and fundamental research project as well. His main research area and expertise include oilfield water management, Formation damage and EOR including CO2-EOR and Foam-EOR. He authored and co-authored more than 50 peer reviewed papers and served as session chair, discussion leader and as organizing committee member at various international and national meetings: SPE ATW workshops on integrated water management (Langkawi 2010, Barcelona 2011 and Lisboa 2013), IFEPN EOR workshop (IFPEN, 2013) and IFPEN scientific meetings (Pore2Field, 2012 and Colloids, 2012). Lahcen Nabzar holds MS degree in Chemical Engineering from the “Ecole Nationale Supérieure des Industries Chimiques”, Nancy, France and a Ph.D in Polymer Physics from the University of Strasbourg, France.

Jean-François Argillier is project manager of impact of chemical EOR on water management. He is also IFP Energies nouvelles Expert in Colloids & Interface Sciences. His research focuses on colloidal systems and complex fluids in oil applications, in particular, surfactants, polymers, asphaltenes, emulsions, foams, scales, encountered in enhanced oil recovery, water management and heavy oil production.
Jean-Francois graduated from Ecole Supérieure de Physique et Chimie Industrielles de Paris (ESPCI) and holds a PhD from University Pierre et Marie Curie, Paris VI. (1989) in Chemical engineering (chemical EOR), followed by a postdoctoral position at the University of Minnesota (USA). He joined IFPEN in 1993. He has been in charge of several collaborative research projects in different thematics over the years, drilling fluids, formation damage, heavy oil production, scale formation, water management and enhanced oil recovery. Jean-Francois is member of SPE and ACS and serves in different organizing committees (SPE Forum, Petrophase, World emulsion conference…). He is author of many publications and patents on colloidal systems in oil production.

Christine Dalmazzone holds a phD in chemical engineering (physical chemistry of processes) from the University of Technology of Compiègne. She joined IFP Energies nouvelles in 1991 as a research engineer. She first worked in the Biotechnology Department on the treatment of oil spills by using surfactant formulations or bioremediation techniques. Since 1998, she joined the Department of Physical Chemistry of Complex Materials and Fluids and developed techniques and methodologies for the characterization of complex systems of industrial interest (crude oil emulsions, drilling fluids, gas hydrates in petroleum fluids, oil foams, catalyst supports, surfactant formulations for enhanced oil recovery …). She is a member of the SPE (Society of Petroleum Engineers) since 1998, Secretary and Treasurer of the AFCAT (French Association of Calorimetry and Thermal Analysis) since 2011. She also teaches in various engineering schools and is involved in training at IFP Training. She is expert at IFPEN since 2013 and project manager for chemical EOR processes since 2014.

Pierre-Yves CHENET has 35 years experience in the Exploration and Production business within IFPEN, Beicip-Franlab and numerous oil companies and institutions worldwide, as consultant, project manager and branch office General Manager. After being involved with the conception of 2D and 3D petroleum system modeling, he acted as project manager for exploration, economics , and reservoir characterization/modeling projects. Since 2012, he is V.P. for EOR business development and managed a complete P/SP chemical EOR feasibility study.
He is graduated from the Paris School of Mines and holds a PhD in Technical and Mining Sciences. He is a member of SPE, AAPG and SPE.

Martin LANTOINE is a senior reservoir engineer having a strong background in geology (MSc.). He joined Beicip-Franlab (IFP Group) in 2004 and his experience covers all type of fields, from specialized study to Field Development Plan and from data analysis and modelling to simulation.
Since early 2013, he is leading the EOR team composed of several reservoir engineers specialized in EOR, in the frame is in charge in charge of technological development for the EOR activities related to reservoir engineering.
Within the EOR Alliance he is project manager, as such has participated to several EOR studies (EOR screening, polymer floods, surfactant-polymer floods, foam, N2 injection, SAGD, heavy oil …)

Victor Alcobia is a Project Director & Senior Petroleum Engineer with in depth experience of reservoir management, reserves estimation & audit and numerical simulation of a number of major fields. He joined Beicip-Franlab as Senior Consultant in 2002.
He gained a broad expertise in petroleum engineering since graduation in 1976 (40 years) and benefits from a strong experience of assessing a wide variety of oil, gas and condensate fields. Fields have varied from those of the North Sea to those of Angola, Mexico, Brazil, Russia, Venezuela and Middle East. Victor has a large experience in EOR studies for light and heavy oils in the Middle East & Venezuela (CEOR & CO2). Victor Alcobia holds two MSc degrees, one in Mining (Angola, 1976) and another in Petroleum Engineering (France, 1984), and one MBA (France, 1989). He is a member of the SPE, the SPEE and the Portuguese Order of Engineers.

Thierry Le Maux is a senior reservoir engineer with nearly 20 years of experience. He obtained a MEng of Petroleum Engineering at Heriot-Watt University (Edinburgh – UK) in 1997. He joined Beicip-Franlab (IFP Group) in 2001 where he is now in charge of the operations and technology . He has participated as reservoir engineer and project manager to numerous integrated reservoir studies in the Middle East, North Africa and South America. He has also specialized in fractured reservoir studies (modeling, dynamic characterization and dual media simulation) and taught many courses around the world on these topics. Within the EOR Alliance he is project manager and as such has participated to several EOR studies among which the implementation of a single well chemical tracer test.

Erwan Perfetti is a senior reservoir engineer and project manager within the Structural Geology Fractured Reservoirs team (SGF) and is also specialized in chemical and CO2 EOR studies. He has strong experiences in PVT modelling, SCAL analysis and geochemistry gained during his doctorate and first experience as researcher with IFPEN. He has also a robust experience in laboratory corefloods dedicated to EOR. Within Beicip he is an active member of several integrated studies accounting for EOR projects and fractured reservoirs allowing him to acquire solid understanding of fundamentals of petroleum engineering and simulation studies.