Zoya Heidari
Professor
J. H. Herring Centennial Professorship in Petroleum Engineering
Research Areas
Drilling and Completions
Energy Storage Systems
Energy Education and Outreach
Formation Evaluation
Geologic Carbon Capture and Storage/Sequestration
Geothermal Energy
Hydraulic Fracturing and Reservoir Geomechanics
Integrated Reservoir Characterization
Natural Gas Production
Oil Production and Resources
Petrophysics and Pore Scale Processes
Unconventional Resources
Water (Environmental Impacts)
Educational Qualifications
PhD in Petroleum Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin, 2011
MSc in Biomechanical Engineering, Sharif University of Technology, 2007
BSc in Mechanical Engineering, Sharif University of Technology, 2005
PGE Courses
PGE 383: Formation Evaluation of Unconventional Reservoirs
PGE 385K: Advanced Multi-Well Formation Evaluation
PGE 358: Principles of Formation Evaluation
PGE337: Introduction to Geostatistics
PGE383: Rock Physics
PGE381L: Advanced Petrophysics
Research
Dr. Heidari’s research team develops new methods for reliable interpretation and integration of multi-scale (i.e., pore-scale, core-scale and well-log-scale) formation data measured in the laboratory or in the subsurface in challenging formations such as organic-rich mudrocks and carbonate formations. These new unconventional methods include (a) laboratory measurement techniques and (b) interpretation techniques to characterize unconventional rocks, where conventional methods often fail. Her team’s research outcomes improve evaluation of static and dynamic formation properties, which leads to enhanced reservoir characterization and production planning in both conventional and unconventional reservoirs.
Awards & Honors
2024 Lester C. Uren Award for Technical Excellence, Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE).
2023 International Formation Evaluation Award, Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE).
2021 SPWLA Distinguished Technical Achievement Award, Society of Petrophysicists and Well Log Analysts (SPWLA).
2020 SPWLA Young Professional Technical Award, Society of Petrophysicists and Well Log Analysts (SPWLA).
2019 UT PGE Departmental Faculty Award.
2019 SPE Distinguished Membership Award, Society of Petroleum Engineers.
2019 AIME Rossiter W. Raymond Memorial Award, Society of Petroleum Engineers and the American Institute of Mining, Metallurgical and Petroleum Engineers (AIME).
2019 EAGE Arie van Weelden Award, European Association of Geoscientists and Engineers.
2017 SPE Cedric K. Ferguson Medal.
2016 SPE Regional Formation Evaluation Award (Gulf Coast North America and Southwest North America Regions), Society of Petroleum Engineers.
2015 SPE Innovative Teaching Award, Society of Petroleum Engineers.
2014 TEES Select Young Faculty Fellows Award, College of Engineering, Texas A&M University.
2014 best paper poster award from the Society of Petrophysicists and Well Log Analysts (SPWLA).
2012 SPE Petroleum Engineering Junior Faculty Research Initiation Award, Society of Petroleum Engineers.
Highlighted Publications and Google Scholar
Jagadisan, A. and Heidari, Z. 2020. Effects of Thermal Maturity and Chemical Composition of Kerogen on its Dielectric Constant. Geophysics 85 (1): D53-D64. DOI: 10.1190/geo2018-0180.1.
Jagadisan, A. and Heidari, Z. 2020. Effect of Geochemical Properties on Wettability of Kerogen and Organic-rich Mudrocks. SPE Reservoir Evaluation & Engineering Journal, Formation Evaluation 3 (2): 758 – 771. DOI: 10.2118/199356-PA.
Newgord, C., Garcia, A. P., and Heidari, Z. 2020. Joint Interpretation of Electrical Resistivity and T2 NMR Measurements To Estimate Wettability and Water Saturation. SPE Reservoir Evaluation & Engineering Journal, Formation Evaluation 23 (2): 772 – 782. DOI: 10.2118/200499-PA.
Tandon, S. and Heidari, Z., 2019. Quantifying the Mechanisms Contributing to Nuclear-Magnetic-Resonance Surface Relaxation of Protons in Kerogen Pores of Organic-Rich Mudrocks. SPE Journal 24 (6): 2438 – 2457. DOI: 10.2118/197063-PA.
Jagadisan, A. and Heidari, Z. 2019. Experimental Quantification of the Impact of Thermal Maturity of Kerogen on its Wettability. SPE Reservoir Evaluation & Engineering Journal, Formation Evaluation 22 (4): 1323 – 1333. DOI: 10.2118/195684-PA.
Cheng, K. and Heidari, Z. 2019. A New Method for Quantifying Cation Exchange Capacity: Method Verification and Application to Organic-Rich Mudrock Formations. Applied Clay Science Journal 181. DOI: 10.1016/j.clay.2019.105229.
Cheng, K. and Heidari, Z. 2019. A New Experimental Multi-Physics Method for Quantifying Cation Exchange Capacity of Shaly-Sand Formations. Applied Clay Science Journal 171: 100 – 109. DOI: 10.1016/j.clay.2019.01.014.
Garcia, A. P. and Heidari, Z. 2018. Development of a Resistivity Model That Incorporates Quantitative Directional Connectivity and Tortuosity for Enhanced Assessment of Hydrocarbon Reserves. SPE Journal 23 (5): 1552 – 1565. DOI: 10.2118/181571-PA.
Garcia, A. P., Heidari, Z., and Rostami, A. 2018. A New Workflow for Improved Water-Saturation Assessment in Organic-Rich Mudrocks Honoring Rock Fabric. SPE Reservoir Evaluation & Engineering Journal, Formation Evaluation 21 (4): 837 – 849. DOI: 10.2118/194199-PA.
Cheng, K. and Heidari, Z. 2018. A New Method for Quantifying Cation Exchange Capacity in Clay Minerals. Applied Clay Science Journal 161: 444 – 455. DOI: 10.1016/j.clay.2018.05.006.
Purba, S. A., Garcia, A. P., and Heidari, Z. 2018. A New Hierarchical Method for Rock Classification Using Well-Log-Based Rock Fabric Quantification. Petrophysics 59 (5): 720–734. DOI:10.30632/PJV59N5-2018a10.
Newgord, C., Garcia, A. P., Rostami, A., and Heidari, Z. 2018. Improved Interpretation of Electrical Resistivity Measurements in Mixed-Wet Rocks: An Experimental Core-Scale Application and Model Verification. Petrophysics 59 (5): 703 – 718. DOI:10.30632/PJV59N5-2018a9
Garcia, A. P., Han, Y., and Heidari, Z. 2018. Integrated Workflow to Estimate Permeability through Quantification of Rock Fabric Using Joint Interpretation of Nuclear Magnetic Resonance and Electric Measurements. Petrophysics 59 (5): 672 – 693. DOI:10.30632/PJV59N5-2018a7.
Tandon, S. and Heidari, Z. 2018. Effect of Internal Magnetic-Field Gradients on Nuclear-Magnetic-Resonance Measurements and Nuclear-Magnetic-Resonance-Based Pore-Network Characterization. SPE Reservoir Evaluation & Engineering Journal, Formation Evaluation 21 (3): 609 – 625. DOI: 10.2118/181532-PA.
Jagadisan, A., Yang, A., Heidari, Z. 2017. Experimental Quantification of the Impact of Thermal Maturity on Kerogen Density. Petrophysics 58 (6): 603 – 612.
