About this Training Course
Hydraulic fracturing has revolutionized oil and gas production by unlocking large reserves that were once uneconomical or technically inaccessible. Over the past 70 year, and especially during the last two decades, this technology has evolved from a basic stimulation service into a sophisticated engineering discipline, backed by extensive research, diagnostics, and operational refinement.
This five-day training course is designed to assimilate the collective learning from fracturing millions of wells, particularly from the U.S. shale revolution, and extend its application to both unconventional and conventional reservoirs globally. The course places special emphasis on fracture design, reservoir integration, and the many advances made through diagnostics—such as proximity wells, fracture coring, and microseismic mapping—that have radically transformed our understanding of fracture geometry, containment, and effectiveness.
Participants will learn how to design and execute fracturing treatments based on modern concepts of fracture complexity, in-situ stress behavior, and geomechanical interactions, while still retaining the ability to perform quick, spreadsheet-based crosschecks using classic tools such as Prats, Holditch, and empirical charts.
Hydraulic fracturing is not only a tool for tight reservoirs, but also a critical lever in high- and moderate-permeability reservoirs for reservoir management, sand control, damage mitigation, and even geothermal applications. This course will illustrate how to apply the right strategy in each case and how to economically justify stimulation through NPV optimization.
Environmental concerns such as groundwater contamination and induced seismicity will be addressed with data and science, empowering participants to separate myth from reality and engage with confidence in technical or regulatory discussions.
The course is delivered in a clear, engaging, and interactive format—combining technical presentations, design exercises, case studies, group quizzes, and practical “fracturing on paper” sessions that simulate full treatment design from concept to execution.
By the end of this course, participants will be able to:
- Critically evaluate, design, and supervise hydraulic fracture treatments for a variety of reservoir types.
- Master quick, spreadsheet-based fracture designs using classical references alongside modern software tools such as GOHFER. A comparison of benefits and limitations of different software will enable participants to choose the right software for their application.
- Understand the geomechanical principles that control fracture propagation, height growth, and asymmetry.
- Apply stimulation concepts to low- and high-permeability reservoirs, sandstones, and carbonates alike.
- Use insights from fracture diagnostics—including pressure analysis, microseismic, fibre optics, and fracture coring—to validate and calibrate designs.
- Perform economic evaluations of different fracturing scenarios, optimizing for maximum NPV.
- Understand environmental and regulatory considerations in fracturing projects.
- Participate confidently in planning and execution teams, making informed decisions about design choices, fluids, proppants, and well spacing.
This course is ideal for:
- Fracture design engineers and stimulation specialists
- Petroleum engineers tasked with improving well performance through stimulation
- Asset managers seeking to enhance project economics and reserves through fracturing
- Government and regulatory professionals who wish to gain in-depth technical knowledge of hydraulic fracturing to inform decision-making
There are no prerequisites. The course is designed to take participants from the fundamentals to the latest advances in technology, making it suitable for both new engineers and experienced professionals seeking a technical refresh.
- Basic
- Intermediate
This course combines technical presentations with real-world case studies, design exercises, and group quizzes to reinforce key concepts. The course is structured to promote hands-on learning, critical thinking, and active participation, making it suitable for both in-person and potentially virtual formats depending on the setup.
Your expert course instructor is a recognized industry professional with 38 years of experience at senior technical and management positions with international organizations. His worldwide experience includes 20 years with Schlumberger, 4 years with ENI, 6 years with PETRONAS, and 6.5 years with Baker Hughes GE as Production and Reservoir Discipline Head.
His expertise includes development of tight/shale gas, Coal-Bed Methane (CBM), hydraulic fracturing, EOR / IOR, smart wells, and new technologies employed in oilfield. He has managed several multi-billion-dollar high profile projects, has managed large asset teams for field development and reservoir management, and was a technical authority in international joint ventures. He has taught well testing and reservoir engineering courses to MS class under Herriot Watt affiliation for two semesters.
In one of his career highlights, he saved nearly $500 million to the joint venture partners after a brief analysis of production data. He has a blend of experience of developing and applying latest technologies from two major service companies and field development / management experience from two international operating companies.
With a Masters in Nuclear Engineering, he is well versed with different forms of energy including hydrocarbon, geothermal, coal, and nuclear. Teaching, mentoring, motivating people, managing projects, and maximizing fluid recovery from oil and gas reservoirs are some of his passions other than playing tennis and agriculture farming.
Key Areas of Expertise:
- Improving reserves and production from existing fields using Improved Oil Recovery (IOR) and Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR) techniques. Authored a book chapter on Recovery and Production improvement.
- Development of shale gas, shale oil, tight gas, and CBM. Co-authored an SPE paper on best practices for shale gas development.
- Geomechanical studies for drilling optimization, hydraulic fracturing, and sand control.
- Development and implementation of a project assurance review and audit system that resulted in major improvement in project quality, reduced costs, and higher recoveries. Currently provides assurance review as independent consultant. Assurance Review of subsurface projects by experts is a proven method to ensure quality, identify gaps in the projects, proactively identify and mitigate risks, and maximize return on investment.
- Competency development of upstream professionals using SPE standards.
- Taught multiple MSc courses in Herriot Watt University and nearly 20 industry courses on pressure and rate transient analysis, reservoir engineering, hydraulic fracturing, production optimization, IOR / EOR, and advanced fluid and rock properties.
- Represented an operating company and oilfield service company in two major industry consortiums – Kappa Unconventional Reservoir Consortium and Stimlab Proppant Consortium.
Unlock the potential of your workforce with customized in-house training programs designed specifically for the energy sector. Our tailored, in-house courses not only enhance employee skills and engagement but also offer significant cost savings by eliminating travel expenses. Invest in your team’s success and achieve specific outcomes aligned with your organization’s goals through our expert training solutions. Request for further information regarding our on-site or in-house training opportunities.
In our ongoing commitment to sustainability and environmental responsibility, we will no longer providing hard copy training materials. Instead, all training content and resources will be delivered in digital format. Inspired by the oil and energy industry’s best practices, we are leveraging on digital technologies to reduce waste, lower our carbon emissions, ensuring our training content is always up-to-date and accessible. Click here to learn more.
To further optimise your learning experience from our courses, we also offer individualized “One to One” coaching support for 2 hours post training. We can help improve your competence in your chosen area of interest, based on your learning needs and available hours. This is a great opportunity to improve your capability and confidence in a particular area of expertise. It will be delivered over a secure video conference call by one of our senior trainers. They will work with you to create a tailor-made coaching program that will help you achieve your goals faster.
Request for further information post training support and fees applicable
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