A Cullen College of Engineering professor and department chairman is one of two recipients of one of the highest awards given by the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE).
Mohamed Soliman, William C. Miller endowed chair holder and Chairman of the Petroleum Engineering Department, was recognized as a 2023 Legend of Hydraulic Fracturing at the SPE Hydraulic Fracturing Technology Conference and Exhibition, an annual event held in the Woodlands. John Lee, a professor and the DVG Endowed Chair at Texas A&M University, was also honored this year.
The award dates back to 2013, and to date only 10 other researchers have been recognized as Legends of Hydraulic Fracturing by the SPE fracturing community. Soliman is the only UH professor to receive this prestigious award.
Soliman and Lee were interviewed as part of the technology conference. They also participated in an SPE webinar in late February.
Soliman attributed much of his success to blending an academia focus with industry-oriented approach, which is something he still stresses to his students.
“I have always interacted with people with field experience, and I myself have excellent field experience,” he said. “I always tried to marry what I learn from my own and others field experience with theory and research work. That's what I always used in research and in teaching, as well as in supervising students doing research.”
“I've directed many Ph.D. and master's degree students as well as undergraduates that did research in hydraulic fracturing. I have fantastic students that are producing great work. We try to be directive for academic production, building new technology that can be used in the industry, not just in academia.”
Soliman earned his doctorate from Stanford University in 1979. He has authored or co-authored more than 250 papers, and he holds 40 U.S. patents.
Soliman joined the Cullen College of Engineering as department chairman in 2016, after holding a similar position at Texas Tech and 32-year career at Halliburton. His recent work at UH features his research team investigating test analysis of hydraulic fracturing and the area of plasma stimulation and fracturing as a method of waterless stimulation of reservoirs.