An externship provides Cullen College of Engineering students an opportunity to work on a significant, real world project at a company — to turn the knowledge they’ve gained in the classroom into a practical application.
Mohamed Sarhan earned his doctorate in Petroleum Engineering from Cullen and completed an externship program from June to August in 2024. We asked him about the experience, as well as what made him choose UH.
When it came your externship, what company did you do it with? Was that connection arranged for you by faculty and staff members, or did you and your group have some say in it as well?
I joined the UH externship program in summer 2024 (June–August). Together with my colleagues, Moaz Hiba and Mustapha Usman, we were assigned to a project offered by the Occidental Petroleum Corporation (OXY). The selection process typically requires from students to submit their resumes and fill out some questionnaires. Based on our background and qualifications, the program coordinators (Dr. Zeinab Zargar and Mr. Ed Behm) formed the groups and matched us with OXY’s project. So while the final assignment was coordinated by the program coordinators, we also had the chance to express interest in projects aligned with our expertise.
How was the experience for you? Was there a particular element that you found very valuable, or, challenging in a good way?
The experience was truly magnificent. The project topic itself — Modelling CO₂ sequestration in saline aquifers — was not only technically challenging but also highly relevant to the energy transition that the industry is currently embracing.
A few highlights stood out for me:
- On the technical level, gaining hands-on experience with tNav (which is one of the well-recognized commercial simulators in the industry) and applying it for modelling CO2 storage was a valuable choice to our group. The project allowed us to develop a deep understanding of both the physical and conceptual aspects of CO₂ storage, its importance from an environmental perspective, and the current challenges the industry faces in its practical implementation.
- At the same time, the externship was equally valuable for developing our soft skills: weekly follow-ups with a broader team including our UH faculty mentor (Dr. Zargar), our OXY mentor (Dr. Woody Keating), and other project members and presenting our findings at the end of the summer to the OXY technical team. They were impressed enough to invite us to present again to OXY’s upper executives, and taught our group how to communicate highly technical work in a clear, structured, and professional manner to senior-level industry experts.
- What made it even more rewarding is hearing later that the externship of this year (2025) was built upon the foundation of our work. The challenge of taking on a cutting-edge project, mastering new tools, and communicating our results at a high level was a truly a valuable part for our learning journey during the externship.
Have you been able to apply what you learned from the externship?
Yes, the externship has had a direct impact. From a technical side, I gained a solid understanding of reservoir simulation workflows using tNav. In fact, this helps me to expand my current research toward modelling underground hydrogen storage in saline aquifers. The externship gave me the confidence and skills to branch into this new direction. In addition, we are currently working on publishing a paper from our project outcomes in 2024, which is another way I am applying what I learned.
It looks like you enrolled at UH for your Ph.D. after earning your M.Sc. at Wyoming. What made UH an attractive option to you? Who were some of the people that were really important in your academic journey?
After completing my M.Sc. at the University of Wyoming, I enrolled at UH for my Ph.D. The decision was shaped by UH’s strong focus on energy research, its connection to the oil & gas industry in Houston, and its active role in emerging energy transition technologies like CCUS and hydrogen storage.
Throughout my academic journey, several people played an important role:
- Dr. Michael T. Myers and Dr. Lori A. Hathon, who have guided me as my Ph.D. advisors, providing steady mentorship and pushing me to grow as a researcher during both my Ph.D. and my postdoctoral fellowship.
- Dr. Mohamed Soliman, who supported me during my postdoctoral fellowship and helped broaden my professional outlook.
- Dr. Zeinab Zargar, who I learned from both as a teaching assistant and during the OXY externship. Her pieces of advice and encouragement helped me bridge the gap between academia and industry applications.
Alongside my professors, I also recognize the role of my peers, colleagues, and family members, who have supported and motivated me throughout this journey. Their combined influence has been essential in both my academic achievements and professional growth.
To read an overview of the externship program with Zeinab Zargar, the coordinator and mentor for the effort, click here!