DAVID R. HOFFMAN
______________________________________________________________________________
OBJECTIVE: Geological Consultant
SUMMARY:
Geoscience specialist with extensive, current training and practical experience in geologic interpretation, reservoir characterization, 3D reservoir modeling and simulation, field development, petrophysics, reservoir characterization, data management, exploration, and project management at supervisory, mentor, and team member levels. Diverse international and domestic exploration and exploitation background, with an emphasis on multidisciplinary team-oriented, integrated solutions. Areas of technical specialization include reservoir characterization, reserves assessment, 3D modeling and visualization, geotechnical data management methodology and applications, petrophysics, log analysis, GIS applications, risk analysis, and geostatistics. Extensive experience in training, mentoring, and development of geoscience staff, including preparation and delivery of training classes at introductory and advanced levels. Prior teaching experience (adjunct faculty) at the community college level (1999-2005).
TECHNICAL PROFILE:
• PC Software Expertise – Petrel, GoCAD, ArcView, Spotfire, Crystal Reports, MS-Office (Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Access,
Visio, Project, Outlook, and FrontPage).
• Workstation Software Expertise – SIS (Eclipse), Landmark (Landmark Suite Applications, OpenWorks, DecisionSpace,
OpenWells), GeoGraphix, Neuralog, ArcView.
• Operating Systems and Platforms – MS-DOS, Windows, Unix/Linux.
• Languages and Data Models – Python, VBA, Visual BASIC, JavaScript, VBScript, Oracle SQL, MS- SQL+, PPDM, POSC.
SELECTED ACCOMPLISHMENTS:
Reservoir Characterization and 3D Earth Modeling
• Developed static geomodels for 11 producing reservoirs in Bahrain field, including full-field, sector, and other custom
models for simulation, reserves, and operations. Developed specialized solutions for thermal modeling of fractured
carbonates using an Effective Fracture Network (EFN) technique, and numerous Petrel workflows for reservoir
characterization, property modeling, fracture modeling, and simulation support.
• Constructed geological- and simulation-scale 3D static reservoir models using Petrel and Gocad in California (Elk Hills and
Long Beach), Qatar, and Argentina. Implemented 3D geomodeling efforts in Argentina with the construction of numerous
full-field, sector, and pilot-area geomodels to support dynamic reservoir simulation projects and drilling operations.
• Provided geological support and coordination for Occidental’s North American modeling and reservoir simulation efforts,
resulting in better simulation models, reduced cycle time, and improved reservoir characterization.
• Developed data integration and loading tools to support geoscientists and engineers in the effective application of
petrotechnical data for reservoir characterization and simulation applications resulting in $250M savings in consulting and
development costs.
• Coordinated installation and implementation of $250K petrophysical evaluation software package (Schlumberger).
Coordinated design and development of tools to link stratigraphic database information with application software, resulting
in more efficient and accurate formation evaluation.
Geotechnical Data Management
• Designed and implemented corporate strategies and workflow procedures for the capture, standardization, storage and
integration of geologic formation tops data, directional drilling data, well locations, drilling and testing data resulting in
improved data accuracy and utilization. Created numerous cost-effective solutions for legacy data migration, database
normalization, reserves simulation, risk analysis, data management and reporting, thermal modeling, economic evaluation,
gas ratio analysis, and structural analysis eliminating costly commercial applications.
• Planned, implemented, and supervised an integrated, inter-departmental data management project using both PC- and
UNIX-based, graphical user interface (GUI) application (FINDER®) with an annual budget of $1MM and a staff of 3
expatriate and 6 Indonesian programmers and technicians. Resulting data management system integrated all Maxus
Southeast Sumatra geological, geophysical, and engineering data, and improved data utilization by 60%.
• Developed various PC and handheld-based petrophysical and mapping software applications to support office, field, and
wellsite geologists and allow rapid integration of data to enterprise database. Created numerous data integration and
migration applications and procedures to solve application integration problems not available from commercial software
vendors.
Field Development and Asset Appraisal
• Provided technical oversight, mentoring, and training for $200MM+ Argentina drilling program (180 development
wells/year, 25 exploration wells/year), implemented improved workflows and technical applications, and established
strategic focus for production geoscience asset evaluation teams. Proposed and drilled 12 exploration/field appraisal wells
with 100% success.
• Monitored exploration & appraisal drilling in Southern Bolivia; integrated new data and reinterpreted field geometry and
reserves resulting in 4-fold increase in reserves and reduction of ARCO's corporate finding costs from >$3/bbl to less than
$1/bbl in 1999.
• Supervised 9 Indonesian geologists and 1 technician, responsible for $65MM annual development drilling budget,
conducted special stratigraphic mapping studies, reserves estimates, post-drilling evaluations, and petrophysical
interpretations for Nilam Field, East Kalimantan.
• Re-evaluated stratigraphic mapping, petrophysical interpretations, and reserves assessment in the Farida-Zelda-Titi field
area of offshore Sumatra, resulting in a $25MM recommendation for platform installation and drilling of eight development
wells.
• Project Technical Advisor and Geological Advisor, Anschutz Ranch East equity determination project. Successfully
negotiated an equity re-determination resulting in an 8% increase in Amoco's working interest in a giant overthrust gas
field (Anschutz Ranch East), and performed computer-assisted structural evaluations to optimize Nitrogen injection
programs
Project Management, Mentoring, and Staff Development
• Chief Geologist (Occidental Oil and Gas): Responsible for staff development, technical assurance, reserves reviews,
training, industry consortia participation, recruiting for worldwide geoscience staff. Developed and delivered multiple
technical training classes in uncertainty analysis, Petrel modeling methods, and data management.
• Head of Subsurface Studies (Bahrain): Supervising geological modeling, reservoir simulation, and technical data
management and integration. Responsible for maintaining and upgrading static geological models, developing simulation
scenarios, and coordinating technicians responsible for all Subsurface Department geotechnical data and related document
management. Through automation and integration, achieved significant improvements in data management and simulation
to support drilling of over 800 development wells in 6 years.
• Supervised 3 log analysts and 2 technicians in a 1-year project involving complete log editing, normalization, and
petrophysical re-evaluation of 300+ development wells resulting in a 10% increase in proven gas reserves for a 10 TCF
asset.
• Supervised 10 geologists and 2 technical assistants responsible for development operations in Alaska (North Slope and
Cook Inlet operations), California Offshore, San Juan Basin (conventional & coalbed methane), and various parts of
Nevada, Utah, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington. Coordinated $10MM Federal OCS acreage evaluation/bid package and
monitored $12MM offshore drilling program.
• Supervised 4 geologists conducting Williston Basin drilling operations, acreage acquisition, and farm out evaluations.
Created database application to monitor acreage position and 5-rig drilling operation ($20MM drilling budget). Successfully
negotiated limited partnership funding with Apache and Snyder Oil Company on 600,000 acre North Dakota leasehold.
General Exploration and Reserves Evaluation
• Conducted detailed technical reviews of geological interpretations and models used to support reserves and volumetric
estimates; introduced various methodologies for incorporating uncertainty in volume estimates; acted as company liaison
with external and internal reserve audit teams.
• Responsible for oversight of successful Argentina exploration program, including prospect generation and appraisal
development. Generated 8 exploration prospects, supervised generation of additional 32 prospects. Drilling results added
10-15 MMBOE proven reserves with only 4 dry or non-commercial wells.
• Responsible for regional stratigraphic studies, independent prospect generation, supervision and training of Indonesian
exploration staff, and regional projects in the southern Kutai Basin. Conducted field work, developed prospects, and
completed economic evaluation of lease blocks as part of possible PSC extension in East Kalimantan. Recommended and
obtained approval for 3 exploratory drilling prospects.
• Developed stratigraphic and digital well log database of 700+ wells for the Williston Basin in late 1970’s; utilized computer-
aided lithofacies mapping and discriminate analysis studies to support acreage acquisitions and recommendations for 3
exploration well locations.
BUSINESS EXPERIENCE:
President, David Hoffman and Associates, LLC 2020 – Present Occidental Petroleum, Domestic and International Locations 2017 – 2020 Chief Geologist, Occidental Oil and Gas Worldwide 2016 – 2017 Worldwide Engineering Group: Project Support Qatar, Oman, UAE, & Colombia 2015 – 2016 Head of Subsurface Studies Team (Tatweer Petroleum – Seconded) 2009 – 2015 Geomodeling Specialist, Occidental of Bahrain (Tatweer Petroleum – Seconded) 2006 – 2009 Manager of Geology, Occidental Argentina (Buenos Aires) 2005 – 2006 Production Geosciences Regional Coordinator, North American Assets 2004 – 2005 Senior Geological Advisor, Waterflood RMT (Elk Hills) 2001 – 2004 Senior Geological Advisor, Reservoir Modeling & Simulation Team (Elk Hills) Saudi Aramco, Dhahran, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia 2000 – 2001 Geological Specialist, Exploration Technology Department ARCO Latin America, Plano, Texas 1998 – 2000 Staff Exploration Geologist, Western Venezuela and Southern Bolivia 1997 – 1998 Staff Geologist, Exploration Systems Support Group. Maxus Energy/YPF, Dallas, Texas and Jakarta, Indonesia 1996 – 1997 Senior Exploration Advisor, Data Management & Reservoir Characterization 1993 – 1996 Manager, Technical Database Project, Offshore Southeast Sumatra Virginia Indonesia Co., Jakarta, Indonesia (Formerly Roy M. Huffington, Inc.) 1985 – 1993 Senior Staff Exploitation Geologist (1992) Senior Staff Petrophysicist (1990) Senior Staff Geologist, Exploration & Development (1985) Amoco Production Company, Denver, Colorado 1975 – 1985 Staff Geologist (1984) Project Geologist (1980) Petroleum Geologist (1978) Geologist (1975)
TEACHING EXPERIENCE:
Bakersfield College, Bakersfield, California 2002-2005 Adjunct Faculty, Physical Sciences Dallas Community College (El Centro Campus), Dallas, Texas Fall 1999 Adjunct Faculty, Geology
EDUCATION:
M.Sc. - Geology, San Diego State University, San Diego, California (1975) University of California, Berkeley (Graduate Studies 1972-1973) Oregon State University, Corvallis (Geology Field Camp 1972) B.A. - Geology, Sonoma State University, Rohnert Park, California (1972)
PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS:
American Association of Petroleum Geologists (Since 1972) AAPG Certified Petroleum Geologist #2972SELECTED PUBLICATIONS:
Hoffman, David R., 2002, Effective Database Design for Geoscience Professionals: Houston, PennWell Publications, 263 p. __________, 2013, Petrel Workflow for Adjusting Geomodel Properties for Simulation: Society of Petroleum Engineers, SPE-164420-MS, MEOS2013 Bahrain. __________, and S. Shebani, 2016, Multi-Application Technical Database Integration Using Vendor-Independent Solutions: AAPG 12th Middle East Geosciences Conference and Exhibition, Bahrain. Maili, Eduard, D. Hoffman, and F. Al-Tawash, 2013, Framework Model Building in Highly Complex Structures Using Multi-Azimuth 3D Seismic Data: Case History from Bahrain Field: Society of Petroleum Engineers, SPE-164428-MS, MEOS2013 Bahrain. Complete list of published technical articles and abstracts available on request.