Mr. Paul Button

Petroleum Engineer | Reservoir Engineering Specialist

Experienced Petroleum Engineer with expertise in reservoir engineering, enhanced oil recovery (EOR), reservoir simulation, and production optimization. Proven leader in developing conventional and unconventional reserves, designing innovative completion strategies, and delivering high-value economic outcomes.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Sr. Vice President, Resource Development, 2019–2025
Poplar Resources, Billings, MT

  • Designed and implemented gas oil gravity drainage project at Poplar Dome, driving EOR planning, implementation, and performance monitoring. Built field wide geologic and simulation model.
  • Supervised field operations, including field manager, rigs, roustabout crews and pumping staff.

Chief Technology Officer, 2021–2025
TerraStor Energy Corporation, Butte, MT

  • Lead geologic evaluations for Compressed Air Energy Storage (CAES) sites, integrating reservoir analysis with grid connectivity assessments.
  • Designed cavern for Compressed Air Energy Storage (CAES)

Consulting Reservoir Engineer, 2016–2025
Button Petroleum Management, Billings, MT

  • Performed sensitivity analysis on Carbon storage project to determine variation in Co2 plume size.
  • Delivered field valuations and recovery forecasts for conventional and unconventional assets.
  • Designed waterflood development plans for numerous Minnelusa fields. Determining unitization area and forecasting ultimate recovery
  • Conducted Bakken/Three Forks spacing study. Reviewed multiple spacing tests and well performance to determine most economic development scenario for each reservoir in the client’s subject land position.
  • Conducted EOR feasibility studies, including CO2 requirements, and simulation projects.
  • Provided expert witness testimony for Braaten Law Firm on CCS projects and Water Disposal projects.

Senior Reservoir Engineer, 2005–2016
SM Energy, Billings, MT

  • Led Wyoming asset team, developing unconventional Niobrara, Frontier, and Codell plays with innovative long-lateral completions (+9,000’ laterals).
  • Spearheaded $300M Powder River Basin acquisition with stacked play potential, identifying key play drivers and optimizing depletion plans and maximizing net asset value.
  • Evaluated EOR potential in Tensleep fields, determining technical feasibility of miscible CO2 injection.
  • Optimized Elm Coulee Field recovery through spacing, wellbore design, and completion design innovations.

Reservoir Engineer, 2003–2005
Kinder Morgan, Midland, TX

  • Enhanced Yates field recovery by selecting 40 horizontal well locations, improving reserve forecasts and economic outcomes.
  • Assessed CO2 injection, Surfactant and Thermal EOR projects, securing Texas EOR Severance Tax benefits.

Reservoir Engineer, 1998–2003
Marathon Oil Company, Midland, TX

  • Improved Yates field Double Displacement Process via reservoir simulation, boosting oil mobilization and enhanced asset value.
  • Recommended termination of 60 MMCFD nitrogen injection, optimizing reservoir pressure and economics. Resulted in $25MM improvement in asset value.
  • Evaluated immiscible CO2 project through compositional modeling, confirming 25M barrels of probable reserves through compositional modeling.
  • Developed low-cost completion methods, published in SPE, and presented internationally.

EDUCATION

B.S. Petroleum Engineering
Montana Tech of the University of Montana, Butte, MT, December 1997

SPECIAL SKILLS

Reservoir Simulation | Rate Transient Analysis | Aries | PHDWin | Spotfire | Excel | PowerPoint