Torres-Verdín

Carlos Torres-Verdín

Year of Induction
2023

Dr. Torres-Verdín currently holds the Brian James Jennings Memorial Endowed Chair in Petroleum and Geosystems Engineering and the Zarrow Centennial Professorship in Petroleum Engineering, at the University of Texas at Austin Hildebrand Department of Petroleum and Geosystems Engineering.

Carlos Torres-Verdín completed his B.Sc. degree in Engineering Geophysics at the National Polytechnic Institute of Mexico. He holds a Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering from The University of Texas at Austin (1985), and a Ph.D. degree in Engineering Geoscience from the University of California, Berkeley (1991). From 1982 to 1983 he worked for the Mexican Petroleum Institute as Development Engineer. From 1991 to 1997 he worked as Research Scientist for Schlumberger-Doll Research in Ridgefield, Connecticut, USA. From 1997 to 1999 he held the positions of Reservoir Specialist and Product Champion (Special Projects) while working for the Vice Presidency of Engineering and Technology of the oil company YPF S.A., in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Since August 1999 he has been with the Department of Petroleum and Geosystems Engineering of The University of Texas at Austin, where he currently holds the position of Full Professor. He teaches undergraduate and graduate courses on well logging, formation evaluation, integrated reservoir characterization, nonlinear optimization, inverse theory, and computer programming.

Dr. Torres-Verdín is founder and director of the Joint Industry Research Consortium on Formation Evaluation of the Center for Petroleum and Geosystems Engineering. His research work has been sponsored by the US Department of Energy, US National Science Foundation, AkerBP, American Chemical Society, Afren, Anadarko, Apache, Aramco, Baker-Hughes, BG, BHP Billiton, BP, Chevron, ConocoPhillips, COSL, DEA, ENI, ExxonMobil, Halliburton, Hess, INPEX, Lundin, Maersk, Marathon Oil Company, Mexican Institute for Petroleum, Nexen, Oil Search Alaska, ONGC, OXY, Paradigm, Petrobras, PTT Exploration and Production, Repsol, RWE, Schlumberger, Shell, Statoil, Southwestern, TOTAL, Weatherford, Wintershall, and Woodside Petroleum Limited.

He has published more than 202 articles in refereed technical journals, over 235 articles in international conferences, and two book chapters. Dr. Torres-Verdín is co-author of 5 US patents. He has served as invited editor for Radio Science, as associate editor for the Journal of Electromagnetic Waves and Applications, and technical editor for SPE Journal (Society of Petroleum Engineers), and Petrophysics (published by the Society of Petrophysicists and Well Log

Analysts), and is currently associate editor for Geophysics (Society of Exploration Geophysicists, SEG), Interpretation (SEG), and member of the editorial board of the periodical The Leading Edge (published by the SEG).

Awards & Honors:

  • 2020 Virgil Kauffman Gold Medal, Society of Exploration Geophysicists (SEG), for an outstanding contribution to the advancement of the science of geophysical exploration as manifested during the previous five years, presented at the International Exposition and 90th Annual Meeting, Houston, Texas, October 11-16.
  • Anthony F. Lucas Gold Medal, Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE), for distinguished achievement in the identification and development of new technology and concepts that will enhance the process of finding or producing petroleum, presented at the SPE’s 2019 Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition (ATCE), Calgary, Alberta, Canada, September 30-October 2.
  • 2018 Texas Ten, annual list of the 10 most inspiring UT Austin professors, nominated by alumni and selected by the Alcalde magazine (published by the Texas Exes).
  • Elected Corresponding Member of the Academy of Engineering of Mexico (AEM) for “outstanding contributions to science and engineering in the US and the World.” June 2017.
  • Honorary Membership, Society of Exploration Geophysicists (SEG), presented at the International Exposition and 87th Annual Meeting, Houston, Texas, September 24-29, 2017.
  • 2017 Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company Award for Excellence in Engineering Teaching, Cockrell School of Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin.
  • 2017 Conrad Schlumberger Award, European Association of Geoscientists and Engineers (EAGE), in recognition of outstanding contributions to borehole geophysics, formation evaluation, petrophysics, rock physics and well-logging, presented at the EAGE’s 79th Conference and Exhibition, Paris, France, June 12-15, 2017.
  • 2015 Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE) Distinguished Membership, presented at the SPE’s 2015 Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition, Houston, TX, September 28-30.
  • Gold Medal for Technical Achievement Award, Society of Petrophysicists and Well Log Analysts (SPWLA), presented at the SPWLA’s 55th Annual Logging Symposium in Abu Dhabi, UAE on May 19, 2014.
  • 2008 Formation Evaluation Award, Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE), presented at the SPE’s 2008 Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition, Denver, CO, September 21-24.
  • 2006 Distinguished Technical Achievement Award, Society of Petrophysicists and Well Log Analysts (SPWLA), presented at the SPWLA’s 47th Ann. Logging Symposium in Veracruz, Mexico on June 6, 2006.
  • Designated “Outstanding Faculty” in the Department of Petroleum and Geosystems Engineering, and awarded the Faculty Appreciation Award by the UT Student Engineering
  • Council of The University of Texas at Austin, March 2, 2010. This award, voted on by students, is given out to one professor in each engineering department.
  • Engineering Foundation Award, College of Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin, September 21, 2001.
  • Departmental Teaching Award, Department of Petroleum and Geosystems Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin, April 29, 2002.