EMPLOYEE SPOTLIGHT: REZA GHASEMI

Dr. Reza Ghasemi’s career is distinguished by a strong foundation in both engineering principles and applied research. He holds an undergraduate degree in Electrical Engineering from Isfahan University of Technology and a PhD in Petroleum Engineering from Texas A&M University

Remarkably, SRT had already begun developing a GPU-native reservoir simulator without a reservoir engineer on staff, that changed when Reza joined the team!

Emily: You have been working for Stone Ridge Technology for a decade! How did it all begin?

Reza: I joined SRT to support Marathon Oil onsite at their offices, as they were our largest client at the time. My role was based in Houston, home to many major energy companies, and I often represented SRT during meetings and introductory sessions with prospective clients, especially before the company brought on its first Sales Director. In my first few years at SRT, I was immersed in a true start-up environment, the team was small, and there was always a wide range of tasks and challenges to tackle.

At the time, ECHELON was still in its early stages and I was testing it on real-world models at Marathon Oil, in collaboration with their team of reservoir engineers. Their consistent feedback played a pivotal role in shaping the simulator’s development. Unconventional reservoirs were seen as the low-hanging fruit for ECHELON (requiring a fast, efficient engine without the need for overly complex features).

Emily: What are 3 standout moments for you during your tenure so far?

Reza: 1. The Eni Partnership – A Turning Point for ECHELON

One of the most significant milestones during my time at SRT was the partnership with Eni in 2018. Not only did it provide crucial financial support for the company, but it also brought another stream of focused development goals for the ECHELON simulator. The collaboration helped sharpen the direction of ECHELON, allowing the team to work closely with Eni engineers on enhancements that, again, like at Marathon, had immediate, real-world impact and allowed us to expand into the conventional oil and gas domain.

2. Support AND Development

Just prior to the Eni deal, after three busy years of working in-house with Marathon Oil, I had the opportunity to dive deeper into ECHELON’s codebase with the help of other early hires at SRT, namely, Rajesh Gandham and Karthik Mukundakrishnan. Given the nature of support work, unpredictable bursts of activity followed by quieter periods, I saw an opportunity for my personal career growth, learning the ECHELON code was a valuable part of my development, this was a turning point in becoming even more embedded in the company’s long-term mission.

3. Qatar – Personal and Professional Growth

Relocating to Qatar has been a transformative and deeply rewarding chapter in my life. Over the past year, my wife and I prepared to welcome our first child, whilst settling into a new country. Like any international move, it came with its share of logistics; paperwork, permits, and plenty of preparation, but the experience has been overwhelmingly positive. Our son was born in Doha in November 2024, and we’ve been warmly embraced by the vibrant community here. Qatar has quickly become a wonderful home for our family.

Now based full-time at QatarEnergy for Stone Ridge Technology, I have re-immersed myself in customer support. With over 150 highly skilled reservoir engineers on staff, many using simulation tools, my initial focus was on listening, learning their workflows, and understanding the history of their models in what I’d call a “focusing-in phase.” The level of expertise and collaboration within the QatarEnergy team is truly impressive and has made this process both productive and inspiring. As ECHELON’s adoption has expanded across the organization, so has my involvement. Today, I’m in constant communication with users, supporting a growing number of queries as the simulator is applied to increasingly complex, real-world asset models.

Emily: When you work in-house for a company, such as in your current position for SRT within the QatarEnergy offices, how does the working environment differ from your home office/SRT office?

Reza: Human interaction can’t be replaced. Working in-house isn’t just about answering technical questions or troubleshooting issues, it is about building strong, trusting relationships. When you are physically present, you connect with people on a deeper level. That trust makes it easier to navigate challenges together, especially when working on complex models.

Soft skills are essential, especially in a collaborative, client-facing environment. However, It is amazing how much can be achieved online. Sometimes, screen sharing is actually more effective than having someone looking over your shoulder!

A hybrid working model is ideal. It allows me the right amount of face time with clients like QatarEnergy, while still staying closely connected with the wider SRT team across the globe—in Dubai, Milan, and at HQ in Maryland. Hybrid working also makes it easier to manage time zone differences. It gives me the best of both worlds.

Emily: To close our spotlight interview... You graduated with a PhD in Petroleum Engineering. What advice would you offer to Petroleum Engineering Graduates today?

Reza: Be open to learning new things.

There is so much importance in having a strong foundation in your chosen specialty, but go beyond that. You need to know your major, but surround that expertise with complementary skills such as coding, scripting, or data analysis.

With AI and other modern tools more accessible than ever, the barrier to learning new skills has never been lower. AI can help you work more efficiently, and it can also help you learn faster. By broadening your skillset, you not only become more effective, you make yourself stand out.