Delivering solutions worldwide
The people of StrataGen have proven that no challenge is too great.
StrataGen consultants provide world-class capabilities that help our clients succeed. StrataGen team members are recognized as industry leaders in virtually every aspect of reservoir stimulation.
Integral to success of many notable accomplishments
- The world record for proppant pumped in a single well—13.1 million pounds in the North Sea Chalk. This well was one of 100 propped fracture treatments in horizontal wells.
- The first large-scale offshore platform-based propped fracturing campaign in Malaysia involving 20 wells and 79 fracture treatments in the Malaysia gas sands.
- The first successful propped fracture treatment campaign in Japan. The deep volcanic rock formation presented an extremely difficult propped fracturing environment; before StrataGen was brought in, two prior treatments had failed. StrataGen’s design, evaluation and on-site supervision of six stages led to post-fracture production that was 160% of the target rate.
Unmatched expertise in unconventional and tight gas field developments
- The integration of fracture modeling and diagnostics in Northern Mexico in order to optimize fracture designs and well placement, and to identify the need for re-fracs.
- Optimizing fracture treatment design and evaluating infill drilling strategies—involving reservoir modeling, pressure transient analysis (PTA) and fracture modeling—in a shallow gas project in Canada.
- In the gas sands of West Texas, StrataGen consultants conducted infill drilling and fracture engineering studies involving 1,000 wells.
- In East Texas, StratGen developed waterfrac technology that has been integral to the industry’s successful development of gas sands.
With U.S. offices in Houston, Denver (Co.) and Bakersfield (Ca.), and international offices in the Netherlands and Russia, StrataGen can responsively serve clients anywhere in the world.
HOUSTON
Lyle V. Lehman
Principal Project Manager, Special Projects
Lyle Lehman has been principally involved in tight gas stimulation throughout his 35+ year career which has taken him from West Texas to the U.S. Mid-Continent and Latin America. Lyle has written more than 12 papers on various aspects of stimulation including rock mechanics, frac fluids, conductivity and economics surrounding decision making in stimulation design and field development. Lyle has six patents with several patents pending all in the area of stimulation. He has principally worked as a consultant throughout his career but was the product manager for stimulation for Halliburton and was drilling and completions practice manager for Landmark. Lyle earned a BS in chemistry (qualified program) from the University of Oklahoma. He is currently involved in managing projects and business development for StrataGen.
Lyle V. Lehman
Principal Project Manager, Special Projects
Lyle Lehman has been principally involved in tight gas stimulation throughout his 35+ year career which has taken him from West Texas to the U.S. Mid-Continent and Latin America. Lyle has written more than 12 papers on various aspects of stimulation including rock mechanics, frac fluids, conductivity and economics surrounding decision making in stimulation design and field development. Lyle has six patents with several patents pending all in the area of stimulation. He has principally worked as a consultant throughout his career but was the product manager for stimulation for Halliburton and was drilling and completions practice manager for Landmark. Lyle earned a BS in chemistry (qualified program) from the University of Oklahoma. He is currently involved in managing projects and business development for StrataGen.
Bob Shelley, PE
Director of Engineering and Competitive Analysis
Bob Shelley has written numerous SPE papers and articles and secured several patents. He advises StrataGen on new and innovative applications for stimulation technology, leads high-profile consulting projects, participates in industry conferences and workshops and identifies opportunities to create value for clients. With more than 30 years in the industry, he has established a specialty in well field evaluation of low permeability and shale reservoirs. Bob’s background as a solution developer and completion and frac engineer has provided him with a keen understanding of the entire E&P workflow from reservoir evaluation through well completion, stimulation and production. For the past 15 years, Bob has focused on developing field evaluation methodologies with extensive project work for independent, international and national oil companies in North America, Latin America, Australia, the Far East and the Middle East. Before joining StrataGen this year, Bob was senior advisor to Halliburton’s Consulting and Asset Solutions product service line.
Koras Shah
Reservoir Engineer
Koras Shah earned a bachelor's degree with distinction in chemical engineering from the Government Engineering College at Gandhinagar, India, and a MS in petroleum engineering from the University of Missouri at Rolla, where he focused on managing the reservoir aspect of oil & gas wells. He conducted research in the application of boundary element method in reservoir simulation under Dr. Numbere.
Randy Andress
Principal Engineering Consultant
Randy Andress is responsible for reservoir engineering, fracture design and analysis as well as project management at StrataGen Engineering. Before joining StrataGen in 2008, Randy had logged more than 20 years in the industry, developing a breadth of experience through various jobs including field service manager, technical representative, and regional engineer with companies such as BJ Services, Conoco (Lobo Business Unit) and Total E&P USA. He has experience with simulation and analysis software, downhole tools and hardware, coiled tubing fracturing technologies, cementing technologies and completion and workover procedures, as they apply in various formations. He earned his BS in petroleum engineering at Texas A&M University.
Bob Shelley has written numerous SPE papers and articles and secured several patents. He advises StrataGen on new and innovative applications for stimulation technology, leads high-profile consulting projects, participates in industry conferences and workshops and identifies opportunities to create value for clients. With more than 30 years in the industry, he has established a specialty in well field evaluation of low permeability and shale reservoirs. Bob’s background as a solution developer and completion and frac engineer has provided him with a keen understanding of the entire E&P workflow from reservoir evaluation through well completion, stimulation and production. For the past 15 years, Bob has focused on developing field evaluation methodologies with extensive project work for independent, international and national oil companies in North America, Latin America, Australia, the Far East and the Middle East. Before joining StrataGen this year, Bob was senior advisor to Halliburton’s Consulting and Asset Solutions product service line.
Koras Shah
Reservoir Engineer
Koras Shah earned a bachelor's degree with distinction in chemical engineering from the Government Engineering College at Gandhinagar, India, and a MS in petroleum engineering from the University of Missouri at Rolla, where he focused on managing the reservoir aspect of oil & gas wells. He conducted research in the application of boundary element method in reservoir simulation under Dr. Numbere.
Randy Andress
Principal Engineering Consultant
Randy Andress is responsible for reservoir engineering, fracture design and analysis as well as project management at StrataGen Engineering. Before joining StrataGen in 2008, Randy had logged more than 20 years in the industry, developing a breadth of experience through various jobs including field service manager, technical representative, and regional engineer with companies such as BJ Services, Conoco (Lobo Business Unit) and Total E&P USA. He has experience with simulation and analysis software, downhole tools and hardware, coiled tubing fracturing technologies, cementing technologies and completion and workover procedures, as they apply in various formations. He earned his BS in petroleum engineering at Texas A&M University.
Nijat Guliyev
Basin Reservoir and Completions Leader - Bakken
Basin Reservoir and Completions Leader - Bakken
Nijat Guliyev is a native of Azerbaijan who speaks four languages: Azeri, Russian, English and Turkish. He earned his Masters degree at Azerbaijan State Oil Academy in 2004, where he specialized in engineer economics. Nijat started his career with Halliburton Eurasia in 2003 where he specialized in coiled tubing operations, sand control and fracturing. He joined StrataGen in 2007 in Moscow where he provides fracture engineering services – field frac job supervision, onsite and post-job analysis, and reporting, organizing and arranging sales. He is currently the Bakken Reservoir and Completions leader.
Wadhah Al-Tailji
Basin Reservoir and Completions Leader - Eagle Ford
Before joining the StrataGen team in 2010, Wadhah Al-Tailji gained five years of experience working for BJ Services as a field engineer and region engineer, primarily in the tight gas fields of East Texas, with recent exposure to the Haynesville Shale boom in East Texas and Northwest Louisiana. He is currently the Eagle Ford Reservoir and Completions leader. Wadhah holds B.S. and M.S. degrees in Petroleum Engineering from the New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology.
DALLAS
Billy Peters
Field Service Manager
Field Service Manager
Billy Peters has more than 13 years experience in the oil and gas industry, including Texas, Oklahoma, Mississippi, Alabama, North Louisiana and some parts of southern California, encompassing the high temperature/high pressure treatments as well as energized fluids. Formation experience includes tight sandstone, limestone and unconventional shale. His experience encompasses fracture mapping, engineering consulting, and all aspects of hydraulic fracturing and cementing. He comes to StrataGen from GMX Resources, where he was Chief Completions Engineer. He earned his BS in natural gas engineering at Texas A&M, and has pursued continued education since then.
Lon Settle
Technical Lead and Regional Consultant Engineer
Technical Lead and Regional Consultant Engineer
Lon joined StrataGen in 2006 as staff engineer, and is now the Texas/Mid-Continent engineering manager. Lon has experience in a wide range of stimulation and cementing applications, including HTHP environments in South Texas and the Barnett shale in North Texas. He has designed and supervised fracture treatments in reservoirs with temperatures up to 400°F and pressures up to 15,000 psi that require state-of-the-art, cross-linked fluid systems, high-strength proppants, and the most advanced stimulation equipment. Lon has also designed and supervised large volume, high-rate “water-frac” treatments in unconventional reservoirs and foam fracs in shallow, under-pressured reservoirs. Lon’s expertise includes detailed fracture modeling analyses, “real-time” fracture engineering, onsite frac QC and supervision and the application of fracture mapping data to improve stimulation designs and completion strategies. Prior to joining StrataGen, Lon worked for BJ Services for seven years. He graduated in 1998 with a BS in chemical engineering from the Colorado School of Mines.
BAKERSFIELD, CA
William (Bill) Minner
California Engineering Manager
In 1995, Bill joined StrataGen and opened the Bakersfield office, making the transition from a hydraulic fracturing advisor for Unocal to a consulting engineering role. Bill has assisted with the design, execution and analysis of hydraulic fracture treatments in diverse oilfield environments around the world. In California, he is recognized for his practical expertise and experience in nearly all formations fractured on the west coast.
SAN ANTONIO, TX
Jason A. Torres
Regional Consultant Engineer
Jason is the lead consultant for the South Texas region, managing the frac consultants in the Eagle Ford Shale. He is also charged with growing StrataGen’s customer base in the South Texas region. Jason has oil and gas industry experience in fracture stimulation, cementing, microseismic and consulting service lines in conventional and unconventional reservoirs. He graduated in 2004 with a BS in mechanical engineering from the University of Texas at San Antonio.
David Tragesser
Sr. Consultant Engineer
Before joining StrataGen in 2005, David Tragesser honed his skills as field engineer and district engineer, first with Halliburton and then with BJ Services. David has extensive experience in the design, coordination and supervision of hydraulic fracturing, acidizing and cementing treatments, including many hours of in-field design, lab work and testing. David earned his petroleum engineering degree with honors at the University of Texas at Austin.
Sr. Consultant Engineer
Before joining StrataGen in 2005, David Tragesser honed his skills as field engineer and district engineer, first with Halliburton and then with BJ Services. David has extensive experience in the design, coordination and supervision of hydraulic fracturing, acidizing and cementing treatments, including many hours of in-field design, lab work and testing. David earned his petroleum engineering degree with honors at the University of Texas at Austin.
Luke Wright
Consultant Engineer
Luke Wright is currently consulting on frac jobs in South Texas, primarily in the Eagle Ford formation. He represents operating companies on location, working with different service companies to ensure safety and the highest quality control possible. He has extensive knowledge of a wide variety of completion procedures including plug and perf, stim sleeve, and cobramax, and experience with various treatments including slickwater, crosslinked fluids, and CO2 foam jobs. He joined StrataGen Engineering in 2011, having gained experience working for Halliburton Energy Services.
Rafael Almodovar
Consultant Engineer
Rafael joined StrataGen Engineering in 2011. He provides technical support and real time data monitoring. He is also involved in post-job treatment optimization. He started in the oil and gas industry as a well cementing engineer with Halliburton, providing support, design, pre-job logistics and post-job recommendations to customers in the Permian Basin. Rafael was the cement lead engineer in the Odessa district. He cross trained to fracture stimulation in 2009, where he ensured that all angles had been covered before the stimulation, and assisted with job design optimization. Experienced with Bone Spring, Wolfcamp, Caballos, Spraberry and other Permian basin hydrocarbon intervals, and Eagle Ford Shale. He performs QA/QC on location, job overview after stimulation, and checks all variables for any optimization possibilities.
DENVER, CO
Jon Lefor
Regional Consultant Engineer
Jon Lefor is a highly-skilled Completions Engineering Professional with an extensive background in the Oil and Gas industry, E&P product sales and marketing, design engineering, field engineering and management, database management, and production data interpretation. He is a strong leader with a keen ability to orchestrate complex projects, develop and lead teams, and deliver the utmost in customer service quality. With an expertise in petroleum industry design and theory, Jon has experience and familiarity with the Uintah, Vermillion, Piceance, Jonah Field, Pinedale Anticline, Williston, Eagle Ford, Permian and Marcellus regions and basins.
Jammy Ledbetter
Field Services and Safety Coordinator
Prior to joining StrataGen Engineering in 2011, his 30 years of hydraulic fracturing experience include engineering, health & safety and operations management in the mid-continent and rocky mountain region for several service companies. In addition, he worked with Pinnacle Technologies from 2007-2010 as Surface Tilt Supervisor. Jammy has a B.S. in Industrial Technology/Distribution from West Texas State University.
Tu Spatafore
Consultant Engineer
Tu Spatafore joined StrataGen in June of 2011. He has a degree in Petroleum and Natural gas from West Virginia University. Tu started his career with Schlumberger as a FET in Brazil specializing in Coil-tubing in the Piranema field in Aracaju, Brazil. He left Schlumberger to work for Enervest Operating, a small independent O&G company in Southern West Virginia. While at Enervest, he was a Petroleum Engineer over-seeing assets in OH, WV, PA, and NY. He was involved in various projects from reservoir, drilling, completion, and production. In 2009, when Enervest went through a restructuring phase in lieu of economic scare, Tu opted to take a year off to fulfill his life dream of traveling overseas. He visited 12 countries in 8 months’ time. He then went back to work in the oil field for Superior Well Services as a Field Engineer in Stimulation in the Eagle Ford Shale. He was responsible for supervision, QA/QC, real-time data monitoring, and post-job analysis for clients in the Eagle Ford. He joins StrataGen with oil field experience in the Appalachian, Piceance, Eagle Ford, and Bakken formations.
MOSCOW
Brian Davidson
Commercial Director
Brian is a seasoned petroleum engineer with more than 28years of field experience in the design and completion of hydraulic fracturing treatments. Prior to joining StrataGen in 1999, Brian was a senior petroleum engineer for Holditch & Associates specializing in all aspects of hydraulic fracturing. Brian has served as project manager for major fracturing projects domestically and internationally and has served as technical advisor for the Advanced Stimulation Technology Program. Prior to joining Holditch & Associates, Brian spent eleven years with Halliburton Energy Services in different technical positions. He is currently responsible for the coordination and development of all StrataGen work in Russia.
Stanislav Sheludko
Senior Fracturing Engineer
Stan is an experienced petroleum engineer with more than seven years of field experience in the design and completion of hydraulic fracturing treatments. Prior to joining StrataGen in 2006, Stan was a senior staffing consultant for Ancor Energy Services and spent four years with Schlumberger Well Services in different technical positions. He earned a degree in wireline engineering and petrophysics at Gubkin Russian State University of oil and gas.
Vasily Mironov
Engineering Project Manager – Moscow Office
Vasily’s career with StrataGen started in 2006 as a senior fracture engineer. His responsibilities consist of onsite fracture engineering, pre- and post-frac evaluation studies, training courses in hydraulic fracture engineering, technical support to FracproPT users, marketing and managing StrataGen Services in Russia including engineering consulting, FracproPT fracture modeling software and mapping projects. Before joining StrataGen, Vasily worked as desk and field stimulation engineer at Halliburton Energy Services and PetroAlliance in different locations around Western Siberia, Russia. He also gained extensive production operations experience working at Lukoil-AIK E&P Company (Lukoil JV) where he was involved in production optimization and flooding operations, workover activities, well testing and production enhancement. Vasily received his bachelors and masters degrees from Moscow State Gubkin’s University of Oil and Gas in natural gas engineering. He gained fracture engineering background at Halliburton Technical Excellence Center in Brighton, Colorado.