Jeff Forsyth, PhD | CEO
Jeff is a highly experienced and diversified Senior Oil and Gas professional who has worked successfully in a variety of technical and business roles from R&D to Field Operations, Technical Services and Business Development. He is widely published and a holder of various patents. Notable assignments include Cenovus Energy, Oilflow Solutions and Sheffield Hallam University.
Jeff has worked for Schlumberger on a variety of oil industry projects at the Doctoral and Post-Doctoral level. These have included the development of methods for the in-situ characterizing of pore lining minerals in oil bearing rocks and the development of novel polymeric products for in-situ sand consolidation. Jeff has also worked extensively on the development of incremental and enhanced oil recovery technologies in Canada and abroad. Additionally, he has been involved in industrial consultancy and the development of clay-nano-composites.
Jeff brings global experience working with various Oil & Gas, Technology, Chemical and Service companies. He has lead projects from conceptualization to successful commercial deployment and has effectively built and managed both small and large multidisciplinary teams. Jeff has been responsible for strategic product development to develop viable techno-economic solutions to industry related problems in areas such as completion and stimulation fluids, scale and corrosion mitigation, nano scale coatings and composites, polymers, surfactants, enhanced oil recovery, oil reservoir geochemistry and water based drilling muds.
He worked for Oilflow Solutions from 2004 to 2011 having held progressively more Senior Management positions in R&D, Technical Services and Business Development.
In 2013 Jeff moved to Cenovus Energy Inc. as Principal Geochemist in order to set up a Geochemical Center of Excellence focused on improving SAGD processes above and below ground. He joined nFluids in February 2016.
Hai Wang | SR. RESEARCH ENGINEER
Mr. Wang has seven years of technology development and operations experience in the oil and gas industry with a focus on oil-well drilling fluid and formation evaluation. He is currently working on the research and development of new nano-particle products that enhance drilling fluid performance and reduce the cost of drilling operations.
Prior to joining nFluids, Mr. Wang worked as the Research Assistant in the Real-time Drilling Engineering Research Group of the University of Calgary (UofC). His project was focussed on the design of environmentally friendly drilling fluids for the Arctic. Mr. Wang also spent three years at Weatherford International – one of the largest international oil and gas service companies. As a field engineer in the Wireline Service Department, he was responsible for the engineering design and field operation of open-hole wireline logging and drill-pipe conveyed logging. He is also experienced with the analysis and interpretation of petro-physical logging data.
Mr. Wang holds a Master of Science in Chemical Engineering with a specialization of Petroleum Engineering from the University of Calgary, and a Bachelor’s degree in Petroleum Engineering from Southwest Petroleum University in China.
David Edmonds | DIRECTOR
Mr. Edmonds’ career has spanned more than 30 years in the technology industry. During this period, he was involved at a senior corporate level in the introduction and deployment of industry leading-edge products and services. Well-respected within the industry, he received numerous awards for sales, marketing and management excellence. He also published articles for trade publications and newsletters regarding advancements in new technologies.
Previously employed at a senior level for NCR, SHL Systemhouse and Computerland, Mr. Edmonds directed the successful introduction of new technology concepts at each of these companies. He was also responsible for the formation of four successful technology businesses. Mr. Edmonds co-founded Burntsand in April 1995. Since that time the company has expanded into a full-service systems integration e-business company that traded on the TSE and was ultimately purchased by OpenText.
Prior to joining Preo Software Inc. in 2005 Mr. Edmonds was providing strategic and financial consulting assistance to start-up technologies firms as an investor and board member. After he left his position at Preo in 2009 he resumed providing these services and also started a private equity firm, Value Point Capital (VPC). VPC is focused on investing in cash flow positive operating companies looking for growth capital and succession planning. Most recently Mr. Edmonds has been utilizing his experience and expertise by mentoring a number of early stage start-up entrepreneurs via his role at Innovate Calgary as Executive-in-Residence.
Presently Mr. Edmonds is Chairman of the Board of Buffalo Inspections Services, a NDT (Non Destructive Testing) firm for the pipeline industry, and for iConnectivity Inc. a hardware manufacturer of innovative interfaces for musicians to connect their musical and audio instruments to their computers or iOS devices.
Arthur Hale, PhD | DIRECTOR
Dr. Hale has thirty-two years of technology development and operations experience in deep-water and unconventional reservoirs, focused on upstream drilling and production challenges.
Strong technical, commercial, and leadership skills with a history of delivering project results and patents. During this period, he worked with Shell in their Unconventional Resources Division, Onshore/Offshore drilling, completions and production, overseeing technology and business development whilst advising leadership regarding value chain and technology strategy.
Prior to this he was Vice-President, Shell Unconventional Engineering & Research and also held multiple positions in technology development and drilling, production, research and engineering. Arthur has over 80 patents and 20 plus papers and holds a Research Associate Professor at University of Texas, whilst providing consultancy services for Aramco services.
John Garden
John Garden | DIRECTOR
John holds a B.Sc in Chemical and Petroleum Engineering from the University of Calgary and is the founder and principal of Deadeye Engineering Inc (2015). John has managed onshore drilling, completion and production operations around the world, including Canada, the United States, Albania and Ukraine. Deadeye is a leader in horizontal drilling and completions technology, including coil tubing drilling and stimulation and selective fracturing techniques in oil and gas shales. John was course instructor for first year Production Operations second year Drilling and Completions at SAIT (Southern Alberta Institute of Technology) for the Petroleum Technologist Diploma program.
Rob Wonnacott |
CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD
Mr. Robert Wonnacott was elected to the nFluids Board of Directors in May 2012.
From January 2011 to June 2011, Mr. Wonnacott served as the Chief Financial Officer of Grizzly Oil Sands ULC, a privately owned bitumen development company. From 2001 to 2009, Mr. Wonnacott held various senior positions at National Bank Financial Inc., a provider of brokerage services to consumer, corporate, government and institutional clients in Canada, including Managing Director and Vice Chairman of Corporate and Investment Banking, where he was responsible for the investment banking practice in the oil and gas utilities sectors. From 1991 to 2001, Mr. Wonnacott held various investment banking positions, including Managing Director, with BMO Nesbitt Burns Inc.
Mr. Wonnacott holds a Bachelor of Science, with honors, in Civil Engineering from Queens University and an MBA from the University of Western Ontario.
Rob Wonnacott
Alex Borisov |
TECHNICAL ADVISOR
Alex brings over 12 years of experience in multidisciplinary research and development projects ranging from the study of dynamics of mature fine tailings from oil sands operations and remediation of perfluorinated compounds to the synthesis of novel inorganic polymers for applications in fuel cells and bio-engineering.
Alex holds a Bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from the St. Petersburg State Institute of Technology, a Master of Science degree and PhD candidacy in chemistry from the University of Lethbridge and a Master of Science degree in petroleum engineering from the University of Calgary.
Brad Johns | OBSERVER
Brad leads Fund II’s investments in Chaordix and Endurance Wind Power and led Fund II’s realized investment in Monexa. Brad joined Yaletown in 2011, and brings over 25 years of private equity, venture capital, business development and manufacturing experience to nFluids. Previously, Brad was a partner at Moneta Capital where he was responsible for information and industrial technology investments and vice president of Launchworks, a venture capital firm which was among the top performers in its vintage, and a manufacturing process and product management executive at communications giant Nortel in Canada and the UK.
Neil Frizzell | ADVISOR
Neil Frizzell transitioned from providing client counsel as a corporate lawyer with a major national law firm to guiding and advising a diverse group of private and public businesses over the last two decades. He has provided executive leadership, has served as a board member and observer, has mentored entrepreneurs, and has advised on strategic, operational, legal and intellectual property issues. Through Neil’s role as a principal in a private capital group, investment and guidance is provided to both early stage ventures and established small and medium enterprises. He serves as a senior advisor to an acquisition fund, and sits on the board of advisors of multiple companies. Neil holds a B.Comm, an MBA (Distinction) and a LL.B (Distinction), and is a member of the Law Society of Alberta.
Neil Frizzell
Tim Hodge
Tim Hodge | ADVISOR
Tim is a proven strategic technology executive with over 20 years operational and advisory experience. Tim has a successful track record in developing winning strategies, launching and selling products, creating and motivating strong teams, and bringing discipline to planning and execution. Tim’s management of start-up and high growth tech ventures has been recognized with industry awards such as:
30th fast growing company in Alberta
38th highest revenue growth company in Canada
84th fastest growing company in Canada
35th Deloitte Technology fast 50
Tim is supporting the next generation of tech entrepreneurs, through mentorship and his directorship of Alberta’s A100.
Geir Hareland, PhD | INVENTOR
Dr. Hareland’s main areas of interest are centered on the various aspects of drilling and completion engineering optimization. This includes processes and factors affecting the actual drilling/completion/stimulation of an oil or gas well and focuses on how to increase the net present value (NPV) of the well or field. Dr. Hareland’s research requires working closely with all aspects of the drilling and completion industry, especially the operators.
Dr. Hareland’s industry work experience includes Esso Exploration and Production (Exxon), Saga Petroleum, Norsk Hydro (now Statoil) and Amoco (now BP). These relationships centered around optimization and cost reduction of operations by utilizing new drilling and completion stimulation techniques as well as inventing and developing new cutting edge technologies which have been, and are in the process of being, commercialized. Some of the cutting edge technologies are focused on cost reduction in drilling operations through the design of new drilling tools, nanoparticle based fluids and advanced computer simulation technologies.
Previously Dr. Hareland worked as an assistant/associate professor at the New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology and as a professor and Drilling Chair at the University of Calgary in Calgary, Alberta. He is currently the Professor of Chemical Engineering and Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering and Continental Resources Chair of Petroleum Engineering at Oklahoma State University.
Dr. Hareland holds a Ph.D. from Oklahoma State University, a M.Sc. from the University of Tulsa, and a B.Sc. from the University of Minnesota.
Dr. Geir Hareland
Dr. Maen Husein
Maen Husein, PhD | INVENTOR
Dr. Husein’s research interest is in the field of Energy & the Environment. With nanotechnology being a focal point for Dr. Husein’s research, his group employs nanoparticles for heavy oil and bitumen extraction (e.g. nanoparticle-mediated polymer flooding, nanoparticle-stabilized foam), upgrading (e.g. catalytic thermal and hydro cracking), enhancing the performance of drilling fluids through nanoparticle-impregnation (e.g. fluid loss prevention, wellbore strengthening, drag reduction), and produced water treatment to enable effective recycling (e.g. nanoparticle-modified membrane filtration, coagulation).
Dr. Husein is a Professor in the Department of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering at the University of Calgary in Calgary, Alberta. He received his B.Sc. in chemical engineering from Jordan University of Science & Technology (JUST), Irbid, Jordan, and his M.Sc. and Ph.D. in chemical engineering from McGill University in Montreal, Quebec. Dr. Husein is a registered Professional Engineer in the province of Alberta.
Mohammad Ferdous Zakaria, PhD | INVENTOR
Mr. Zakaria has 13 years of varied experience in the refining and petrochemical sectors including process operation, new business strategies, process innovation, product development and marketing. The focus of Dr. Zakaria’s PhD research was on utilizing nanoparticles to improve drilling fluid properties with the objective of minimizing both seepage losses and lost circulation during drilling operations.
Dr. Zakaria holds a Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from the University of Calgary, in Calgary, Alberta, a MSc. in Chemical Engineering from the University of Sherbrooke, Quebec and a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering from the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET), in Dhaka. Dr. Zakaria is also a registered Professional Engineer in the province of Alberta.
Dr. Mohammad Ferdous Zakaria
CONTACT US
nFluids Inc.
253147 Bearspaw Rd
Calgary, Alberta, Canada
T3L 2P5
Mon – Fri | 9:00 – 17:00 MT
Weekend | Holidays – May vary
Business Development | Investor Relations :
Business Operations | Research & Development :
Hai Wang
Phone Number: 587.892.3631
E-mail: [email protected]