Meet Our Team
Meet Our
Current Students
Gabriel Meneses
I am a petroleum engineer, currently working on my PhD at the University of Tulsa Paraffin Deposition Project (TUPDP).
My experiences are mainly related with academic research. During my 7 years of academic activities I have concentrated on the following tasks:
- I was an undergraduate researcher at the Federal University of Sergipe for 2 years, working with SARA separation.
- Participated in the Science Without Borders Program sponsored by CNPq. I have lived and studied in Manchester (UK) at the University of Salford.
- Intern at ENGEPET, where I worked with CFD simulations, aiming to improve an artificial lift method developed by my company.
- In 2019 I concluded my master's degree from the University of Campinas, working in a project to analyze the influence of internal slug flow over the structure of a straight horizontal pipeline.
-Currently a PhD student at the University of Tulsa in an experimental project to model paraffin deposition in pipelines.
Elijah Bell
Elijah Bell is a research assistant at TU Paraffin Deposition Projects (TUPDP). Elijah received his B.S. in Chemistry from Oral Roberts University, and his M.S.E in Chemical Engineering from the University of Tulsa.
Elijah is working towards his Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering under Dr. Daraboina within TUPDP's research group. Elijah's research focuses on the application of active heating technologies in the removal of deposited paraffin wax in pipeline flow.
Meet Our Staff
Cem Sarica
Cem Sarica holds B.S. (1982) and M.S. (1984) degrees in petroleum engineering from Istanbul Technical University (ITU) and a Ph.D. (1990) degree in petroleum engineering from The University of Tulsa (TU). After serving as an Assistant Professor of Petroleum Engineering at ITU, he joined the research staff at TU in 1992, and was Associate Director of the Tulsa University Fluid Flow Projects (TUFFP) until 1998 when he joined the faculty at The Pennsylvania State University. He joined the Petroleum Engineering Department at TU in 2001. He is currently serving as Professor of Petroleum Engineering. His responsibilities include the directorships of both TUFFP, and the Tulsa University Paraffin Deposition Projects (TUPDP).
Cem's research interests are multiphase flow in pipes, flow assurance and oil and gas production. He has authored several publications on these subjects.
Cem is a member of both the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE) and the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME). He served as an Associate Technical Editor of ASME Journal of Energy Resources Technology (JERT) from 1998 -2004. He has previously served as a member of the SPE Production Operations Committee and is a member of the SPE Journal Editorial Board. He was one of the recipients of the SPE's Outstanding Editor Award in 2000. He is a member of SPE Facilities and Construction Standing Committee. He is currently serving as the Chair of SPE Facilities and Construction Award Committee. In addition to his SPE activities, he serves as a Technical Advisory Committee member of BHRg's Multiphase Technology Conferences.
Nagu Daraboina
• Over 8 years of academic and professional experience in petroleum thermodynamics, multiphase flow (hydrate, wax), carbon dioxide captures and storage and 2 years work experience in polymer degradation.
• Hands on experience in design, installation, operation and troubleshooting of state-of-the-art bench/pilot scale, high pressure reactors with industry level instrumentation devices.
• Trained in safe work procedures (Safety Representative), risk assessment studies, Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS) and Hazard Operability (HAZOP) analysis.
• Expertise in lab sampling and data analysis as well as writing technical reports and journal articles.
• Acquired proficiency in several analytical techniques like Powder X-ray diffraction (P-XRD), Gas chromatography, High pressure differential scanning calorimeter (HP-DSC), Raman and NMR spectroscopy) and Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).
• Developed the model for the mechanism of polymer degradation by using population balance equations and continuous distribution kinetics and validated the model with experimental data.
• Demonstrated Mentoring, presentation, writing, problem solving, teamwork and leadership skills.
• Managed and executed multiple projects that involved training team of graduate and undergraduate students on experimental techniques, instrumentation and process control and troubleshooting.
• Instruments: digital control valves, NI DAQ, high-pressure pumps & high-pressure transmitters, GC, DSC, PXRD, Raman and NMR spectroscopy, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).
• Programming Languages: FORTRAN and C.
• Software Packages: LABVIEW 8.1, Sigma-plot, Hysys, PVTsim, PIPESIM, OLGA, Visio and CSM-Gem.
• Languages: English, Hindi and Telugu
Kelley Friedberg
Kelley Friedberg holds a BA in Languages and Literature from the University of Oklahoma and received her MA in English at The University of Tulsa in May 2016. Kelley has worked at TU since 2002.
Kelley is currently responsible for executive team planning and monitoring of various consortia and projects; preparing and monitoring the various budgets; coordination of various sub-projects; and planning all aspects of two Advisory Board meetings per consortium per year. She is the primary representative of all consortia to consortia members. Kelley also is responsible for preparing business proposals to various entities to secure future research funding; preparing business reports for presentation to members; supervise Project Coordinator and part-time employees; assist in hiring of post-doctoral and other research associates, technicians, and other staff; oversee all consortia web presence (this is the main source of transferring deliverables to consortia members); and editing of project reports, theses, dissertations and papers for publication in various industry journals.
Bonny Hardgrove
Bonny holds a B.A. in Communications from Oklahoma Christian University. She has held positions as administrator and content editor in a number of fields and joined the TU Petroleum Engineering team in 2022. She intends to pursue her M.A. in English Literature at the University of Tulsa.
Scott Graham
Mr. Graham is a Project Engineer for The University of Tulsa (TU) serving primarily the TU Fluid Flow Projects (TUFFP) and TU Paraffin Deposition Projects (TUPDP) consortia within the Petroleum Engineering Department. This consortium consists of sixteen international oil companies and focuses it's studies on fluid flow and paraffin deposition. His responsibilities include working with Master and Ph.D. students to develop innovative measurement systems and sensors; plus teach and transfer practical instrumentation and control knowledge to students. He has an Associates Degree in Electrical/Electronics and has over 23 years of experience in the application and development of instrumentation devices and systems. He is currently working on his Bachelors in Political Science. Prior to coming to TU, Scott was the Program Coordinator for the Electrical/Electronic program of study at Oklahoma State University (OSU) - Okmulgee. In addition to the administrative responsibilities of his position, he served as the advisor to the ISA student section and taught the Process Measurement and Control classes. He served in that position for five years.
Scott began his career working as a roustabout for Conoco NGP in Carlsbad, New Mexico. Later as an instrument technician Scott designed and installed automation systems for gas processing plants. He also performed new electrical construction and assisted in putting together an electrical/instrumentation training program classes for Conoco's associate engineers in New Mexico and West Texas.
In 1992 after working for Conoco and gaining experience elsewhere, his career lead him to operate his own company based in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma. Through Panel-Tek Inc., he designed, manufactured, and marketed chemical injection equipment, and electronic controls for the petroleum industry. From this work he holds several patents related to measurement of crude oil and related processes. The products produced included such items temperature and pressure measurement devices, flow computers, and data acquisition equipment. In 1997 Emerson Electric purchased Panel-Tek where he stayed on as Operation Manager for two years.
Scott enjoys working with students to help them to develop and master the technical skills needed to function in today's marketplace.
Jose Aramburu-Tinoco
Jose Aramburu-Tinoco is a Research Technician for The University of Tulsa (TU). Jose worked at TU from 2004 to 2017 and then joined TU again in March 2018. He has his Bachelor of Computer Information Systems from The University of Tulsa.
Jose has spent his entire professional career as a research operations engineer, web designer, computer video/audio support professional, HAZWOPER and has assisted and conducted tests in labs and facilities.
Meet Our Staff Emeritus
Don Harris
Don is a Research Technician for The University of Tulsa (TU), currently serving the TU Fluid Flow Projects (TUFFP), TU Paraffin Deposition Projects (TUPDP) and TU Horizontal Well Artificial Lift Projects (TUHWALP) consortia, within the Petroleum Engineering Department. He has his Associate’s Degree in Electro-Mechanical Technology from Oklahoma State University.
Don has spent his entire professional career either supporting research projects in the oil industry or developing new products in the computer industry. He has a solid background in electronics, physics, mechanics, and programming in Labview. Don has worked with almost every research group at TU, and their graduate students. He has written data acquisition and control programs for drilling, coking, fluid flow, artificial life, separation technology, hydration, electric heating research, as well as many more.