Dr. Rajan Chokshi has nearly four decades of experience focused on production optimization through artificial lift applications, spanning system design, real-time operations, multiphase flow modeling, software development, and field engineering. His technical background includes work with national oil companies, major operators, independents, service providers, and technology firms, giving him a broad and practical perspective on global production challenges.

His recent work includes real-time artificial lift analysis, failure prediction, virtual flow metering, emissions reduction initiatives, and competency development for production engineering teams. He is actively engaged in machine learning workflows for production analysis and supports generative AI application development for engineering knowledge capture and decision support.

Dr. Chokshi serves as a technical reviewer for SPE journals and contributes to the rigor and quality of published research in production engineering. He holds several patents and has authored or co-authored many SPE papers on artificial lift, real-time optimization, and multiphase flow.

He has delivered extensive global training for operators and engineers, strengthening industry capability in artificial lift and production optimization. He has also taught artificial lift and production optimization at many universities, ranging from short seminars to semester-long courses, including the University of Houston, Texas Tech University, Missouri S&T, LSU, Colorado School of Mines, PDPU, and the University of Southern California.

Dr. Chokshi has been selected twice as an SPE Distinguished Lecturer on artificial lift themes, reflecting both his technical contributions and his ability to communicate complex concepts effectively. He is a long-standing volunteer in the professional community through SPE committees, technical conference programs, and advisory roles. He also serves on the Board of Directors of the Artificial Lift Research and Development Council, supporting collaborative advancement of artificial lift technology and best practices.

He holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in chemical engineering from Gujarat University and IIT Kanpur in India, and a Ph.D. in petroleum engineering from The University of Tulsa in the United States.

Chris Cavazos is currently the Sucker Rod Pump Optimization Lead for Occidental. His career with Oxy spans more than 19 years across multiple assets, with experience in artificial lift design, surveillance, analysis, and optimization, and with a particular focus on sucker rod pumping.

Chris has spent nine years leading teams in artificial lift design, surveillance, analysis, and optimization. Most recently, he has led the sucker rod pump optimization team for Occidental’s onshore assets, supporting improved performance and reliability across producing wells.

He has taught in-house training courses for Occidental for the past 12 years, with a focus on sucker rod pumping. He currently teaches the Sucker Rod Pump Analysis and Optimization course at the Southwestern Petroleum Short Course.

Chris holds a bachelor’s degree from Texas Tech University. Outside of work, he enjoys spending time with his wife and two children.

Ozan Sayman is a subject matter expert in plunger lift, PAGL, and GAPL, and serves as Principal Engineer of Plunger Dynamics LLC. He specializes in plunger lift research, mechanistic modeling, multiphase flow simulation, and data-driven artificial lift optimization.

Ozan has conducted PAGL research programs and consulting projects and has developed mechanistic models for plunger lift, including fall and upstroke mechanics of the plunger as well as the liquid unloading process. He has worked on projects across major U.S. basins, including the Midland, Delaware, Piceance, San Juan, and DJ Basins, where he has helped identify and solve operational challenges, support artificial lift planning and forecasting, and optimize plunger-lifted wells.

He has also developed mechanistic and data-driven PAGL/GAPL automation and surveillance platforms and has previously supported major service company initiatives in this technical area.

Ozan has delivered one-day and three-day plunger lift training courses for production engineers, reservoir engineers, and data scientists at major operators, including Chevron and Exxon, as well as at SPE conferences. He regularly presents at SPE conferences, ALRDC, the Southwestern Petroleum Short Course, and other technical workshops.

He currently serves as Vice Chairperson of the SPE Artificial Lift Technical Section. He holds an M.Sc. in petroleum engineering from The University of Tulsa and a B.Sc. in mechanical engineering from Istanbul Technical University.

Dr. Eduardo Pereyra is the Associate Director of Fluid Flow Projects and Horizontal Well Artificial Lift Projects at The University of Tulsa. He is also the F.H. “Mick” Merelli/Coterra Energy Chair Professor in Petroleum Engineering.

Dr. Pereyra received his M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in petroleum engineering from The University of Tulsa. He also holds two B.S. degrees from the University of Los Andes, one in mechanical engineering and one in systems engineering, both with honors.

He began his career at the research and development center of the Venezuelan oil company PDVSA-Intevep. He has also worked for Multiphase System Integration and served as a Research Scientist Intern in Chevron’s Advanced Production Technology Unit.

Dr. Pereyra is an active researcher in multiphase flow and its applications to pipelines, surface oil and gas facilities, artificial lift, separation, and metering systems. He is currently an associate professor at the McDougall School of Petroleum Engineering and serves as Associate Director of Tulsa University Fluid Flow Projects and Tulsa University Horizontal Well Artificial Lift Projects.

He also participates in the TU Center of Research Excellence in production systems and is one of the University of Tulsa faculty members associated with the North Campus Research Facilities. This campus contains unique facilities and state-of-the-art instrumentation for oil and gas research.