Engr. Dr. Ndubuisi Uchechukwu Okereke

Lecturer I

PhD in Petroleum Engineering (Flow Assurance, Production) – Cranfield University, UK; M.Sc. Subsea Engineering (Cranfield University, UK); B.Eng. Civil Engineering (F.U.T.O.)
Emailndubuisi.okereke@futo.edu.ng

Biography

Dr Ndubuisi Uchechukwu Okereke is currently a Lecturer in Petroleum Engineering at Federal University of Technology, Owerri. He has a sound understanding of field development planning options for deepwater offshore projects. Some of the clients he has worked for on development of offshore field projects include BG for the development of a new field in Santos Basin in Brazil. He has also been involved in dredging/sweeping of SPDC swamp wells in sample locations such as Belema, Ekulama and Buguma in the Niger-Delta. He also has a sound understanding of techniques for handling slugging problems that occur during oil production in deepwater oil fields with relevant publications highlighted in the publication profile. He lectures on courses such as Petroleum Production Engineering, Offshore Operations, Offshore Drilling, Computer Application in the Petroleum Industry etc. His core research interest is on developing mitigation strategies for severe slugging in deepwater oil fields. He is also interested in working on hydrates mitigation and corrosion mitigation in typical offshore oil production systems.

Academic Qualification

  • PhD in Flow Assurance, Production (Petroleum Engineering), Cranfield University, UK: 2012 – 2015
  • MSc. in Subsea Engineering, Cranfield University, UK: 2009 – 2010
  • B.Eng. in Civil Engineering, F.U.T.O.: 1999 – 2004

Honours/Awards

  • PTDF PhD Scholar (2012 – 2015) 
  • Best Petroleum Engineering Lecturer at ABUAD (2017/2018) 

Membership of Professional Bodies

  • MSUT (Member Society for Underwater Technology – 20587)
  • MNSE (MemberThe Nigeria Society of Engineers – 45236) 

Courses Assigned to Teach

  • PET 415 (Petroleum Engineering Rock Mechanics) 
  • PET 511 (Petroleum Transportation and Storage)
  • PET 513 (Offshore Operations) 

Experience

Lecturer 1 at Petroleum Engineering Dept., SEET, F.U.T.O.   –   July 2018 – Till Date  

Key Role:

  • Tutoring on Offshore Drilling PET 816 
  • Tutoring on Petroleum Production PET 306
  • Tutoring on Petroleum Transportation and Storage (PET 511)
  • Tutoring on Offshore Operations (PET 513) 
  • Course Advising for 100 Level (2019/2020 Set) 
  • Sorting of outstanding courses for 2010/2011 Petroleum Engineering Undergraduate Class  
  • Result Computation for 2010/2011 Petroleum Engineering Undergraduate Class
  • Participation in the Internal Review of PhD Candidates from Petroleum Engineering Department
  • Participation in the review of the curriculum for proposed M.ENG in Subsea Engineering
  • Invigilation of Tests (CHM 102, ENG 212, ENG 224 and ENG 214)
  • Invigilation of Exams (GLY 308, PHY 532, TRP 504, EVT 564, CHM 202 and BLD 508)   

Subsea Engineering Consultant at PNEUMA Deepwater Flow Consultants    –    July 2016 – 2018

(Part-Time Role)

Key Role:

  • Production Operations: Subsea Interventions (Jubilee Project Ghana)         
  • Subsea IMR: GVI of all subsea Christmas trees and manifolds
  • Choke change outs/ EFL/SFL installation and recovery
  • Subsea Performance enhancement/remediation
  • MCS FAT and Upgrade/MPFM-SCM interface testing (SIT)
  • Well integrity Test/ Subsea Sampling operations (Jubilee Project Ghana)
  • Provided Support for SPS System Integration testing (SIT) execution planning (TEN Project Ghana)
  • Provided support UTA (Umbilical Termination Assembly) SIT from planning to final execution
  • Provided Support in the Review of ROV task plan documents that clearly define the relevant ROV activities needed to support commissioning activities per request from the commissioning team (TEN Project)

Senior Lecturer in Petroleum Engineering at Afe Babalola University    –    November 2016 – July 2018 

Key Role:

  • PG Co-ordinator for Petroleum Engineering
  • Preparation of Lecture Materials on Strength of Materials (ENG 714)
  • Preparation of Lecture Materials on Materials Science (ENG 711)
  • Preparation of Lecture Materials on Petroleum Rock Mechanics (PTE 413)
  • Preparation of Lecture Materials on Reservoir Modelling and Simulation (PTE 519)
  • Preparation of Lecture Materials on Petroleum Economics (PTE 514)
  • Preparation of Lecture Materials on Oil and Gas Offshore Operations (PTE 520)
  • Delivering Lectures on Reservoir Modelling and Simulations, Rock Mechanics and Petroleum Economics
  • Delivering Lectures on Oil and Gas Offshore Operations  
  • Supervision of Project Undergraduate Students on Flow Assurance Studies and Drilling Engineering Studies

Key Achievement:

  • Best Lecturer in Petroleum Engineering (2017/2018 Session).
  • Initiating and Securing of Academic License for KBC MAXIMUS IPM Tool

 

Operations Lead at Joules Energy Limited    –    July 2016 – November 2016 

Key Role

  • Development of Work Procedure for NPDC ROV Drilling Support Tender
  • Development of Safety Plan for ROV Drilling Support Tender
  • Driving of MAXIMUS (Steady State LOF Tool) into the Oil and Gas Market in West Africa
  • Development of New Venture Ideas for Company

 

Part-Time Lecturer 1 at OTI-Uniport     –   March 2016 – July 2016  

Key Role:

  • Development of Course Note for Subsea Oil and Gas Exploitation
  • Facilitating Subsea Oil and Gas Module 
  • Preparation of Assessment Materials and Answers for Subsea Oil and Gas exploitation Module
  • Development of Short-course on Flow Assurance (FA-CPD)

 

PhD Research Student at Cranfield University/HPL at Coventry University, UK.      Sept. 2012 – February 2016

Key Role:

  • Critical literature review, to understand the background of conditions that initiate slugging in deepwater oil fields.  
  • Generation of field data from a sample deepwater oil field in West Africa.  
  • Development of an Olga flow loop model, for slugging analysis in Flow Loop X1 at 3000 bopd and 6722 bopd.  
  • Development of a slug envelope for typical 8” flow loops based on (water-cut and mass flow rate impact).
  • Supervision of over 16 MSc Thesis on key subjects (Drilling, Flow Assurance – Slugging and EOR Techniques).

 

Key Achievements: 

  • Publishing of “Numerical Prediction of Slugging Problems in Pipes” – DOTI 2014, Aberdeen, UK.  
  • Publishing of “The Impact of Increasing Diameter and Depth effect on Flow Regime Transition in Deepwater Pipeline-Riser System” – IPTC 2015, Doha, Qatar  

          

Basilman and Company Nigeria Limited – Project Engineer/Subsea Support Engineer     Sept. 2010 – Sept. 2012

Key Roles

  • Development of HSE Plan for Ekulama 30/29/27/28/09 Shell Swamp Well Locations.     
  • Development of Work Method for Ekulama 30/29/27/28/09 Shell Swamp Well Locations.   
  • Development of Waste Management Plan for Ekulama 30/29/27/28/09 Shell Swamp Well Locations.    
  • Mobilization and Execution of Ekulama 30/29/27/28/09 Shell Swamp Well Locations.   
  • Review of Thin Jack Procedures for separating of seized wellhead flanges sizes (3” – 37”).     

 

Key Achievements

  • Quick turn-around of the HSE Plan, Work Method and Waste Management Plan within 2 weeks and development of a standard template for Basilman & Company.   
  • Delivered the project 1 month ahead of schedule, thereby saving the company USD$ 26000 on dredger OPEX and Dry Plant Daily hire.   

 

Basilman and Company Nigeria Limited – Project Engineer       –    Aug. 2007 – Sept. 2009

Key Roles         

  • Developed a work plan for coupling 16” pipelines and bund wall construction for dredging of Belema Swamp Well.  
  • Supervised 20 personnel for the dredging of Belema Swamp Well Projects.     
  • Supervised 15 personnel for the sand-filling project.   

Key Achievements    

  • The projects were completed on time and on budget and hazard was at barest minimum and zero fatalities.  

 

NPF (Works Dept.) – Facility maintenance assistant engineer    –   Sept. 2005 – August 2006   

Key Roles   

  • Supervision of 10 personnel for the maintenance of Block Head Quarters.  

  

Shell Petroleum Development Company Nigeria Ltd. – Internship     –    Sept. 2003 – March 2004   

Key Roles   

  • Review of pre-dredge results, to verify the volume of silt to be dredged.  
  • Review of a maintenance plan for Chobiekiri based on S-30 Shell dredging code.  
  • Review of Chobiekiri post-dredge results, to verify dredged volumes.  
  • Reviewed tide regime window for mobilisation plan of Alakiri dredging project   

Achievements:    

  • Contributed immensely to adherence to safety via a stop at 10 checks on swamp well location sites  
  • Effective review of mobilisation plan ensured effective mobilisation outside the low tide regime (window).  

COURSES ATTENDED:     

Introduction to Subsea Facilities

  • Flow Assurance with OLGA-Certified by SPT Group/Cranfield University – 4th – 6th December 2012   
  • Maximus Training – 18th – 19th February 2013   
  • TNO Flow Assurance Workshop – 15th – 17th April 2013   
  • Olga Advanced Flow Assurance – 4th – 6th March 2014   

 

COMPUTING SKILLS: MS Office Suite (Word, Excel, Power-point and Project)  

Industry Software:  OLGA and MAXIMUS    

PERSONAL SKILLS

  • Good interpersonal skills gained through past leadership positions    
  • Excellent team player. Have experience working with a multidisciplinary team   
  • Analytical and problem-solving skills   
  • Good planning and organizational skills   
  • Excellent communication skills   

Research Interest

  • Severe slug mitigation in offshore production systems 
  • Hydrates mitigation in offshore production systems 
  • Corrosion in offshore production systems 

Publications

  1. An assessment of hydrates inhibition in deepwater production systems using low-dosage hydrate inhibitor and monoethylene glycol (DOI: 10.1007/s13202-019-00812-4) N.U. Okereke; P.E. Edet; Y. D. Baba; N. C. Izuwa; S. Kanshio; N. Nwogu; F. A. Afolabi and O. Nwanwe 
  2. Combining self-lift and gas-lift: A new approach to slug mitigation in deepwater pipeline-riser systems” N.U. Okereke and O.O. Omotara Published in Journal of Petroleum Science and Engineering, May 2018 (DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.petrol.2018.04.064)
  3. Pipe Inclination Effects on High-Viscosity Oil-Gas Two-Phase Flow Characteristics” Y.D. Baba, A. Archibong, A.M. Aliyu, N.U. Okereke, A.S. Oluwole and W. A. Ayoola
  4. Optimization of Artificial Lifts Using Prosper Nodal Analysis for BARBRA-1 Well in Niger Delta” T.B. Odjugo, Y.D. Baba, A.M. Aliyu, N.U. Okereke, L.O. Oloyede and O. A. Onifade
  5. Self-lift and Gas-lift Techniques Combined: A New Approach to Severe Slug Mitigation in Deepwater Scenario”; NAICE 2018 N.U. Okereke, S.O. Ogiriki and Prof. A.I. Igbafe
  6. Numerical Investigation of Slug Suppression System In Deepwater Scenarios N.U. Okereke and S. Udeagbara DOI: 10.22078/JPST.2018.2958.1480    
  7. Investigation of Self-lift Slug Mitigation in Deepwater Scenarios” I.O. Adefemi, F. Kara and N.U. Okereke Published in Underwater Technology JournalNovember 2017 (DOI: https://doi.org/10.3723/ut.34.157)”. 
  8. Adopting Kurtosis for Condition Monitoring of Subsea Production System” N.U. Okereke, Y.D. Baba, A. Ogunyemi, J.O. Olusoji and M.A. Lala Published on AJERD, February 2018; Publisher: Afe Babalola University (http://ajerd.abuad.edu.ng/current-issue/ – Paper 14)”
  9. Spatiotemporal Prediction of Spill Crude-based Contaminant Transport through Porous Media” Odesola, O. Ige, A. Alagbe and N.U. Okereke
  10. Numerical Prediction of Slugging Problems in Pipes” N.U. Okereke and F. Kara
  11. Impact of Increasing Depth and Diameter on Flow Regime Transition in Deepwater Flowlines and Risers” N.U. Okereke, F.Kara, S. Omowunmi, M. Oyawale and I. Adefemi (International Petroleum Technology Conference (IPTC 2015, Qatar); Published by SPE; 2015)”
  12. Study of High Viscous Multiphase Flow Using OLGA Flow Simulator” Yahaya D. Baba, Amina S. Chat, Aliyu M. Aliyu, Nduibuisi Okereke, Adebayo Ogunyemi, John O. Owolabi