EUREKA ENERGY ADVISORS - Key Persons


ALAN G. VASICEK

Job Titles:
  • Directional Drilling Advisor to
Alan has over 35 years of drilling experience in the oil and gas industry. He earned his B.S. in Petroleum Engineering from the University of Texas at Austin. He began his career working for Halliburton and most recently worked for Apache Corporation as the Global Directional Drilling Advisor. His specialties include expertise on horizontal, ERD and directional wells, BHA optimization design, downhole vibration mitigation, wellbore surveying, anti-collision, failure incident investigations, multilateral technology and casing exits. He has extensive international and domestic experience in offshore and onshore operations. In addition to US experience, Alan has worked in the North Sea, Europe, Latin America, Middle East, Africa and Asia. He has also published several technical papers and presented at numerous industry conferences and workshops.

CARL J. CRAMM - Founder, President

Job Titles:
  • Founder
  • President
A versatile, forward-thinking leader, with a broad oil and gas background encompassing over 35 years, Carl is highly skilled in business management. He has successfully guided the expansion and growth of major regions, both domestic and international, while at Halliburton. On the technical side, Carl is known for establishing the integration and coordination of multi-rig/multi-well projects which included well construction, delivery, and total completion solutions. His diverse and broad background also includes significant experience in managing and providing engineering support for global well control, relief well drilling, prevention, and special services for Boots & Coots. Consistent throughout his career, he is recognized as a trusted problem solver and collaborator while being talented in researching, identifying and implementing new technologies. Carl holds B.S. degrees in Agricultural Economics and Petroleum Engineering from Texas A&M University as well as an Associate's Certificate in Project management from George Washington University. He is a licensed Professional Engineer in the State of Texas, and a member of the Society of Petroleum Engineers and the National Society of Professional Engineers. In addition, Carl has co-authored numerous technical papers and presentation, and shares in seven patents for well control technology.

DAWN P. DERR

Job Titles:
  • Oil & Gas Financial Accounting Advisor to
After graduating from Texas A&M University with a Bachelor of Business Administration and a Masters of Science in Finance, Dawn worked in the oil and gas industry in the areas of production and financial accounting, including state and federal reporting, for onshore and offshore properties as well as corporate planning and budgeting. She also holds a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Texas Health Science Center-Houston. She is a Registered Nurse who has worked in high acuity areas including intensive care and pre- and post-operative care.

DOUGLAS N. DERR - Founder

Job Titles:
  • Founder
  • Vice President - Operations
Douglas started his oilfield career as a mud logger in 1979. After graduating from Texas A&M University with a B.S. in Geology and an M.S. from the Center for Tectonophyics, Douglas began working for Mobil as a Production Geologist and held diverse positions in geosciences and engineering as well as Consultant to Counsel attached to Mobil's legal group. He then moved into Exploration Drilling and worked in South Louisiana, South Texas, inland barges, international operations in Algeria and Venezuela, and Deepwater Gulf of Mexico for both Mobil and BP. Leaving the operator side of the business, he moved to Boots & Coots where he managed Well Control worldwide. Douglas also holds a M.S. in Petroleum Engineering from the University of Houston. He has co-authored numerous papers and shares in four patents for well control technology.

HOLLI D. CRAMM

Holli has over 30 years of experience in the Petroleum Industry. She earned her B.S. in Petroleum Engineering from Texas A&M University and her M.S. in Petroleum Engineering from the University of Houston. She began her career working for Mobil and has since worked for BHP Petroleum, Aquila, and Apache before joining Stokes & Spiehler in 1996. Her specialties include preparing and supervising workover, completion, and plug and abandonment programs as well as field studies for small to mid-size independents. She has managed multiple projects and fields on land, inland water and offshore along the Gulf Coast, East Texas and South Texas. She also provides production monitoring and regulatory support to a variety of clients. Holli is a lifetime member of the Society of Petroleum Engineers and a Charter member of the Houston Chapter, American Association of Drilling Engineers where she currently serves on the Innovative and Emerging Technology Study Group Steering Committee.

JOHN MESSERSCHMIDT

Job Titles:
  • Operations and Management Advisor to
John has proven leadership expertise in operational and management positions around the world. His broad range of expertise encompasses 40 years in pressure pumping, fracturing, cementing, coiled tubing, acidizing, workovers, and hydraulic workovers. In addition, John has experience in managing large equipment fleets including international movement logistics and operational and safety audits. He is known for his ability to solve problems, think innovatively and have a ‘can-do' approach to any situation.

LES SKINNER

Job Titles:
  • Drilling and Operations Advisor to
After graduating from Texas Tech University with a B.S. in Chemical Engineering, Les went to work for Amoco Production Company. For the next 48 years, he has worked for independent and integrated oil companies including Gulf Oil, The Superior Company, Kuwait Oil Company, Petroskills, Shell and Chevron, both as an employee and as a consultant. He has authored numerous technical articles as well as two full-length books, IADC Drilling Series - Coiled Tubing Operations, published in 2016 and IADC Drilling Series - Hydraulic Rig Technology and Operations in 2019. A third book, IADC Drilling Series - Well Integrity for Workovers and Recompletions is scheduled for publication in 2020. He is a member of the Society of Petroleum Engineers, American Association of Chemical Engineers, American Association of Drilling Engineers, the International Association of Drilling Contractors and several others. Les has served on several industry committees including API RP 65, API RP 90, and the committee to revise SPE's Drilling Engineering textbook. He is currently the chair of the Steering Committee for the AADE Innovative and Emerging Technology group. Les is a licensed Professional in the State of Texas.

LORAN GALEY

Job Titles:
  • Cementing Fluids Advisor to
For over 35 years, Loran has served as a subject matter expert to operators large and small. He began his career with Halliburton as an Engineer in Training in their Cementing Division, then progressed through the ranks as a District Engineer, Technical Advisor, and Product Line Manager. He also served as an Operations Manager for a leading cementing advisory company before working for Shell and Apache as a cementing subject matter expert. He has authored cement testing guidelines and recommended practices in addition to teaching cementing classes to operators, service providers and regulatory agencies. Loran has also served on API, SPE, and AADE committees related to cementing practices. His work experience includes time spent in the Gulf of Mexico, Latin America, the Middle East, Russia and the North Sea. Loran holds a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Arkansas.

MARILYN WILSON

Job Titles:
  • Reservoir Engineering Advisor to Eureka Energy Advisors / Chief Executive Officer, H.J. Gruy and Associates
Marilyn has over 35 years of experience performing reservoir engineering and reservoir analysis for a variety of clients such as E&P companies, banks, attorneys, and financial. In addition, she provides annual reserve reports, strategic planning advice, and bankruptcy engineering support. Her responsibilities also include counseling board members, attorneys, and financiers on PRMS and SEC guidelines. Marilyn holds a B.S. in Petroleum Engineering, and is a member of the Society of Petroleum Engineers and the Society of Petroleum Evaluation Engineers.

RICHARD HATTEBERG

Job Titles:
  • Well Control & Blowout Technical Advisor to
Richard began his oilfield career working with the Kinley Company in 1955 assisting Myron Kinley. He worked as a shop hand and helper learning well control basics. In 1965, he began working with the Red Adair Company where he helped refine well control techniques and equipment until Mr. Adair sold the company in 1993. He was a principal investor in International Well Control which eventually merged with Boots & Coots, and was active in the day to day operations until 2018. Richard has worked throughout the world on a wide range of well situations including geothermal, H 2 S, CO 2 blowouts and fires. He worked on the Bay Marchand Platform (1970), Kuwait fires in 1991, Iraq Rio Project (2003) and SOCAL Blowout (2015). His technical specialties include drilling operations, surface well control intervention, pressure control, relief well planning, relief well supervision and project management.

ROBERT RASOR

Job Titles:
  • Reservoir Engineering Advisor to Eureka Energy Advisors / President, H.J. Gruy and Associates
For over forty years, Robert has been performing reservoir engineering and economic analysis for acquisition and divestitures, SEC filings, secured debt offerings, and bankruptcies. He specializes in forensic engineering for litigation and arbitration as well as advising clients on the reasonableness of oil and gas property acquisitions. He has provided expert witness testimony in District Court, Federal Court, Bankruptcy Court and Tax Court. Robert is a member of the Society of Petroleum Engineers and the Society of Petroleum Evaluation Engineers. In addition to publishing numerous documents on the subject of oil and gas reserves, he also served as the Technical Content Reviewer for Gulf Publishing Company. Roberts holds a B.S and M.S. in Petroleum Engineering from Texas A&M University.

STEVE FITZGERALD

Job Titles:
  • Applied Physics & Computational Modeling Advisor to Eureka Energy Advisors / President, Principium Plus Solutions
With over 35 years of broad engineering experience emphasizing high energy gas dynamics and multi-physics modeling, Steve has spent his career attacking challenging problems at the crossroads of multiple engineering domains. As an adherent to first principles solution methodologies, his problem-solving process focuses on building fundamental understanding for driving physical processes involved, and the construction of full system solutions from validated models and first principles processes. The engineering approaches and modeling philosophies Steve relies on have their roots in 30 years of Aerospace engineering analysis and leadership at NASA's Johnson Space Center, where he retired as Senior Technical Advisor for aerosciences in 2014. Subsequent work, across multiple industries, has led to many industry-first developments in complex, multi-physics, solutions for nonlinear, coupled systems. Inherently curious, Mr. Fitzgerald has achieved multiple technical expert designations and applied that knowledge as principle investigator on two spaceflight experiments, technical lead on multiple international flight programs, and managing multi-center engineering teams investigating the Columbia accident and developing requirements for the next human spaceflight program. His career honors include the NASA Exceptional Engineering Achievement Medal, JSC Center Director Commendation, and the JSC Graduate Studies Fellowship. He holds Bachelors and Masters of Science degrees in Aerospace Engineering from Texas A&M University, where he proudly served seven years on the board of advisors.