Lunch & Learn:
Pore Pressure, Stress & Subsurface Workflows

Where Uncertainty Actually Lives

Tuesday, March 17 | 11:30AM–1:00 PM Location: Wyndham Midland Downtown

This Midland Lunch & Learn is for Geophysicists, Drilling Engineers, and Geologists who want to dig deeper into pore pressure, stress, and wellbore risk workflows. We’ll focus on the points where data conflicts, models diverge, and the workflow itself can become the biggest source of uncertainty.

We’ll explore workflows around pore pressure, stress, and wellbore risk—focusing on where data conflicts, where models disagree, and the situations where the workflow itself becomes the main source of uncertainty.

We’ll bring examples to share and want to your experiences and challenges:

  • What are the real constraints in your teams?
  • Where do things get approximated because they’re “too hard” to do properly?
  • Which parts of your workflow feel more like habit than reasoning?

This session is about understanding how uncertainty enters our models—and how our workflows can sometimes create more risk than the rocks themselves.

You're Invited!

Geomechanics expert from Ikon Science presenting subsurface data insights

Jakob Heller, VP Wellbore Solutions

Featured Speaker at the 2nd Annual Holiday Networking Event

4:30 PM

Pore Pressure Prediction: Drilling Smarter and Safer in Complex Formations

Join industry experts as they discuss cutting-edge approaches to pore pressure prediction that are revolutionizing drilling safety and efficiency. Drawing from Ikon Science's extensive experience and regional studies, this session will showcase how our advanced workflows significantly reduce uncertainties in well planning and real-time operations. Learn how geomechanicists from major operators like Oxy, Shell, Chevron, and Exxon are implementing these techniques to achieve greater drilling precision while minimizing risks in challenging environments.

Geoscientists analyzing pore pressure data during collaborative drilling planning session

 

Geomechanics expert from Ikon Science speaking at the 2nd Annual Holiday Networking Event

2nd Annual Holiday Networking for Pore Pressure & Geomechanics Specialists

4:30 PM

Drilling Smarter, Safer: Advanced Pore Pressure Monitoring Techniques

In this festive holiday session, Dr. Sarah Mitchell will explore the critical distinction between pore pressure prediction and real-time pore pressure detection in drilling operations. All well-executed pre-drill pore pressure studies provide "Most Likely", "Low", and "High" case scenarios, but the margin between these estimates can vary significantly. During actual drilling, teams gain access to valuable new data unavailable during planning stages—including hole conditions, gas readings, pumps-off data, and direct petrophysical measurements from the actual wellbore rather than offset wells.

Join fellow geomechanics and pore pressure specialists from Oxy, Shell, Chevron, Exxon, Apache and other leading energy companies to discover how integrating this real-time data can refine pressure models to identify whether conditions match "Low", "Expected" or "High" side cases—or occasionally reveal pressures entirely outside the predicted window.

 

Ikon Science geomechanics expert presenting at the 2nd Annual Holiday Networking Event

2nd Annual Holiday Networking Event for Pore Pressure & Geomechanics Professionals

5:30 PM

2nd Annual Holiday Networking: Advancements in Pore Pressure Prediction and Geomechanics

Join industry leaders in pore pressure and geomechanics for an evening of festive networking and knowledge sharing at Ikon Science's Houston office. This special holiday gathering brings together specialists from major oil and gas companies including Oxy, Shell, Chevron, Exxon, Apache and more to discuss innovations in drilling safety and efficiency. Learn how integrated workflows combining advanced data management, rock physics modeling, and real-time monitoring are revolutionizing wellbore stability and drilling operations. Connect with peers who are tackling similar challenges while enjoying seasonal refreshments in a relaxed professional atmosphere.

Geoscientists collaborating over subsurface data visualization at Ikon Science holiday networking event

 

Geomechanics Expert from Ikon Science

Dr. Sarah Chen, Lead Pore Pressure Geomechanicist

5:30 PM

2nd Annual Holiday Networking: Advancing Pore Pressure & Geomechanics in Drilling Safety

Join industry leaders from Oxy, Shell, Chevron, Exxon, Apache and more for an evening of festive networking and knowledge sharing. Our special presentation will focus on innovative approaches to pore pressure prediction and geomechanical modeling that enable smarter, safer drilling operations across challenging environments. Connect with fellow geoscientists while exploring the latest advancements in wellbore stability analysis.

Geoscientists analyzing pore pressure data for drilling safety optimization

 

Ikon Science logo for the 2nd Annual Holiday Networking Event for pore pressure and geomechanics professionals

Geoscientists & Engineers: Join Our Holiday Networking Event!

6:00 PM - 9:00 PM

2nd Annual Holiday Networking

Festive Refreshments & Industry Connections

Join fellow pore pressure and geomechanics experts from Oxy, Shell, Chevron, Exxon, Apache and more for an evening of technical insights and valuable connections!

Presentation Abstract

Dr. Alexander Edwards and Jacob Heller

Most subsurface teams have established internal workflows for pore pressure and stress. But can we always trust the results—and how do we express uncertainty clearly and reduce it where we can?

In onshore environments, pore pressure and geomechanics-related risk are rarely governed by a single input or one “best” method. They emerge from layered interpretations—logs, drilling data, seismic, tests, and assumptions—filtered through workflows that may be inherited, simplified, or originally built for different geological problems.

Most engineers’ workflows are ultimately tuned to what already happened. Most pore pressure predictions live across spreadsheets, transforms, and rules of thumb. And most teams optimize for speed because operational decisions can’t wait for perfect science.

None of this is wrong. It’s reality. But it raises an uncomfortable question: if our models are calibrated to the past, simplified for speed, and fragmented across tools, how predictive are they really?

This Lunch & Learn isn’t about inventing a new method. It’s about stepping back and examining the different data inputs, how they connect to uncertainty, and what that means for the results we should expect.

Geology Data Calibration Pressure Model

Meet Your Hosts

Jakob Heller

Wellbore Services

Jakob Heller

Jakob is Technical Manager for Ikon Science’s Wellbore Group in the Americas, based in Houston. He holds an MSc in Geology from the University of Copenhagen, with a master’s thesis completed with STATOIL (Equinor), Norway on the Middle Jurassic Garn Formation offshore Mid-Norway.

With 18 years’ experience as a geologist, pore pressure, and wellbore stability specialist across Denmark, the UK, Egypt, and Malaysia, Jakob leads wellbore services work spanning regional pressure studies, pre-drill well planning (PG/FG) and wellbore stability, pore pressure prediction from seismic velocities, 3D geomechanical property volumes, hydrodynamics and column height prediction, and seal breach studies. His recent focus includes integrating rock physics into pore pressure workflows to account for Vclay and TOC variability.

Jakob has served as technical lead on 200+ pre-drill studies globally, with recent projects concentrated in the Gulf of Mexico, offshore Suriname, the Permian Basin, Alberta Basin, offshore Trinidad, and Alaska’s North Slope. He regularly presents at technical conferences and delivers theory and software training courses.

Dr. Alexander Edwards

Guest Speaker

Dr. Alexander Edwards

Dr. Alexander Edwards is Ikon Science’s VP of Product (Houston), with deep technical roots in geoprediction and digital well delivery. Since joining Ikon Science in 2009, he has specialized in pore pressure and fracture gradient (PPFG) analysis—spanning regional pressure work, pre-drill and real-time workflows, post-drill evaluation, and field studies (including seal breach and hydrodynamics)—with a consistent emphasis on integrating PPFG with rock physics and geomechanics.

As product lead, he has helped translate customer-driven requirements into software solutions that strengthen subsurface collaboration and real-time well surveillance, and he regularly authors technical papers, presents at conferences, and delivers pore pressure theory and software training.

Alex Bambridge

Event Organizer

Alex Bambridge

Alex Bambridge is the Business Development Manager at Ikon Science, where he leads strategic growth initiatives supporting clients across the energy and subsurface industries. With a strong foundation in geoscience and data-driven decision-making, Alex bridges the gap between cutting-edge subsurface technology and business value, helping operators and partners optimize reservoir understanding, reduce uncertainty, and accelerate digital transformation.

Throughout his career, Alex has worked closely with multidisciplinary teams to deliver integrated solutions in geoscience, most recently at Ikon Science, combining rock physics, geoprediction, and machine learning workflows. His background uniquely positions him to translate complex geoscience challenges into actionable business strategies that enhance exploration and production outcomes.

At Ikon Science, Alex drives partnerships that advance the adoption of knowledge management, data integration, and predictive analytics tools—empowering geoscientists and engineers to make faster, more informed technical decisions.

Wyndham Midland Downtown - 117 W Wall St, Midland, TX 79701