Highly skilled and knowledgeable computational and applied mathematician, algorithm developer, petroleum engineer, artificial lift/sucker rod pumping industry expert, and consultant. Experienced production engineering technical advisor, operations engineering manager, and consultant in the oil and gas industry. Strong belief in fully understanding the challenge and properly applying a balance of experience and the appropriate computational mathematics, technology, and modeling procedures to provide comprehensive, technically sound solutions. Employ techniques and methods from pure and applied mathematics, data visualization, computer science, statistics, and other disciplines to deliver results with tangible value.

Jeff is not your typical Ph.D. mathematician or engineer. He is a tremendously energetic self-starter and exceptionally strong communicator with excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to explain complex ideas to both technical and non-technical audiences. He is a teacher at heart. He thrives when leading classes and presenting.

Strengths: public speaking, predictive modeling, and analysis, artificial intelligence, data visualization, technical writing, technical graphics, production optimization, algorithm, and software development.

Jeff DaCunha graduated with his PhD in mathematics in 2004 from Baylor University. Immediately upon graduation, he was awarded the Davies Postdoctoral Research Fellowship position, which is a join appointment as a mathematics professor at the United States Military Academy in West Point, NY and an Army researcher at the Aberdeen Proving Grounds in Aberdeen, MD.

After this fellowship, he moved back to Texas and began working at Lufkin Automation in 2006. Upon his hiring, he became the understudy of Sam Gibbs, PhD and Ken Nolen, PE, cofounders of Nabla Corporation and inventors of the wave equation technique for downhole dynamometers. Using his mathematics and programming background, Jeff sought to absorb as much knowledge as possible from Sam and Ken.

In 2007, Jeff requested a transfer to Midland to become an artificial lift technician and begin taking on the responsibilities of industry course instruction for the company. The idea was to complement the technical and theoretical knowledge he was gaining with field experience, leading training courses, and further mentoring from Sam and Ken on location, weighing wells and shooting fluid levels.

When it comes to knowledge of the rod pumping system, Jeff’s combination of technical and theoretical knowledge, teaching industry classes, and working side by side with Ken and Sam for over 16 years has put him in a class by himself. With his endless energy and passion for the subject, you will not find a better instructor in the world.

Entrepreneur
Technical author
Computational and applied mathematician
Motivational speaker
Educator
Trainer