David Castiñeira is a Chemical Engineer with 9 years experience in the O&G industry. He is passionate about innovation and technology and is particularly interested in the application of Data Science and Machine Learning solutions to tackle complex engineering problems.

Prior to his current role, David led the Analytics Group at Quantum Reservoir Impact (QRI), where he managed the development and application of new quantitative techniques for reservoir management. He and his team built super-fast analytical methods for reservoir diagnostics and implemented innovative reservoir solutions using data mining/ machine learning techniques. Before leading the analytics group at QRI, David held two more junior roles with QRI, working his way up to his final role, Associate Leader of the Innovation team and, before that, a Senior Reservoir Engineer working on international engineering projects. Before QRI, David was a Reservoir Engineer with Shell International’s Exploration and Production R&D department.

And now, on to the interview!

1. Tell us about you! What is your current role? What did you study?

My name is David Castiñeira and I’m currently a Research Associate at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in the Civil and Environmental Engineering Department. I studied Chemical Engineering (BSc in Spain; Masters and PhD at The University of Texas at Austin). After working in the O&G industry in Houston for 9 years, I decided to pursue a Master’s program in Computational Science and Engineering at Harvard University (which I was able to complete while working here at MIT).

In my current research role, I develop new computational methods for induced seismicity, which has applications for risk management in O&G field operations, CO2 sequestration and hydrology. I am also working on new machine learning techniques for medical problems (e.g. Alzheimer’s predictions and ICU length-of-stay predictions).

2.What was the biggest challenge you faced moving from student to professional?

My biggest challenge was moving to a completely new field. In fact, I studied Chemical Engineering, and my PhD focused on using computational fluid dynamics to model turbulent combustion systems (with applications to refineries and chemical plants). After graduating, my job offer from Shell was for the upstream side of the O&G business. My job title was Reservoir Engineer. I did not know what that was, really!

My first few months at Shell were a total learning process, but I must admit that I enjoyed the challenge! Furthermore, I realize now (not back then), that execution is everything. Good ideas without a proper execution are just that: good ideas. It’s always difficult to manifest your full potential until you learn those types of things.

3. What are you most proud of in your career so far?

First of all, I am proud of having been able to work for great companies and organizations and I’m proud that I was able to learn (and continue to learn) from all of them. I’m proud of having worked on really challenging, large-scale problems that require innovative and collective thinking. I grew professionally and personally from every single project I participated on. I’m also proud that I was not afraid to pause my professional career for two years to fulfill a childhood dream: studying at MIT and Harvard. It became an actual step forward in my career!

4. What is the most valuable professional advice you’ve received so far, that you’d like to pass on to recent (or soon to be) graduates)?

Dr. Nansen Saleri (CEO of QRI) has given me some of the best advice I’ve received in my career:

• Focus on the signal (not the noise)
• Always wonder, “who is stopping you”?
• Try to become anti-fragile.

He also told me about an advice he received when he was kid that I personally like: “If you are to be a shoe shiner, then work to become the best shoe shiner in the world”.

I would encourage new graduates to always keep those ideas in mind. I would also emphasize the advantages of thinking company-first when working for any organization out there (it simply works better in the long-term than any “me-first” approach).

5. Where do you see the industry going in the next 5-10 years? What skills will new professionals need to be successful?

I think the O&G industry will eventually realize the need to accelerate/automate engineering analysis. The industry will have to become extremely efficient to survive and to be profitable (like it is the case in other industries). As in many other industries, people with data science, machine learning and computer science skills will be in high demand. Those who combine these skills with engineering acumen will excel, and those who can also think in collective terms will lead.