PETROLEUM ROCK MECHANICS

PETROLEUM ROCK MECHANICS

GeoRocca is a consulting firm specialized in Geomechanics serving the oil and gas industry, with deep expertise in wellbore stability, real time support, hydraulic fracturing, sanding, and data-driven analysis for optimizing drilling and production operations.

Backed by decades of experience, our team of expert engineers provides tailored solutions to petroleum companies, addressing complex geological and mechanical challenges to enhance well performance and operational efficiency. At GeoRocca, we combine our technical knowledge with cutting-edge data analysis to deliver results that drive sustainable growth and mitigate risks in the field.

What do we do?

With a team of highly qualified and experienced engineers, we deliver innovative solutions that enable companies to enhance their operations, reduce costs, and stay ahead in a rapidly evolving global market.

  • Our mission is to provide innovative, data-driven geomechanical consulting services that empower oil and gas companies to optimize their well operations, ensure safety, and enhance performance. We are committed to delivering solutions that are both technically and economically viable, supporting our clients through every phase of their projects.

  • Our vision is to be the leading consultancy geomechanics company in the oil and gas industry, renowned by our expertise in geomechanics and data analysis. We aim to drive innovation in well operations and deliver sustainable, high-impact solutions that help our clients navigate the evolving challenges of the energy sector.

Maximizing well safety and efficiency.

Data-driven strategies for oil fields.

Meet the TEAM

Lucía Rodríguez Portela

Founder | Senior Geomechanics Engineer

I hold a Civil engineering degree from 1997 and a Master’s in Geomechanics from 2001, both from the National University of Colombia. Furthermore, I completed a specialization in Project Management earning a Diploma of excellence in 2005 from Rosario University.

My professional ethos is centered around dedication, as evidenced by my track record of achieving quality and efficiency through formalizing workflows. With over 20 years of experience in the oil and gas industry, I am a seasoned civil engineer with specialized expertise in geotechnics, geomechanics, and project management.

I have been part of successful teams that have grown in size, expertise, quality, and revenue while working on a wide range of projects. Throughout this process, I have built mutually beneficial relationships with stakeholders, contributing to an improved understanding of diverse geological and geomechanical environments.

In the oil and gas industry, I have worked on various main topics, including wellbore stability (WBS), drilling optimization, pore pressure prediction (PPP), sanding management (SMS), geomechanics for fracturing, real-time support (RT), and reservoir geomechanics. My areas of expertise in civil engineering are soil mechanics, foundations, slopes, zonation, seismic response, and pavements.

My passion for mentoring aspiring engineers has led me to share my knowledge as a university teacher, covering subjects such as Geomechanics, Soil Mechanics, Rock Mechanics, Landslides, and Pavements.

Effective communication within the team and with other stakeholders is crucial for achieving results, which is why I am actively pursuing language learning as one of my interests.

Manuel E. Torres Villalobos

Founder | Geomechanics Advisor Engineer and Geologist

I am a Geomechanics Advisor, Engineer, and Geologist specializing in reservoir and drilling rock mechanics, with over 30 years of experience in the oil and gas industry. My professional journey began with earning my credentials as a Geologist, which provided me with a solid technical foundation in petroleum geology. I further expanded my expertise by completing my Civil Engineering degree and later obtaining a Master of Science in Geotechnical Engineering – Rock/Soil Mechanics. This blend of rigorous academic preparation and hands-on experience has equipped me to effectively address complex challenges and drive innovation in petroleum geomechanics.

I started my career as an exploration geologist, conducting field mapping, stratigraphic descriptions, and log analysis to assess hydrocarbon deposits in both greenfield and brownfield areas. I then joined Schlumberger, working for 19 years across several South American countries, the Caribbean, and Mexico. I was honored to be named Principal Acoustic-Geomechanics Domain Champion and spent 11 years in the Gulf of Mexico, working on projects ranging from shallow to ultra-deep-water environments. These projects included the Perdido fold belt, the Sub-saline basin, and the Sur-Este Basin, which is located mostly offshore along Mexico’s southeast coast.

These challenging operations involved Cenozoic turbidites and Mesozoic carbonates, as well as the Mexican Hills HP/HT fields.

I divided my time between serving as a petroleum rock mechanics instructor, conducting consultancy studies applied to well construction, hydraulic fracturing, sand control, and 1D/3D reservoir geomechanics, while providing direct support to drilling teams for real-time, daily geomechanics assistance on conventional well drilling projects, extended and horizontal wells, coiled tubing drilling, HP/HT wells, drilling in salt and carbonates, wells in tectonically active foothill areas, and unconventional wells.

As a trusted advisor, a notable experience was my involvement in an interdisciplinary study for the feasibility analysis of CO2 underground storage and enhanced production (CCUS/EOR). I evaluated the potential for hydrocarbon leakage, conductivity, fault reactivation, reservoir stability, and the integrity of the cap rock and basal layers.

My diverse expertise and unwavering commitment to excellence continue to fuel my passion for advancing geomechanical practices in the industry. In 2020, I advanced my career as a specialized geomechanics consultant, focusing on horizontal wells in Ecuador, complex HP/HT wells in Mexico, and gas wells in Colombia. I integrated my knowledge of structural geology, stratigraphy, and seismic evaluation into geomechanics analyses, generating 3D geological models to evaluate well trajectories and drilling events.

My most recent experience was being part of the Weatherford consulting and drilling group, where I worked as a Geomechanics Advisor supporting offshore operations and HP/HT wells onshore.