Francis Sommer

Executive Vice-President, Technology

Francis Sommer began his career with Sohio Alaska Petroleum (now BP) in 1986 working on the Prudhoe Bay oil field.  He held numerous engineering positions in Alaska, specializing in new field appraisal and development, Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR), reservoir modelling and performance forecasting.  From 1992—1995 Francis worked in Colombia where he was lead reservoir engineer on the Cupiagua and Cusiana field developments.

Francis returned to Alaska to lead subsurface teams including the Pt Thomson and Northstar developments. In 2003 Francis was appointed Asset Manager for Prudhoe Bay field.  In this role, he lead efforts in novel technology applications such as gas cap water injection, LoSal water injection and viscous oil developments.  In 2005 he was appointed Performance Unit Leader in Aberdeen (Scotland).

Mr Francis Sommer joined TNK-BP in late 2005 as Vice-President of Production Technology and is currently the Executive Vice President of Technology.  Francis has played a major role new field developments including Kamennoe, Uvat and VC and in progressing the use and of technologies such as sidetracking and waterflooding.  Francis is also accountable for TNK-BP’s reserves assessments.

Mr Sommer is a graduate of New York University (BA Physics) and the University of Texas Austin (MS Petroleum Engineering).  He has published articles in the Journal of Petroleum Technology (JPT) and has been a member of SPE since 1986.