About Woodlands
Leadership
Alberto Solana
Founder & CEO
Alberto Solana is the founder of Woodlands Oilfield Services, bringing over two decades of oil and gas expertise from both corporate leadership roles and hands-on field operations. With a career spanning from Venezuela's Orinoco Oil Belt to global operations management at Halliburton, he combines deep technical knowledge with entrepreneurial vision to deliver integrated solutions that bridge US technology and Latin American markets.
-
Venezuela Orinoco Oil Belt Operations: 7+ years of direct field experience in extra heavy oil production, drilling, completion, and workover operations at SINCOR/PETROCEDEÑO
-
Business Development & Market Entry: Proven track record securing $400M+ in contracts, launching new service lines, and establishing partnerships with major IOCs across Latin America
-
Global Team Leadership: Directed cross-functional teams of 30+ professionals across multiple countries, managing P&L, operations, and technical delivery for integrated projects
-
Digital Transformation & Technology Adoption: Spearheaded deployment of closed-loop automation, remote operations centers, and digital well construction programs across 20+ rigs globally
-
Well Engineering & Stimulation: Engineered and executed drilling and completion (D&C) programs, as well as workover and intervention operations, including formation damage mitigation campaigns (NAMET), acid fracturing treatments, multilateral well architectures, extended reach horizontal (ERH) wells, and high-pressure/high-temperature (HP/HT) gas wells.
-
Commercial Strategy & Negotiations: Expert in contract structuring, risk assessment, tender development, and performance-based agreements
-
US-Latin America Market Connector: Unique expertise bridging American technology providers with Latin American operators, understanding both regulatory environments and operational requirements
Areas of Expertise:
Professional Experience
-
Digital Well Construction - Global Operations Manager
Halliburton / Halliburton Project Management (HPM) • Houston, TX
Managed global digital construction operations, including new technology validation, deployment, and adoption, and supervised integrated remote operations managers worldwide.
-
Validated and deployed first closed-loop automation / remote sliding integrating in-house automation solutions with rig process automation, achieving 30% increase in ROP in MENA lump sum turnkey (LSTK) projects.
-
Spearheaded deployment of digital well program, lessons learned application, and micro key performance indicator (KPI) analytics tools across 20+ rigs for significantly improved operational decision-making.
2023 - 2025
-
HPM Latin America Engineering Manager
Halliburton Project Management • Houston, TX
Oversaw well engineering deliverables across Latin America, ensuring adherence to technical standards in well designs for tender processes, management of changes (MOC), and significant incident reviews.
-
Approved technical solutions, including risk profiles for tender responses based on contractual requirements.
-
Implemented tracking of tender reviews, facilitating increase in winning rate from 30% to 66%.
-
Headed continuous improvement regional initiative for digital well construction, implementing first real time operations centers in Brazil and Argentina.
2021 - 2023
-
HPM Country Operations Manager
Halliburton Project Management • Buenos Aires, Argentina
Directed team of 30+ professionals supporting integrated drilling and completion operations in Vaca Muerta unconventional play, including $15M annual budget for project management (PM) product service line (PSL).
-
Launched service line in Argentina, driving revenue from $100K+ in first half 2018 to about $5M in first half 2019.
-
Fostered continuous improvement culture and aligned team with One-Halliburton integrated approach.
2019 - 2021
-
HPM Business Development Manager
Halliburton Project Management • Buenos Aires, Argentina
Owned business development efforts for integrated / multi-PSL well construction projects.
-
Co-led, negotiated and secured contracts with major Vaca Muerta operators, generating approximately $400M in revenue.
-
Played important role in establishing first performance-based integrated well construction and completion project with major international oil company (IOC) in Argentina.
2018
-
HPM Senior Well Engineer
Halliburton Project Management • Houston, TX
Supported global HPM projects in well engineering, risk assessment, significant incident investigations, and tenders.
-
Designed and executed multistage acid frac completion for Kuwait's first horizontal well in Mauddud reservoir.
-
Steered creation of global OpenWells coding guidelines and revised competency frameworks for drilling engineers and well site supervisors.
2015 - 2017
-
Drilling & Completion Engineer Team Leader
YPERGAS S.A. (Total Energy / Repsol JV) • Caracas, Venezuela
Supervised 2 drilling & completion engineers managing 2 land rigs in high pressure / temperature (HP / HT) gas wells.
Drilling & Completion Engineer
Developed drilling, completion and abandonment programs for high-temperature, high-CO2, and H2S environments.
2013 - 2014
2011 - 2013
-
Well Engineer / Drilling Superintendent
SINCOR / PETROCEDEÑO (Total Energy, Statoil / Equinor, PDVSA JV) • Puerto La Cruz, Venezuela
Coordinated team of 6 engineers across 4 rigs, drilling 6 to 8 horizontal wells per month in high-density cluster field.
-
Spearheaded the non-aqueous microemulsion treatment (NAMET) campaign designed to mitigate skin damage created during drilling with water-based mud or during completion/workover operations, achieving an average of 200% production incremental.
-
Stood up first Level 4 multilateral well in 5 years, boosting well potential 30%.
-
Completed graduate internship in Well Technology & Operations Management with thesis on "Workover of Horizontal Wells with Sand Entrance Problems in Zuata Field" (Honorific Mention), resulting in successful implementation of proposed re-liner methodology across multiple wells.
Other Positions Held: Well Completion & WO Engineer, Workover / Flush by Unit & Coiled Tubing Supervisor
2004 - 2011
Education
Diploma, Drilling & Completion
Institut Français du Pétrole
Paris, France
Diploma, Engineering Management
Universidad Metropolitana
Caracas, Venezuela
Bachelor of Science, Petroleum Engineering
Universidad Central de Venezuela
Caracas, Venezuela
Published Research
-
Technology Based Formation Damage Control & Mitigation Measures in the SINCOR Zuata Field, Venezuela
SPE 111887
Larry Nnabuihe SPE, Linoc Oil & Gas, Inc, Calgary, Alberta, Erwan Couzigou, Sincor, Caracas Albert F. Chan SPE, SpacerTek, Plano, Texas, Alberto Solana, Sincor, Caracas
This paper addresses formation damage control and mitigation measures implemented in the SINCOR Zuata Field, Venezuela. The research focuses on technology-based solutions for improving well productivity and managing formation damage in Extra Heavy Oil (EHO) production operations.
Our Mission
To deliver integrated oilfield solutions that maximize production, reduce costs, and connect Latin American operators with world-class US technology and expertise.
We are committed to building long-term partnerships based on technical excellence, safety, and mutual success in one of the world's most challenging operating environments.
Our Vision
To be the preferred partner for oilfield services throughout Venezuela and Latin America, recognized for delivering measurable results and representing the highest standards of American technology.
We envision expanding our footprint across the region while maintaining the personalized service and technical depth that define our approach.