History

Since 1986, IRSRI (International Reservoir Simulation Research Institute) has grown and expanded its scope beyond petroleum reservoir simulation. We remain committed to the principles upon which IRSRI was founded - namely, advancing the state of the art in mathematical modeling and simulation. We continue to build on our legacy of excellence in reservoir simulation research while also embracing new challenges and opportunities in other areas of smart resource infrastructure.

New Focus and Challenges

In recognition of this broader focus, the Institute rebranded itself in 2018 to Intelligence Research for Smart Resource Infrastructure. This new name reflects our commitment to research and innovation in a variety of fields, including energy, water, and communications infrastructure.

Today, IRSRI continues to conduct cutting-edge research and provides high-quality education. Our team of expert industry collaborators, faculty, and students work together to develop new methods and technologies that help solve some of the world's most pressing challenges. We collaborate with industry partners, government agencies, and academic institutions around the globe to develop sustainable and resilient resource infrastructure for the future.

Professor John Hedengren

John Hedengren leads the Process Research and Intelligent Systems Modeling (PRISM) group and joined the IRSRI initiative in 2011 after 7 years in industry with ExxonMobil. His work includes physics-informed machine learning for optimization of energy systems, unmanned aircraft, and drilling. Hedengren has extensive industrial experience in automation and modeling of industrial processes and has consulted for companies such as Amazon, Apache, ENI Petroleum, EnVen, HESS, Meta, SABIC, SASOL, and TOTAL on machine learning and automation solutions. The Gekko Optimization Suite is downloaded 10,000x per month and he teaches 10,000 students each week through APMonitor.com online courses. He is the Chair of Control Education for the IEEE Control Systems Society (CSS) and was a Distinguished Lecturer for the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE) in 2018-19.

Professor Hugh Hales

Hugh Hales, a founding member of IRSRI, is a distinguished professor and researcher in the field of Petroleum Engineering. His extensive experience in the oil and gas industry, as well as his academic background, made him an ideal candidate to lead the Institute's efforts to develop improved mathematical methods for petroleum reservoir simulation. Hales worked for Exxon and Mobil Oil Companies, and served as an Assistant Professor of Chemical Engineering at The Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He brought a wealth of expertise to IRSRI, and was instrumental in establishing the Institute's reputation for excellence in reservoir simulation research. Throughout his career, Hales made significant contributions to the field of Petroleum Engineering, and his legacy continues to inspire and inform the work of IRSRI's researchers and faculty today.