Dindoruk receives award for work in improved oil recovery
Dr. Birol Dindoruk earned the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE) Improved Oil Recovery (IOR) Pioneer Award, highlighting 30 years of service in the field.
The recipients of the 2026 IOR Pioneer Award and moderators in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
Dr. Birol Dindoruk, professor in Texas A&M University’s Department of Petroleum Engineering, received the Society of Petroleum Engineer’s (SPE) Improved Oil Recovery (IOR) Pioneer Award for his research and technological contributions in improved and enhanced oil recovery (EOR).
He was recognized, along with two others, at the SPE Improved Oil Recovery Conference 2026 held in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
“These pioneers are largely responsible for the state of improved oil recovery that we have today,” said Randy Seright, chair of the awards committee and 2008 award recipient, to the Journal of Petroleum Technology. “The IOR Pioneer Award is basically a lifetime achievement award and is the most prestigious award given in the area of improved oil recovery.”
Established in 1984, the award honors those in the field of improved oil recovery who have made significant contributions and advancements. Recipients are chosen out of a highly competitive and talented pool of contributors by a committee of their peers.
“Receiving this award is truly an honor,” Dindoruk said. “It has been a considerable milestone in my career, and I am thankful for the collaborators that support this journey.”
Dindoruk has over 30 years of extensive experience in the oil and gas industry, during which time he has made significant contributions to the advancement of IOR and EOR technologies. His work in carbon dioxide flooding, miscibility prediction, solvent injection processes and reservoir fluid characterization has helped bridge the gap between fundamental research and field-scale applications.
He was also recognized for his efforts in integrating carbon underground storage with enhanced recovery. His use of carbon dioxide to recover more oil from underground reservoirs established CO2-EOR as a pathway for both oil recovery and decarbonization. A decade ago, his theoretical and practical contributions to enhanced oil recovery and carbon dioxide sequestration also earned him an election to the National Academy of Engineering.
His ongoing impact is seen through hundreds of practicing engineers who still use property calculators, correlations and models developed by Dindoruk.
“IOR has always been about innovation and optimization,” Dindoruk said. “As energy challenges evolve, these technologies will continue to be important for improving recovery, reducing waste and supporting lower-carbon development strategies.”
