Reidar B. Bratvold

Reidar B. Bratvold is a Visiting Professor at the University of Stavanger and Norwegian Institute of Technology. His research focuses on decision analysis, project valuation, and reservoir management, integrating machine learning and stochastic modeling. He has extensive industry experience, including roles as Vice President at Landmark Graphics and Managing Director at Roxar. Bratvold holds a PhD in Petroleum Engineering and an MSc in Mathematics from Stanford University, complemented by management education from INSEAD.

His work emphasizes decision quality, addressing behavioral biases and uncertainty in energy investments. Notable contributions include frameworks for geosteering optimization and real-options valuation. He has authored numerous papers and books, including Making Good Decisions, and received awards such as the 2024 Energy Professional of the Year and 2017 SPE Management & Information Award. Bratvold’s research bridges academia and industry, promoting systematic decision-making methodologies.

• Awards:
  • Energy Professional of the Year (2024)
  • SPE Management & Information Award (2017)
  • Three-time SPE Distinguished Lecturer
• Key Contributions:
  • Machine learning in geosteering
  • Value-of-information analysis
  • Real-options valuation for oil projects

His recent work explores reinforcement learning for decision-making and Bayesian methods for production optimization. Bratvold’s interdisciplinary approach combines petroleum engineering, economics, and data science to enhance industry decision-making.