Aric B. Cunningham
Staff Geologist, Vice President

Aric B. Cunningham has more than 40 years of experience in the petroleum industry. He joined DeGolyer and MacNaughton in 2017 and leads a team of engineers and geoscientists working on Middle East and Asia studies. He trained and worked in various technical disciplines, including petrophysics, reservoir engineering, and commercial roles with BP Exploration for 25 years across the United States (Alaska), Europe (Scotland), the Middle East (Kuwait), and Russia (within TNK-BP). In addition, he worked in several technical Chief Operating Officer and Chief Executive roles in Russia, the Czech Republic, Georgia, and Ukraine.

He graduated from the University of California Berkeley in 1981 with a bachelor’s degree in geology and in 1984 with a master’s degree in geology. He earned his MBA from the University of Aberdeen/Robert Gordan’s institute, Scotland. He is a lifetime member of the Society of Petroleum Engineers. He was named a Vice President of D&M in 2020.

Geographical Experience

• Czech Republic
• Georgia
• Kazakhstan
• Kuwait
• North Sea (United Kingdom)
• Russia
• Ukraine
• United Arab Emirates
• United States (Alaska and Permian Basin)

Topical Areas of Expertise

• Petroleum economics
• Reservoir engineering
• CO₂ CCS/CCUS studies and ISO certification
• Exploration, appraisal, and field development planning
• Operations management
• Strategy
• Mergers and acquisitions evaluation

Major Projects

Cunningham has led and contributed to many large greenfield and brownfield development and reservoir management studies, as well as unconventional development programs, most recently in the United Arab Emirates. He has led mergers and acquisitions technical evaluation teams and contributed to technical teams developing scenarios for major fund-raising efforts.

As a reservoir engineer (over 30 years), he has led several reservoir appraisal and development studies and managed the implementation of final field development plans, including reservoir modeling, appraisal and development planning utilizing long horizontal wells, exploration and appraisal management of shallow gas-condensate reservoirs, full-field drilling and operations management, exploration and appraisal of heavy oil fields in fractured carbonate reservoirs, and evaluations of production acceleration potential.