Rafael G. Cavero
Assistant Division Manager, Vice President

Rafael Cavero joined DeGolyer and MacNaughton in 2015 as a petroleum engineer with extensive knowledge of Latin American petroleum projects. Prior to joining D&M, Cavero was a reservoir engineer for Petrolera San Jose, Pan American Energy, and Petrobras Energia, where he gained broad experience in reservoir management, redevelopment of mature fields, and production operations.

Cavero graduated with honors from the National University of Engineering in 2002, where he received his bachelor’s degree in petroleum engineering. He also graduated from Heriot-Watt University, where he received a master’s degree in Reservoir Evaluation and Management in 2015. He is a member of the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE) and the Society of Petroleum Evaluation Engineers (SPEE). Cavero is a licensed Professional Engineer in the State of Texas and an SPE Certified Petroleum Engineer. He is fluent in Spanish, English, and Portuguese. He was named a Vice President of D&M in 2020.

Geographical Experience

• Angola
• Argentina
• Brazil
• China
• Colombia
• Ecuador
• Indonesia
• Mexico
• Peru
• Saudi Arabia
• United States

Topical Areas of Expertise

• Reserves certification
• Business planning
• Reservoir management
• Application of PRMS and SEC guidelines
• Volumetric and material-balance calculations
• Production performance analysis
• Waterflooding
• Reservoir simulation
• Drilling and workover activities
• Production operations
• Mature field redevelopment
• Enhanced oil recovery (EOR)

Major Projects

Cavero has led the estimation of reserves and resources, participated in fair market value and redetermination projects, and conducted seminars and courses on the estimation, classification, and categorization of reserves and resources under based on the requirements of the SEC and the PRMS.

Cavero coordinated a multidisciplinary team on a large-scale project estimating reserves and resources for the national oil companies of China, Ecuador, and Mexico.

He has participated in technical and economic evaluations for the acquisition of exploration assets in the United States (shale oil/gas) and developed assets in Europe (carbonate reservoirs).

At Pan American Energy, Cavero coordinated a multidisciplinary team of geophysicists, geologists, and engineers in the management of mature fields, reservoir characterization, study and surveillance of waterflooding and EOR projects, the evaluation and ranking of drilling proposals for appraisal and infill wells, and workovers in the central blocks of the field.