The competition brought together students from various universities across the Asia Pacific region to present innovative research in the energy field. In this competition, Hafiz presented a paper titled “Integrated Approach for Rapid Reservoir Characterization Using Advanced Pickett Plot: A Case Study in P Formation, West Java.”

The research originated from a real challenge in the oil and gas industry, where reservoir characterization is often conducted separately by petrophysicists, geologists, and reservoir engineers.

“I proposed an integrated approach that provides a fast and comprehensive overview to evaluate reservoir performance,” Hafiz explained.

“This method utilizes well log data to predict petrophysical parameters as an alternative when core data is unavailable. In addition, the analysis is presented through an interactive Python-based dashboard, making it easier for multidisciplinary interpretation and allowing quick updates for other wells,” he added.

Interestingly, the paper originated from Hafiz’s undergraduate thesis at Petroleum Engineering ITB, supervised by Dr. Dedy Irawan, S.T., M.T., who at the time served as the Head of Undergraduate Program.

“Initially, I had no idea what topic to write about until Dr. Dedy suggested ‘Integrated Approach for Reservoir Characterization.’ The process was quite challenging—it took a full two months: one and a half months for data processing and half a month for writing,” he recalled.

Hafiz had to race against time to complete his thesis and graduate before starting his onboarding at PETRONAS in February 2025. “I eventually became the first in my 2021 batch to defend my thesis. That was such an extraordinary moment,” he said proudly.

“At first, I didn’t have high expectations, but I believed that even a simple study could make a meaningful impact on the industry,” he added.

Hafiz’s victory was announced in front of professionals and academics from different countries. The award was presented by Professor Jennifer Miskimins, 2026 SPE President from the Colorado School of Mines, who also shared her inspiring journey with the participants.

“It felt incredible to win my very first competition—especially at an international level. I also wanted to prove that besides leading organizations like SPE ITB SC, I still possess strong technical capabilities,” Hafiz said.

Previously, Hafiz served as President of SPE ITB Student Chapter 2024/2025, during which the chapter successfully earned both the Presidential Award for Outstanding Student Chapter and the Regional Outstanding Student Chapter Award.

Hafiz expressed his gratitude to his supervisors, seniors, and mentors who supported his preparation, and also appreciated PETRONAS management for facilitating his participation without disrupting his work responsibilities.

“The Society of Petroleum Engineers has played a major role in shaping my professional journey. Moving forward, I want to continue contributing to this community and become part of the solution to future energy challenges,” he stated.

With this victory, Hafiz will represent the Asia Pacific Region at the SPE Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition (ATCE) 2026 in Houston, Texas, USA.

“After this, my goal is not only to carry the name of ITB or Indonesia, but to represent the entire Asia Pacific region on the global stage. I sincerely hope for everyone’s prayers and support,” he concluded optimistically.

Reporter: Rayhan Adri Fulvian (Geophysical Engineering, 2021