Experience
35+ yearsOil and gas exploration, discovery, and technical leadership.
KILOTON PETROLEUM SERVICES · INDEPENDENT CONSULTING
Kiram E. Lezzar, Ph.D.
Senior Expert Energy Consultant
35+ years in global oil and gas exploration and discovery. I help energy teams assess rift basins, characterize reservoirs, and make informed decisions from exploration strategy to field production.
About
Experience that connects the bigger picture.
Rift basin analysis, geological modeling, and exploration leadership.
The KT Impact brings together Dr. Kiram E. Lezzar’s petroleum exploration expertise, field leadership and executive business development to help clients make informed decisions and move projects forward.
A proven oil finder specializing in African rift basins, his work connects exploration strategies, prospect generation and drilling decisions with petroleum-funded applied research backed by U.S. energy majors.
Kiram combines field observations with computational and AI-assisted workflows, brings in specialists as needed, and provides technical training so client teams can interpret complex subsurface data independently.
Proven by the drill bit.
Driven by excellence and integrity.
Driven by excellence and integrity.
Regions worked
Global reachAfrica · Middle East · North America · South America
Languages spoken
5 languagesFluent English, French, and Arabic. Functional Swahili. Basic Spanish.
Specialist expertise
Rift basinsBasin analysis, geological modeling, and reservoir characterization.
Services
Practical support for exploration, production, and business development.
Exploration strategy
Assess basins, generate prospects, and plan exploration programs to support drilling decisions.
- Rift basin and petroleum system assessment
- Prospect generation and review
- Exploration planning
Geoscience & reservoirs
Process, analyze, and interpret subsurface data to characterize reservoirs and plan development.
- Integrated geology, geophysics, and petrophysics
- Reservoir modeling and characterization
- Field development planning
Field operations
Provide scientific and technical leadership for onshore and offshore exploration and production work.
- Seismic acquisition and drilling support
- Technical decisions and team coordination
- Facilities maintenance and operational upgrades
Africa business development
Connect technology providers, operators, investors, and governments to develop commercial opportunities.
- Market and opportunity development
- Negotiations and contract support
- NOC, IOC, and government partnerships
Applied research
Turn geological research and multidisciplinary data into practical exploration and production insight.
- Petroleum exploration research
- Rift basin analysis and geological modeling
- Industry and academic collaboration
Technical training
Equip client teams with the skills to interpret data and address subsurface challenges.
- Customized courses and seminars
- Hands-on workshops and online training
- Geoscience and environmental science instruction
HOW WE DELIVER
Independent by design.
Built around your project.
The right support. The right scope.
From a strategic conversation or document review to a project involving complex data, work directly with an experienced independent consultant.
When a project calls for more, a specialist team is assembled for that specific challenge—bringing together the disciplines and industry software needed to deliver.
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Tailored to your projectCustomized attention and practical solutions.
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Flexible, competitive feesFocused scope and cost-effective delivery.
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Integrity at every stepExcellence, clear judgment and safety first.
Credentials
Career highlights
- 2026–presentFounder & CEO · Kiloton Petroleum Services
- 2020–2026Vice President of Exploration · Olive Energy
- 2018–2019VP Africa Oil & Gas · FracGeo
- 2011–2018Senior Geoscientist · SIGMA³ Integrated Reservoir Solutions
- 2008–2010Senior Geologist · Fusion Petroleum Technologies
Earlier roles included teaching at the University of Arizona and Pima Community College, and postdoctoral research and adjunct teaching at Syracuse University.
Education
- 1997Ph.D. in GeosciencesUniversity of Western Brittany, France
- 1991Master’s in Marine GeosciencesUniversity of Western Brittany, France
- 1989Geological Engineering DegreeUniversity of Science & Technology of Algiers, Algeria
Affiliations · AAPG and SEG
Languages · Fluent in English, French, and Arabic. Functional Swahili and basic Spanish.
Experience
Publications and projects
Deep knowledge of petroleum systems, rift basins, reservoir characterization, and exploration strategy, built through 35+ years of work across Africa, the Middle East, and the Americas.
Industry projects
Olive Energy
2020–2026
Republic of Congo
Integrated petroleum systems analysis, basin modeling and drillable prospect generation across the MKB, Mayombe, Pointe Indienne and Tilapia Blocks.
SNPC
Olive Energy
2020–2026
Niger, Nigeria, Uganda & Chad
Strategic leadership in frontier exploration, play-based prospectivity assessment and new business development across Niger, Nigeria, Uganda and Chad.
FracGeo
2018–2019
DR Congo
Advanced fracture detection, predictive reservoir modeling and sweet-spot identification across the YMM Coastal and Tanganyika Basin blocks.
SONAHYDROC
Sigma Cubed
2011–2017
Mexico
Advanced geological modeling of Chicontepec unconventional tight-oil reservoirs.
PEMEX
Sigma Cubed
2011–2017
Kuwait
Najmah Jurassic carbonate source-rock and naturally fractured tight-reservoir characterization.
KOC
Sigma Cubed
2011–2017
Tunisia
Integrated geoscience and reservoir evaluation of Cretaceous–Eocene plays, Kaboudia Offshore Block.
NUMHYD (SONATRACH–ETAP)
Fusion Petroleum
2008–2010
Venezuela & Gabon
Integrated seismic interpretation and prospect evaluation, Temblador and Dussafu Blocks.
PDVSA / DGH
Illustrative location imagery.
Selected research projects
EAST AFRICAN RIFT · 1999–2007
Lake Tanganyika
Collected, processed, and interpreted seismic reflection data and gathered sediment cores on deep-water research cruises.
UGANDA & DR CONGO · 2003
Lake Albert
Served as chief scientist on a seismic and sediment sampling cruise for oil and gas exploration. Coordinated contract preparation with Congolese and Ugandan petroleum organizations.
MALAWI & MOZAMBIQUE · 2001
Lake Malawi
Participated in seismic reflection surveying and surface sediment sampling ahead of the NSF-funded deep-water drilling project.
Selected publications & presentations
- 2016 · Identifying drilling and hydraulic fracturing sweet spots in the Buda and Georgetown play. RMAG / DGS 3D Seismic Symposium.
- 2008 · Seismic records of late Pleistocene aridity in Lake Tanganyika. Journal of Paleolimnology.
- 2002 · How normal fault interaction shaped Neogene sediment accumulation in Lake Tanganyika. AAPG Bulletin.
- 1996 · Seismic stratigraphy and Late Tertiary history of the North Tanganyika Basin. Basin Research.
LET’S CONNECT
Engineering risk
out of your project.
A question. A technical review. A new opportunity.
Let’s discuss how the right expertise can help.
Business [email protected]
Cell phone
+1 (281) 825-9691Availability
Open to freelance & contract