Some people inherit opportunity.
Others build it from nothing.
At 10 years old, Abdul-Latif Benson Lamidi walked 5 km to school—barefoot. His classroom? An open space under a tree. Books? Scarce. Clean drinking water? A luxury.
He was supposed to remain trapped in a cycle of hardship.
Instead, today, Abdul-Latif Benson Lamidi is a reservoir engineer reshaping the global energy industry. With two PhDs, over 20 research papers, and innovations in geothermal reservoirs, he’s developing solutions that cut waste, optimize oil production, and reduce environmental impact.
His story isn’t just about one person’s success. It’s about how perseverance, science, and a refusal to accept limits can revolutionize an entire industry.
Because here’s the truth:
- The oil industrylost 8,000 jobs last month.
- Environmental damages from flaring cost $7.4 billion per year.
- Benson’s research could be the key to solving both.
Because when you come from nothing, you learn how to create something from what others ignore.
And that’s exactly what the energy industry needs right now.
A Childhood Defined by Struggle, Fueled by Curiosity
The schools in Pong-Tamale weren’t schools in the traditional sense.
They were makeshift spaces—sometimes a classroom with no roof, sometimes just a tree providing shade.
Teachers, often just former students themselves, struggled with outdated materials. Access to clean drinking water meant walking nearly 20 km every day.
Most would have accepted the limitations. But Benson didn’t.
At just 10 years old, he was already showing signs of scientific brilliance, dismantling broken radios to understand their mechanics.
His curiosity was relentless.
By 2002, he won the Unilever Young Scientist Award, a district and regional recognition of his talent.
In 2006, he represented Tamale Secondary School in the National Science and Maths Quiz, competing against students from elite schools with vastly better resources.
Even with zero privileges, he made his mark. But his journey was only beginning.
His mother, a rural health nurse, worked long hours in villages without roads, electricity, or proper medical supplies. She pushed him to succeed despite the odds, even though she once tried convincing him to study business instead of science.
Benson refused. His passion for physics, mathematics, and problem-solving was undeniable. And his perseverance paid off.
From Ghana to Global Recognition
Higher education was an impossible dream for many in his town.
But Benson’s raw talent and relentless determination secured him a scholarship to study Petroleum Engineering at Saint-Petersburg Mining University in Russia.
That was just the beginning.
By 2018, he had completed two MSc degrees—one from Heriot-Watt University, UK and another from Saint-Petersburg Mining University.
Then came something even rarer:
Two PhDs—one in Geoscience from the University of Calgary and another in Petroleum Engineering from Saint-Petersburg Mining University.
Only a handful of individuals worldwide can claim dual PhDs in these specialized fields.
While earning his second PhD, Benson was already making waves in the industry—publishing groundbreaking research and securing key positions in major oil and gas companies.
His work would soon reshape how energy companies approach reservoir management and sustainable extraction methods.
Pioneering Research That’s Changing the Industry
Benson isn’t just an academic—he’s an industry innovator.
At Gazprom, Russia (2015-2018), he worked on reservoir modeling, enhanced oil recovery (EOR), and fluid flow simulations.
At the Tight Oil Consortium, University of Calgary (2020-2024), he led breakthrough research in inter-well communication, fracture mechanics, and geothermal reservoirs.
His work wasn’t just theoretical. It had real-world impact.
But beyond individual projects, he was shaping the way the oil and gas industry approached efficiency, sustainability, and reservoir performance.
A recent study from GeoHealth found that pollution from oil and gas flaring results in:
- $7.4 billion in health damages annually
- 710 premature deaths per year
- 73,000 asthma attacks in children
This isn’t just an environmental issue—it’s a human crisis.
And Benson is tackling it head-on.
His research in reservoir engineering and fluid flow modeling is helping companies optimize oil recovery while minimizing environmental impact.
Why Experts Like Benson Are Needed More Than Ever
The oil and gas industry is undergoing a seismic shift.
In January 2025 alone, the U.S. oil and gas sector lost 8,000 jobs.
With increasing pressure from environmental regulations, fluctuating oil prices, and technological disruptions, energy companies are racing to find solutions.
This is where Benson’s expertise is irreplaceable.
At ResFrac Corporation, he is leading innovations in:
- Reservoir modeling and production forecasting
- Fracture mechanics optimization
- Geothermal energy applications
- Reservoir transient analysis (RTA)
His work directly impacts the efficiency, sustainability, and profitability of oil and gas operations worldwide.
A Mission to Inspire the Next Generation
Despite his success, Benson has never forgotten where he came from.
He actively mentors young engineers, speaks at international conferences, and is committed to bridging the gap between academia and industry.
His goal?
To ensure that the next generation of engineers—especially those from underprivileged backgrounds—get the opportunities he fought for.
He believes that brilliance isn’t limited by geography.
That a young boy from rural Ghana can become a world leader in petroleum engineering.
Final Thoughts
Most people, when faced with a childhood of deprivation, zero resources, and impossible odds, accept the limits of their circumstances.
Abdul-Latif Benson Lamidi didn’t.
He rewrote the script—from a boy who studied under trees in northern Ghana to a world-renowned petroleum engineer shaping the future of oil and gas.
His work in reservoir engineering, geothermal modeling, and fracture mechanics isn’t just making extraction more efficient—it’s solving billion-dollar industry problems and saving lives.
The industry is evolving or collapsing—and Benson is at the forefront of that transformation.
But this isn’t just a story about one man’s success.
- It’s proof that talent can come from anywhere.
- It’s evidence that hardship can be a launchpad, not a limitation.
- It’s a challenge to industries, institutions, and aspiring engineers: embrace innovation or get left behind.
Abdul-Latif Benson Lamidi is just getting started. And so is the future of energy. The question is—who will lead it?
