UH engineering professor dies on international flight

Michael Economides, University of Houston. Undated handout photo Michael Economides, University of Houston. Undated handout photo Image 1 of / 1 Caption Close UH engineering professor dies on international flight 1 / 1 Back to Gallery

Michael Economides, one of Houston's leading energy experts, died Saturday of a heart attack on an international flight. He was 64.

Economides, an expert on energy geopolitics and petroleum engineering, was a professor at the Cullen College of Engineering of University of Houston. He died on a flight from Madrid to Chile, one of many trips he recently made as a highly touted expert in the field.

His wife, Christine, also a well-known petroleum engineering expert at Texas A&M University, said Economides had been traveling for a month.

"He is extremely demanded on a global basis," she said.

Friends and experts in the field enumerated a number of contributions he made, particularly in the technology development of hydraulic fracturing and his perspectives in geopolitics.

"He invented certain approaches that are widely considered the right ways of optimizing well performances," his wife said.

'Knew his stuff'

Economides served as an adviser for numerous companies globally, including China National Offshore Oil Corporation, Italy's multinational oil and gas company ENI and other major global players in Russia and Venezuela.

A prolific writer in the petroleum and natural gas fields, Economides published more than a dozen books and hundreds of journal papers. One of his books, "The Color of Oil," is valued by many. He frequently spoke on CNBC and CNN and was quoted extensively by academic and news publications.

"He knew his stuff, and he didn't mince words," said Loren Steffy, an energy columnist and author. "He is always very insightful and made my columns a lot better."

Family and friends remember his captivating personality.

"Everyone is on the edge to hear what he says, no matter on technology or stupid funny little stories," said Ron Oligney, co-author of "The Color of Oil."

Enjoyed his job

Oligney said he owes his career to Economides, who recruited him to a college research program at age 16.

"Although he has a big personality, he is a very approachable educator. He spent weekend after weekend talking with young students," Oligney said.

Economides moved to the U.S. as a Fulbright scholar at the age of 19 from Cyprus. He proudly told people he arrived on the day when man first landed on the moon in 1969.

He received his doctorate from Stanford University in 1984.

His wife said Economides had high blood pressure but was fortunate because he enjoyed every minute of his job.

"He wouldn't have been happy if he was not constantly traveling. He didn't just travel. He wrote books and collaborated globally," she said.

Economides is survived by his wife, Christine, 64, and his sons John, 42, and Alexander, 35.