Dr. Mohd Akhmal bin Muhamad Sidek is a Senior Lecturer in Petroleum Engineering at the Faculty of Chemical and Energy Engineering, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM). He has been serving UTM since 2010 as tutor and is actively involved in teaching, research, academic leadership, and industry collaboration within the petroleum and energy engineering domains.
Dr. Akhmal holds a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in geology, a master’s degree in engineering geology, and a bachelor’s degree in a petroleum engineering discipline. His academic training and professional experience have provided him with strong foundations in drilling engineering, production optimization, enhanced oil recovery (EOR), subsurface flow systems, and sustainable energy technologies.
His research interests include chemical and microbial enhanced oil recovery, natural and environmentally friendly surfactants, nanomaterials for subsurface and environmental applications, drilling and production performance modelling, and CO₂ capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS). His research integrates laboratory experimentation, analytical and empirical modelling, and reservoir-scale feasibility studies, with a strong emphasis on industrial applicability and sustainability.
Dr. Akhmal is an active member of UTM’s Institute for Oil and Gas (IFOG) and the Petroleum Engineering Group (PEG), where he contributes to multidisciplinary research initiatives, postgraduate supervision, and collaborative projects with industry partners addressing real-world challenges in hydrocarbon recovery and energy transition.
In addition to his academic and research responsibilities, Dr. Akhmal currently serves as the Head of the Petroleum Engineering Laboratory, where he oversees laboratory management, safety and compliance, experimental facilities, and research infrastructure supporting undergraduate and postgraduate teaching and research activities. He is also appointed as Manager at the School of Undergraduate Studies (UGS), UTM, with responsibilities in undergraduate academic development, experiential learning implementation, work-based learning (WBL), curriculum innovation, and academic quality enhancement at the institutional level.
Dr. Akhmal has led and participated in numerous research, consultancy, and contract research projects with industry and government agencies, particularly in enhanced oil recovery technologies, environmentally sustainable chemical solutions, and subsurface engineering applications. He actively supervises doctoral, master’s, and undergraduate students and remains committed to strengthening academia–industry collaboration, advancing experiential learning, and developing future-ready engineering graduates aligned with UTM ASCEND 2030, Malaysia MADANI, and national higher education priorities.
