# Vasilii Shelkov

> Vasilii Shelkov is the Houston-based co-founder and CEO of Rock Flow Dynamics, maker of the tNavigator subsurface-modelling platform. Trained as a high-energy physicist at Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology and Southern Methodist University, he worked on particle-collider software at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and SLAC before a brief turn at Yukos introduced him to reservoir simulation. He co-founded RFD with Kirill Bogachev in 2005 and built it around scientific computing, integrated modelling and a deliberately global sales strategy.

- **Role:** Co-founder and CEO at Rock Flow Dynamics
- **Organizations:** Rock Flow Dynamics, Yukos, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Brookhaven National Laboratory
- **Education:** M.S. in High Energy Physics and Applied Mathematics, Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, Ph.D. in Physics, Southern Methodist University
- **Known for:** Co-founded Rock Flow Dynamics in 2005 and developed tNavigator into a globally used integrated subsurface-modelling platform., Secured a $2 million Intel investment in 2010, then later negotiated to buy Intel out and keep RFD independent., Built RFD from a small founding team into an organization publicly described in 2023 as having more than 300 employees.

## Career timeline

- **1987-1993** — Studied high-energy physics and applied mathematics at Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology.
- **1993-1997** — Completed a physics Ph.D. at Southern Methodist University, studying tau-lepton decays.
- **1997-2003** — Worked in the BaBar group through Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, with research centred at SLAC; Shelkov describes two back-to-back postdoctoral appointments over six years.
- **2003-2004** — Moved to Brookhaven National Laboratory on Long Island.
- **2004** — Joined Yukos in Moscow and encountered reservoir-simulation work; met future co-founder Kirill Bogachev.
- **2005** — Co-founded Rock Flow Dynamics with Bogachev to develop modern dynamic reservoir-simulation technology.
- **2010** — Intel invested $2 million in RFD; Shelkov moved to the United States and opened the Houston office.
- **2011** — RFD made its first Houston-era sale to an exploration company in Dallas and joined the Skolkovo IT cluster.
- **2025** — Marked RFD's twentieth anniversary and donated tNavigator software access to SMU for teaching and research.
- **2026** — Presented tNavigator's technology roadmap at the Houston Technology Summit and backed a new Belgrade data centre for software testing and optimisation.

## Achievements

- Co-founded Rock Flow Dynamics in 2005 and developed tNavigator into a globally used integrated subsurface-modelling platform.
- Secured a $2 million Intel investment in 2010, then later negotiated to buy Intel out and keep RFD independent.
- Built RFD from a small founding team into an organization publicly described in 2023 as having more than 300 employees.
- Helped establish a worldwide office and customer footprint across major energy markets.
- Contributed tNavigator software to Southern Methodist University in 2025 for education and research in energy, geothermal, mining and geotechnical engineering.
- Applied particle-physics software experience in C++, data analysis and neural networks to industrial reservoir simulation.

## Latest updates

- **2026-09** — Promoted RFD's Abu Dhabi stop in its 2026 global Technology Summit roadshow and shared product updates for tNavigator 26.2.
- **2026-08** — Promoted an IMAGE 2026 Houston presentation on full-field fracture modelling and invited attendees to view the model live.
- **2026-06** — Featured in a long-form GeoExpro interview about his path from particle physics to founding RFD.
- **2026-04** — Presented tNavigator updates and the technology roadmap at RFD's Houston Technology Summit.
- **2025-12** — RFD software was donated to SMU's Lyle School of Engineering for teaching and research.

## Links

- Website: https://rfdyn.com
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vasilii-shelkov-6b7484

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/vasilii-shelkov
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-09-26