Exploration Geophysics

Research in exploration geophysics develops and employs seismic and electromagnetic methods used to explore for energy, mineral, and water resources. Examples of projects underway include improved imaging of subsurface structures to support geological interpretation; estimation of subsurface physical properties from conventional and multi-component seismic data, analysis of seismic-attributes, and application of electromagnetic methods to estimate subsurface structure and physical properties.

Faculty

	Sergey Fomel Computational and exploration geophysics; seismic imaging; wave propagation; seismic data analysis; inverse problems; geophysical estimation
	Mrinal K Sen Seismic wave propagation including anisotropy, geophysical inverse problems, earthquakes and earth structure, applied seismology, petroleum exploration including 4D seismology
	Kyle T Spikes Exploration Geophysics, in particular rock physics applications and seismic inversion techniques for reservoir characterization.

Research Faculty

	Shuvajit Bhattacharya Petrophysics, Formation Evaluation, Quantitative Seismic Interpretation, Machine Learning, Integrated Subsurface Characterization, Carbon Sequestration
	Jacob A Covault sedimentology, stratigraphy, marine geology
	Brent Elliott
	Peter H Hennings My expertise is applied structural geology and geomechanics for which his interests are broad spanning structural systems analysis, subsurface interpretation, fault system characterization, fractured reservoir characterization, reservoir geomechanics, and subsurface fluid flow. Dr. Hennings is known as an integrator which is vital for the study of induced seismicity for which ...
	Xavier Janson Carbonates sedimentology and sequence stratigraphy, petrophysics of carbonate, seismic signature of carbonate rock, seismic modeling, carbonate modern depositional environment
	Osareni C Ogiesoba Seismic interpretation of depositional systems, Seismic data processing, Multicomponent data processing and velocity ratios estimation for reservoir characterization, Seismic modeling, Seismic inversion, Diffraction imaging, Acreage evaluation and prospect generation, 3D seismic attributes-based rock property prediction in hydrothermal dolomite reservoirs.
	Alexandros Savvaidis Manager of the Texas Seismological Network and Seismology Research (TexNet). Extensive 30 years experience in Seismology and Applied Geophysics both through my research position as a Senior Researcher and collaboration with Industrial partners in multidisciplinary European and US funded projects. I currently manage the seismic network of Texas with 210 seismic stations ...
	Hongliu Zeng Seismic sedimentology; seismic geomorphology; seismic and sequence stratigraphy; Characterization of thin-bed reservoirs; seismic chrono-stratgraphy
	Tongwei Zhang Gas geochemistry and isotope geochemistry; Petroleum and gas generation kinetics and basin modeling; Fluid transport processes in basins and reservoirs; Organic-inorganic interactions; Unconventional gas reservoir characterization; CO2 sequestration and H2S risk prediction.

Affiliated Faculty

Michael Pyrcz geological modeling, geostatistics, spatial statistics, data analytics, machine learning

Emeritus

	Paul L Stoffa Multichannel seismic acquisition, signal processing, acoustic and elastic wave propagation, modeling and inversion of geophysical data
	Clark R Wilson Geophysics, including gravity, space geodesy, and applied seismology

Postdocs

Shuo Zhang

Research Staff

	Mohsen Ahmadian Program Manager for the Advanced Energy Consortium Managing multidisciplinary nanosensor, miniaturized electronics, and smart materials research for the assessment of subsurface properties in various applications, including energy exploration, geothermal, CCUS, etc. https://www.beg.utexas.edu/aec/
	Robin D Dommisse 3D geological interpretation and modeling - Integrated reservoir characterization - Petroleum Geology - Petroleum Engineering - Carbonate sequence stratigraphy - Conventional and unconventional reservoir exploration and development - Oil field exploration and production reservoir management - Petrophysics - Geostatistics - Reservoir simulation - Software development
	Thomas Hess Geoscience software, anisotropic imaging, seismic processing, seismic geometry, deconvolution, problem solving.
	John W Snedden Gulf of Mexico Basin global expert, Sequence Stratigraphy, Sedimentology, Reservoir Development and Connectivity, Petroleum Geoscience
	Ramon Trevino Sequence stratigraphic interpretations (well logs, 3-D seismic), integrated reservoir characterization, subsurface correlation and mapping (using workstation and PC) and subsurface structural interpretation (using 3-D seismic), project management, CO2 sequestration
	Yujiang Xie Geophysics, Seismology, Applied Mathematics