Tip Meckel
Mailcode: E0620
Dr. Tip Meckel is a Research Professor investigating geologic carbon storage for the Bureau of Economic Geology at The University of Texas at Austin. During his 18 years with the Gulf Coast Carbon Center at the Bureau he has led research focusing on geologic characterization, structural geology, monitoring design, pressure evolution for CO2 injections, and seismic acquisition and processing.
He has been directly involved with many large-scale field demonstration projects funded through the DOE-NETL Regional Carbon Sequestration Partnerships. He currently leads the research initiative to identify offshore sequestration potential in the Gulf of Mexico with focus on capacity assessment and high-resolution 3D marine seismic monitoring technologies.
Meckel operates the only high-resolution 3D seismic system in the academic research community and has conducted 6 surveys since 2012: four in the Texas offshore, one at the Chicxulub Impact Crater offshore Mexico, and one offshore Hokkaido, Japan.
Recent Activity:
National Academy of Science, Engineering, and Medicines Committee on Offshore Science and Assessment (COSA), Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) Studies Development Plan (SPD), 2024?
White House Task Force - CCUS Federal Lands and Outer Continental Shelf Permitting, 2023-
Testimony Texas Senate Committee on Natural Resources & Economic Development, SB 2107 on pore space ownership, liability, and lease integration, 2023-03
Invited testimony - U.S. House Sub-committee hearing on CCS in the Gulf of Mexico, 2022-10.
Society of Petroleum Engineers committee to develop and publish a Geologic Storage Resources Management System for formalizing CO2 storage capacity estimates, 2021-2023
Contributor to the 2019 National Petroleum Council Study Meeting the Dual Challenge presented to Energy Secretary Perry.
Participated in the formation of the Society of Petroleum Engineers Storage Resource Management System.
Post-Doc - USGS Mendenhall Research Fellow
PhD - UT Austin, 2003
MS - Univ. MT, 1998
BA - Colby College, 1995
Areas of Expertise
Carbon capture and storage, CO2 sequestration, CCS, high-resolution 3D seismic acquisition, processing, and imaging; Stratigraphy, structural geology, [link: http://www.beg.utexas.edu/gccc]
Research Locations
Current Research Programs & Projects
Evaluating carbon dioxide storage potential in the Gulf of Mexico ( view )Laboratory Sand Tank Experiments of Engineered Clastic Media with Fluid Flow Visualization
JSG Outstanding Educator Award - Jackson School of Geosciences (2018 - 2018)
JSG Outstanding Research Award - Gulf Coast Carbon Center (2016)
Director. Acquisition, processing and interpretation of novel HR3D datasets for investigation of overburden structure and fluid flow processes - High-Resolution 3D seismic (P-Cable) Center (2011 - 2016)
Project PI - Offshore CO2 Storage Resource Assessment of the Northern Gulf of Mexico - DOE-NETL (2009 - 2021)
Fulltime Researcher on geologic aspects of carbon capture and storage - Gulf Coast Carbon Center (2006 - 2016)
The Gulf Coast Carbon Center regularly engages with students for research activities as part of our DOE-funded research projects.
Postdocs
Hailun Ni, 2022 - 2024, Bureau of Economic Geology
Luca Trevisan, 2018 - 2020, Bureau of Economic Geology
Graduate Students
Sean A Avitt (Supervisor)
Ruba Afifi (Supervisor)
Bimar Maulana (Supervisor)
Harry Hull, M.S., 2021
(Supervisor)
Jackson School of Geosciences
John Franey, M.S., 2021
(Supervisor)
Jackson School of Geosciences
Prasanna Krishnamurthy, Ph.D., 2020
(Co-supervisor)
CPGE: Center for Petroleum and Geoscience Engineering
Geologic heterogeneity controls on CO? migration and trapping
Izaak Ruiz, M.S., 2019
(Supervisor)
Jackson School of Geosciences
Omar Garcia, M.S., 2019
(Supervisor)
Bureau of Economic Geology
Geologic characterization and modeling for quantifying CO2 storage capacity of the High Island 10-L Field in Texas state waters, offshore Gulf of Mexico
Emily Beckham, M.S., 2018
(Supervisor)
Jackson School of Geosciences
Reinaldo Sabbagh, M.S., 2017
(Supervisor)
Bureau of Economic Geology
Pre-injection reservoir characterization for CO2 storage in the inner continental shelf of the Texas Gulf of Mexico
Johnathon Lee Osmond, M.S., 2016
(Supervisor)
Jackson School of Geosciences
Francis Mulcahy, M.S., 2015
(Supervisor)
Bureau of Economic Geology
Use of High Resolution 3D Seismic Data to Evaluate Quaternary Valley Evolution History during Transgression, Offshore San Luis Pass, Gulf of Mexico
Kerstan Wallace, M.S., 2013
(Supervisor)
Jackson School of Geosciences
Julie Ditkof, M.S., 2013 (Supervisor)
Erin Miller, M.S., 2012
(Supervisor)
Jackson School of Geosciences
Andrew Nicholson, M.S., 2012
(Supervisor)
JSG - UT Austin
Priya Ganesh, M.S., 2012
(Co-supervisor)
Bureau of Economic Geology
Geologic factors affecting buoyant plume migration patterns in small-scale heterogeneous media: Characterizing capillary channels of sequestered CO2
Alexander Urquhart, M.S., 2011
(Supervisor)
Bureau of Economic Geology
Structural controls on CO2 leakage and diagenesis in a natural long-term carbon sequestration analogue: Little Grand Wash fault, Utah
Nishanth Kalyanaraman, M.S., 2008
(Supervisor)
Bureau of Economic Geology
Evaluating the influence of seal characteristics and rate of pressure buildup on modeled seal performance and carbon sequestration economics
Undergraduate Students
Isabella L Gutierrez
AAPG Distinguished Lecturer, American Association of Petroleum Geologists, (2024)
| Year | Semester | Course | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | Fall | GEO 394 | Rsch In Geological Sciences |
| 2017 | Spring | GEO 420K | Intro To Field And Strat Meths |
| 2017 | Spring | GEO 394 | Rsch In Geological Sciences |
| 2016 | Fall | GEO 394 | Rsch In Geological Sciences |
Graduate Positions
High Resolution 3D marine seismic for fluid studies
Opportunities exist to become involved in the design, acquisition, processing, and interpretation of high-resolution 3D marine seismic data. Current applications include characterization for subsurface storage of carbon dioxide and natural fluid migration studies. We anticipate development into imaging modern systems as reservoir analogs.
Postdoctoral Fellow
Purpose of position: To conduct research in numerical simulation of fluid flow using both traditional Darcy flow simulators as well as Invasion Percolation methods, sandbox flow modeling, and development of a strong publication record on the topic.
Essential functions: Develop numerical simulations of fluid flow CO2 in mm to m scale models informed by geologic depositional heterogeneity. Assist in designing and implementing laboratory validation experiments of sandbox flow modeling to support theoretical and numerical simulations. Publish results in peer reviewed outlets, assist in project reporting and make presentations, as needed to support project.
Required qualifications: PhD in hydrogeology, environmental engineering, or closely related geoscience field earned within the last three years. Relevant laboratory experience with sandbox scale flow experiments. Demonstrated research interest in forward and inverse modeling of subsurface flow and transport pertaining multi-phase flow.
Preferred qualifications Demonstrated strong oral and written communication skills. Demonstrated ability to conduct experimental studies. Demonstrated experience in presenting and publishing results, including CO2 or CCS.
Offshore CO2 Storage (Seeking Graduate Research Assistant interested in integrated seismic, well log, and geology integration for CO2 storage resource assessment.)
Current DOE grant to study CO2 storage options in the Gulf of Mexico offshore Corpus Christi, Texas.
Undergraduate Positions
Carbon Cpature and Geologic Storage (ongoing - get in touch: tip.meckel@beg.utexas.edu)
The Gulf Coast Carbon Center often engages with undergradutes in geology, EER, and petroleum engineering on topic related to carbon capture and geologic storage (CCS).
Offshore Miocene CO2 storage assessment
The Texas Offshore Miocene Project is a substantial 5-year effort undertaken by the Gulf Coast Carbon Center at the Bureau of Economic Geology to investigate the regional geologic potential of Miocene-age rocks of Texas State Submerged Lands to store CO2 for geologically significant periods of time. Such geologic storage provides current and future emitting industries with a viable environmental alternative to the current practice of atmospheric release. The results of this study should provide the next step in making permanent geologic storage of CO2 a commercial reality.