Toti E Larson

Toti E Larson
Research Associate Professor, Jackson School of Geosciences
Principal Investigator - Mudrock Systems Research Laboratory, Bureau of Economic Geology, Jackson School of Geosciences


Email: toti.larson@beg.utexas.edu
Work: +1 512 471 1856
Office: BEG
Mailcode: E0600

Dr. Toti Larson is a Research Associate and Principal Investigator of the Mudrock Systems Research Laboratory (MSRL) research consortium at the University of Texas at Austin, Bureau of Economic Geology. As PI of the MSRL since 2019, Toti coordinates with Energy companies to identify knowledge gaps and develop subsurface geology characterization projects that leverage the MSRL research team strengths. In his own research Toti applies geochemistry, geology, and machine learning tools to develop predictive subsurface characterization models. Toti built a Python package (CorePy) for open source sharing of subsurface characterization tools and geological characterization workflows he has developed.

Areas of Expertise

Geochemist - 20 years of stable isotope geochemistry laboratory development (ThermoElectron GasBench, Conflo, MAT252, DeltaXL. 15 years of Gas Chromatography method development and automation (Agilent 6890 GC-MS), sample loop injection development, high temperature and cryogenic chromatography. 8 years of X-ray Fluorescence analysis (Bruker T5 handheld and benchtop units). Expert in a wide range of liquid, solid, and gas extraction and sample preparation techniques. 15 years of laboratory database development. Data scientist - 3 years of Python and 8 years of Matlab coding experience. Pandas, Numpy, scikit-learn, json. 1 year of Github and PiP for version control and open source sharing. 15 years Microsoft Access database tools. A minor in mathematics (non-degree seeking, University of Utah) with 20 years of applied multivariate statistics. Past three years have focused on applying machine learning classification XGBoost Decision tree, Deep Neural network models, Principal Component Analysis, and K-means clustering using scikit-learn MLP Classifier, KMeans and PCA.


Jules Braunstein Memorial Award - American Association of Petroleum Geologists (2019)

Clay Mineral Society Annual Meeting, Organizational Committee, (2023)

GEOGULF2021 Energy Transition Conference, Technical Chair and conference Vice President, (2021)

Austin Geological Society, President, (2020 - 2021)

American Association of Petroleum Geologists, Technical Chair, (2020)

American Association of Petroleum Geologists, Technical Program Coordinator, (2019)

Graduate Students

Esben Pedersen, M.S., 2020 (Committee Member)
The University of Texas at Austin, Jackson School of Geosciences
Thesis Title: Carbonate factory response and recovery after Ocean Anoxic Event 1a, Pearsall Formation, Central Texas

Benjamin Smith, Ph.D., 2019 (Committee Member)
The University of Texas at Austin, Jackson School of Geosciences
Thesis Title: Depositional Architecture and Geochemical Evolution in Permian Capitan Platforms of the Delaware Basin, Texas and New Mexico

Daria Akhbari, Ph.D., 2018 (Committee Member)
Jackson School of Geosciences

Ahmed Wasel Alnahwi, Ph.D., 2018 (Committee Member)
The University of Texas at Austin, Jackson School of Geosciences
Thesis Title: Stratigraphic architecture and associated sedimentological and geochemical variability in the Upper Cretaceous Eagle Ford Group, south Texas

Colin McNeece, Ph.D., 2018 (Committee Member)
The University of Texas at Austin, Jackson School of Geosciences
Thesis Title: Ion waves in reactive porous media: Coupling acidity and salinity transport through surface chemistry

Nicholas Ettinger, M.S., 2017 (Committee Member)
The University of Texas at Austin, Jackson School of Geosciences
Thesis Title: Carbonate platform demise and recovery at the Toarcian Oceanic Anoxic Event: high-resolution data from the Adriatic Carbonate Platform

Kiran Sathaye, Ph.D., 2016 (Committee Member)
Jackson School of Geosciences

Michael Patson, M.S., 2015 (Co-supervisor)
Jackson School of Geosciences

Marlo Gawey, M.S., 2013 (Supervisor)
Jackson School of Geosciences


Undergraduate Students

Tyler Logie (2021) – undergraduate Honors Thesis, The University of Texas at Austin: Multi-proxy Geochemical Analysis of Early Jurassic Marine Carbonates: Insights from the Dadès Valley, Morocco


Core-based machine learning characterization of Wolfcamp XY and Third Bone Spring Formation across the Delaware basin, Texas, Bureau of Economic Geology Technical Seminar, Austin, Texas (2021)

CorePy: Visualizing, integrating, and upscaling core-based geochemistry through neural network-derived chemofacies models, IRIS Rock Imaging Summit, (2020)

Evaluating unconventional shale oil and gas reservoirs with geochemistry, Peking University Technical Series, Beijing, China (2019)

Tracing the behaviour of subsurface gas migration with multiple isotope systems, Elizabeth and Frederick White Conference – Frontiers in Gas-Solid Processes from the Atomic Scale to the Parsec, Canberra, Australia (2018)

Using coupled models and experiments to understand complex geochemistry of CO2 storage and transport of fugitive gases and fluids, KIGAM (Korea Institutes of Geology, Mining and Materials), South Korea (2015)

Using coupled models and experiments to understand complex geochemistry of CO2 storage and transport of fugitive gases and fluids, Yonsei University, Earth System Sciences, South Korea (2015)

Multiphase transport in porous media: Compounding stable isotope and compositional ‘banks’ at the gas-water interface, Sandia National Laboratories, (2014)

YearSemesterCourse
2024Spring GEO 352P Python For Geoscience Research
2024Spring GEO 392P Python For Geoscience Research
2016Spring GEO 371T Geoch Prob Solv With Ion/Atom
2016Spring GEO 391 Geoch Prob Solv With Ion/Atom

Youtube - Science presentations

Mudrock Systems Research Laboratory
Since 2009, the primary focus of the MSRL research consortium has been to characterize, model, and integrate core-based measurements to better understand mudrock reservoir systems. MSRL industry sponsors are provided access to annual meetings, core workshops, short courses, MSRL datasets, MSRL laboratories, and access to our team of scientists for specific research issues.

Github - geological coding