Overview

My research seeks to understand the processes responsible for transportation, deposition and preservation of clastic sediments and apply these ‘rules’ to applied problems.  Areas of specific interest include:

• Architectures and heterogeneity of clastic systems – Detailed outcrop and/or subsurface study of depositional architectures of clastic systems with an emphasis on predictability.  Understanding internal heterogeneities of depositional elements and their effects on fluid flow within permeable strata. 

• Preservation of organic material in the geologic record – Can we be predictive about spatial and temporal patterns of organic preservation in mudstones or other lithologies?  Can we relate this to depositional processes in a meaningful way?

• Quantitative stratigraphy – Using technology to challenge and strengthen our geologic ideas and extrapolate beyond our observations in a predictive way.  Geocellular modeling of outcrop and/or subsurface data, stratigraphic forward modeling of depositional processes, and potentially basin modeling to understand burial/exhumation and the effects on strata of interest. 

• Application to the petroleum industry – Good science gets better with direct application.  Much of my research is directly applicable to better understanding the various elements of a working petroleum system.

Research Disciplines

Recent Research