Opportunities for Geoscientists in the Energy Transition - Subsurface Energy Storage

Energy Transition Strategic Science Theme Lead, The Geological Society

Bas has over 32 years of geoscience experience in the Energy Industry, having worked for Shell, Woodside and CNOOC International in a variety of senior management roles in Exploration, Appraisal, Development, Commercial and Business Development. His last role with CNOOC was as Vice President Exploration for Europe & Africa, based in London. 
Since leaving CNOOC in 2022, Bas has been a Business Development Consultant for EnQuest UK, via his own company Superb Energy. Bas has a B.Sc. in Physics (with Geophysics) and a PhD in Lower Crustal Seismology from Imperial College.

For the last 5 years, Bas has also volunteered as a mentor for A-level students at Surrey SATRO, a STEM educational charity. He runs an annual project on “The Global Energy Transition”. Earlier this year, he became the Energy Transition Theme Lead for The Geological Society, which is a part-time voluntary role.

Bas has a passion for the Earth Sciences and developing people to maximise their impact on the Energy Transition.

Technical Director of Subsurface Storage, WSP 

Chris Jackson is Technical Director at the engineering consultancy WSP and Visiting Professor of Basin Analysis at Imperial College London. Chris is interested in understanding how we can use the Earth’s subsurface to safely store hazardous waste (‘geostorage’) and to develop low-carbon energy resources (‘geoenergy’). When not studying the subsurface of the Earth, Chris gives geoscience lectures to the public and in schools, having appeared on several, Earth Science-focused, television productions and podcasts. Chris is engaged in efforts to improve equality, diversity, and inclusivity within science and engineering.

Principal R&D Manager, Mining Remediation Authority

Fiona Todd is the Principal R&D Manager for Mine Water Heat at the Mining Remediation Authority where she leads a targeted research programme to support the sustainable development of mine energy systems. This includes investigating key knowledge gaps in mine water heating, cooling and storage which is seeing an increase in research interest. Prior to this role she gained a PhD from the University of Edinburgh in sustainable mine heat storage following 15 years’ experience as a consultant hydrogeologist. When not at work Fiona can be found tiring out her dog and high energy children by exploring nature and discovering new places.

Advanced Research Fellow, Imperial College London

Dr. Carl Jacquemyn is an Advanced Research Fellow in Geological Modelling at Imperial College London. He holds a MSc in Geotechnical Engineering and a PhD degree in Geology (carbonate sedimentology and diagenesis) from KU Leuven, Belgium. He has built up a long expertise in subsurface modelling and flow simulation at Imperial College London, developing new methods such as sketch-based and surface-based geological modelling. His interests are in capturing how subsurface heterogeneity affects flow and storage in the subsurface for CCS, hydrogen and geothermal energy. He is currently involved in Aquifer Thermal Energy Storage research (ATESHAC and SMARTRES projects) and geomodelling tools for geothermal exploration workflows (FINDHEAT.eu project).  

Subsurface Manager, EnergyPathways plc

Peter Nicholls is Subsurface Manager for EnergyPathways plc, a UK gas and energy storage company.  He spent the last 45 years active in oil and gas exploration, mostly in Australia, with periods Houston, New Zealand, Senegal, Gambia, Kenya  and various parts of SE Asia.

His first 20 years in the industry were as a geophysicist with BHP where he was involved in some early innovative exploration activities including some of the first 3D seismic onshore and offshore Australia, and later in large 3D surveys in the Gulf of Mexico resulting in some of the first seismic imaging of sub-salt features.  This work resulted in numerous commercial oil and gas discoveries in Australia, New Zealand and the Gulf of Mexico. 

This was followed by a further 20 years for smaller explorations companies in Australia and various parts of Africa, including the discovery and appraisal of the large Sangomar oil field in Senegal. The last 5 years have been on the transition from exploration to geological energy storage.