PhD (Geology), BSc(Hons), FGS
Chair in Virtual Geosciences
- About
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- Email Address
- john.howell@abdn.ac.uk
- Telephone Number
- +44 (0)1224 272606
- Office Address
School of Geosciences
Meston Building,
Kings College,
Aberdeen
AB24 3UE UK
- School/Department
- School of Geosciences
Biography
I am a geologist who focuses on the application of novel techniques for the aquisition of outcrop data.
Originally from Wales, I studied for my first degree at the University of Cardiff, followed by a PhD at the University of Birmingham. I then spent 10 years in the University of Liverpool as a researcher and junior faculty member working with the StratGroup. In 2002 I moved to Norway and lived in Bergen until 2012. During that time I worked in the Department of Earth Sciences and UniCIPR where I founded the Virtual Outcrop Geology Group. I was also one of the founders of Rocksource ASA an independent Norwegian E&P Company. I worked there as a member of the senior management team for 6 years.
Since 2012 I have been a Professor at the University of Aberdeen. Current research focuses on virtual geosciences, including the improved use of analogues for understanding the subsurface for the energy transition. In the past 30 years I have worked on outcrops from all over the World with special focus on the western USA. I have supervised 56 PhD students, published more than a 170 papers and edited 7 books. I am currently running and co-running 5 large JIPs including the fifth Phase of the SAFARI project. Over the past 20 years I have pioneered the use of virtual outcrops, collected using lidar and drones in the geosciences.
I am passionate about outreach in the geosciences. I was a co-host on "The Big Monster Dig", a TV series on geology and palaeontology for C4 and Discovery. I also have numerous other TV and radio credits as a scientific expert. I co-founded the Virtual Outcrops sharing site V3Geo which now hosts over 400 virtual models from around the World.
Qualifications
- BSc Geology1988 - Cardiff University
- PhD Geology1992 - University of BirminghamSedimentology of the Rotliegend of the UK Southern North Sea
External Memberships
Fellow of the Geological Society of London
International Association of Sedimentologists (IAS)
Society of Economic Petrologists and Mineralogists (SEPM)
American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG)
Prizes and Awards
Perce Allen Award (highest award of BSRG, 2018)
ExxonMobil Young Researcher Award (2000)
Alaister Pilkinton Award for Excellence in Teaching (2000)
- Research
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Research Overview
Current research areas include:
- The development of digital field methods in the geosciences; especially terrestrial LiDAR, UAVs (drones) and photogrammetry
- The development and implementation of virtual fieldtrips
- The collection of analogue data for better subsurface models for reservoirs, repositories (CCS and H2) and aquifers.
- Large scale studies of modern depositional systems as a key to understanding the subsurface
- Reservoir modelling of geological outcrops.
- The geology of the Colorado Plateau, especially central and southern Utah.
- Clastic sedimentology and sequence stratigraphy
- The Triassic of the North Sea and Mid Norway.
Research Areas
Current Research
Safari Project - Major industry JIP in its 5th Phase. Running since 2007. Current phase includes 2 PhD students and 2 post-doc researchers supported by 9 companies and the Research Council of Norway. Theme of Phase 5 is Analogues and the Energy Transition.
Deep Water Reservoir Analogues - JIP with Wintershall and Universities of Leeds and Manchester. Four year project studying deep water systems from across the world. Two postdocs and 1 PhD
Triassic Reservoirs of the North Sea and Mid Norway. Two JIPs (UK and Norway) funded by 9 energy companies supporting 8 PhDs and 2 postdocs. Joint with Adrian Hartley
Modern and ancient aeolian analogues for the German Rotliegend, PhD funded by Wintershall
Aeolian reservoirs in southern Norway and their Utah analogues. PhD funded by AkerBP. Joint with Keele University
Distal Rotliegend reservoirs and their Utah analogues. PhD funded by Shell.
Transgressive shallow marine systems and bedrock unconformities on intra-basinal highs. PhD funded by research council of Norway.
Automated interpretation of virtual outcrops using machine learning. PhD SAFARI Phase 4
Global distribution of grainstones through the Phanerozoic. PhD SAFARI Phase 4, joint with Alex Brazier
Virtual Outcrop study of carbonate reservoir analogous for the Jurassic Hanifa. PhD, joint with Alex Brazier
Sedimentology of the Triassic in the Ula Field. Funded by AkerBP, joint with Adrian Hartley
Sedimentology of the Devonian of the Clare Field and analogue. Funded by BP, joint with Adrian Hartley
Development and application of Virtual Fieldtrips, joint with Jess Pugsley and colleagues in Bergen
Development of new tools for reservoir modelling (Geopard). Funded by Research Council of Norway. Joint with Norwegian Computing Center and University of Bergen.
Deep Reservoirs. Funded by Research Council of Norway. Joint with University of Bergen and University of Liverpool.
Knowledge Exchange
Developed and Manage V3Geo - A public repository for Virtual Outcrop data which hosts over 500 models www.V3Geo.com
Wrote and presented "Drone vs Volcano - Extreme 3D mapping" for Aberdeen University Youtube (375k views)
Onscreen Expert - 1000 Years of Scottish History for Channel 4
TEDx Aberdeen - Drone mapping volcanos
Onscreen Scientist and drone pilot - Worlds Deadliest Jobs. 1 x 1hr Discovery USA
Scientific consultant - The Burrowers for BBC 3 x 1hr for BBC
Presenter - Big Monster Dig 7 x 1hr Channel 4 and Discovery
Onscreen Expert - Dinosaur Detectives 1 x 1hr for Channel 4
Numerous TV and Radio appearances as expert
Numerous public science lectures
Collaborations
Current Collaborations
- Simon Buckley and Nicole Naumann, Bergen. Virtual Outcrops and databases
- David Hodgson and Aurelia Privat, Leeds. Deep water systems
- Steve Flint, Manchester. Deep water systems
- Atle Rotevatn and Christian Eide, University of Bergen, sedimentology and structural geology
- Ivar Midkandal and Alvar Braathen, University of Oslo, sedimentology
- Miguel Poyets-More, University of Barcelona, sedimentology
- Teaching
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- Publications
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Page 12 of 15 Results 111 to 120 of 149
Upscaling uncertainty analysis in a shallow-marine environment
Petroleum Geoscience, vol. 14, no. 1, pp. 71-84Contributions to Journals: Articles- [ONLINE] DOI: https://doi.org/10.1144/1354-079307-792
- [ONLINE] View publication in Scopus
Assessing structural controls on reservoir performance in different stratigraphic settings
Geological Society Special Publication, vol. 309, pp. 51-56Contributions to Journals: Articles- [ONLINE] DOI: https://doi.org/10.1144/SP309.4
- [ONLINE] View publication in Scopus
Geological outcrop modelling and interpretation using ground based hyperspectral and laser scanning data fusion
Contributions to Journals: Conference Articles- [ONLINE] View publication in Scopus
Modelling of dipping clinoform barriers within deltaic outcrop analogues from the Cretaceous Western Interior Basin, USA
Geological Society Special Publication, vol. 309, pp. 99-121Contributions to Journals: Articles- [ONLINE] DOI: https://doi.org/10.1144/SP309.8
- [ONLINE] View publication in Scopus
Unlocking 3-D earth systems - Harnessing new digital technologies to revolutionize multiscale geologic models
Contributions to Specialist Publications: ReportsFrom outcrop to reservoir simulation model: Workflow and procedures
Geosphere, vol. 3, no. 6, pp. 469-490Contributions to Journals: Articles- [ONLINE] DOI: https://doi.org/10.1130/GES00099.1
- [ONLINE] View publication in Scopus
Are relay ramps conduits for fluid flow? Structural analysis of a relay ramp in Arches National Park, Utah
Fractured Reservoirs. Lonergan, L., Sanderson, D., Jolly, R., Rawnsley, K. (eds.), pp. 55-71, 17 pagesChapters in Books, Reports and Conference Proceedings: Chapters- [ONLINE] DOI: https://doi.org/10.1144/GSL.SP.2007.270.01.04
- [ONLINE] View publication in Scopus
A FORTRAN program to introduce field-measured sedimentary logs into reservoir modelling packages
Computers and Geosciences, vol. 32, no. 9, pp. 1519-1522Contributions to Journals: Articles- [ONLINE] DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cageo.2006.01.005
- [ONLINE] View publication in Scopus
Hierarchical geocellular facies modelling of a turbidite reservoir analogue from the Eocene of the Ainsa basin, NE Spain
Marine and Petroleum Geology, vol. 23, no. 6, pp. 679-701Contributions to Journals: Articles- [ONLINE] DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpetgeo.2006.05.004
- [ONLINE] View publication in Scopus
High-resolution sequence-stratigraphic correlation between shallow-marine and terrestrial strata: Examples from the Sunnyside Member of the Cretaceous Blackhawk Formation, Book Cliffs, eastern Utah
American Association of Petroleum Geologists Bulletin, vol. 90, no. 7, pp. 1121-1140Contributions to Journals: Articles- [ONLINE] DOI: https://doi.org/10.1306/02210604077
- [ONLINE] View publication in Scopus