Conveners: Lizbeth Calizaya, Ecopetrol Brasil; Renato Darros de Matos, Independent Researcher and Consultant
Participants: Márcio Mello, Brazil Petroleum Studies; Sean Romito, University of Houston; Hualing Zhang, University of Houston; Tom Wilson, Core Laboratories UK; Randall Etherington, TGS; Pedro Victor Zalan, ZAG Consulting in Petroleum Exploration
Conveners Lizbeth Calizaya and Renato Darros de Matos moderate a discussion with presenters, who answer questions and share final thoughts to conclude Session IV, Northeast Brazilian Basins, at the South Atlantic Basins Virtual Research Symposium.
Bios:
Convener: Lizbeth Calizaya, Ecopetrol Brasil
Convener: Renato Darros de Matos, Guarini Services
Renato is geologist graduated from the Universidade de Brasília, Brazil (1979) and holds a PhD from Cornell University (1992).
He has 40 years of professional experience, which includes 21 years at Petrobras, 4 years at academia (UFRN) as researcher, founder of Flamoil Services, E&P Director of Potioleo, Aurizonia and Imetame Energia (small independent oil companies); Coordinator and first President of ABPIP (Brazilian Independent Petroleum Producers Association); Exploration Manager of Petrobras International in Libya and Turkey; Management Director of the first board of the government controlled PPSA (Pré-Sal Petróleo S.A.). Currently, he is Director and Senior E&P Consultant at Guarini Services, Natal and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Renato is a member of AAPG, ABGP and SBGf.
Marcio Rocha Mello, Brazilpetrostudies (BPS)
Marcio holds a PhD from Bristol University, England.
With 43 years of experience in the industry, he is the President of Brazilpetrostudies (BPS), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Prior to BPS he worked at Petrobras, HRT Petroleum. Marcio is a member of AAPG, ABGP and ALAGO.
Sean Romito, University of Houston
Sean earned a BSc in Geology from the University of Texas at Dallas, and currently is a PhD candidate and research assistant at the University of Houston, where he develops large-scale tectonic research within the Caribbean plate and the Brazilian passive margin.
He has experience as intern on prospect generation within onshore US basins; field work as a wellsite geologist in the Permian; and intern on geologic risk within the Texas panhandle. Sean is a member of AAPG and HGS.
Hualing Zhang, University of Houston
Hualing is a PhD student at the University of Houston. She is a member of AAPG and AGU.
Tom Wilson, Core Laboratories
Tom is a geologist from Kingston University and holds a MSc in Palynology from Sheffield University.
With 24 years of experience in the industry, he is Senior Geological Advisor at Core Laboratories, UK, where, as part of the regional studies group his main technical role is reviewing stratigraphic data, coordinating new analyses and interpreting the results to produce consistent stratigraphic interpretations and well correlations; working with regional and reservoir geologists to place the well data in tectono-stratigraphic context, better understanding basin evolution, reservoir distribution and reservoir quality.
He spent 16 years at Robertson, initially as a palynologist working principally on West African basins. Subsequently moved to multi-client studies as a Petroleum Geologist looking at basins in the South Atlantic and then around the globe. A move to the proprietary studies department resulted in a change to working on license rounds and prospect analysis, later becoming a Technical Advisor in this department. Upon leaving Robertson he went to Xodus as a Senior Geologist looking at exploration opportunities in Africa and then spent 3 years in the Central North Sea exploration team at Eon E&P, before joining Core Lab early 2017. Tom is a member of AAPG, PESGP and Micropalaeontological Society,
Randall Etherington, TGS-NOPEC Geophysical Company
Randall earned a bachelor’s degree in Engineering from Utah State University, and a MSc in Geology from Brigham Young University.
His more than 40 years of experience in the industry include several positions in companies as ExxonMobil, Chevron, Shell, Phillips, Devon, YPF-Regsol, Pennzoil, Cobalt, Murphy; Maersk, among others. Currently, he is Exploration Advisor at TGS-NOPEC Geophysical Company, where is responsible for geophysical interpretation and basin analysis. Randall is a member of AAPG and SEG.
Pedro Victor Zalán, ZAG Consulting in Petroleum Exploration
Pedro holds a MSc and a PhD from the Colorado School of Mines. With 42 years of experience in the industry, he is independent consultant in petroleum exploration at ZAG Consulting in Petroleum Exploration, in Rio de Janeiro. He worked for 34 years in Petrobras. Pedro is a member of AAPG and ABGP.