Dr Ben Clennell

Dr Ben Clennell: leading CSIRO's offshore oil and gas research

Dr Ben Clennell's expertise ranges from gas hydrates to rock physics and mechanics.

• 26 September 2008 | Updated 14 October 2011

Overview

Current activities

Dr Ben Clennell leads the Blue GDP research theme within CSIRO's Wealth from Oceans National Research Flagship, which supports sustainable ocean-based industry development and growth.

He joined CSIRO Petroleum Resources in 2003 and led the Flagship's subsurface prediction and description research for several years. 

Dr Clennell leads the Multiphysics Rock Characterisation and Dynamic Fault Seals projects whilst contributing to other projects on shale physical properties and wettability (IPETS), shaly sand rock physics, gas hydrates in sediments, microbial enhanced oil recovery and rock dielectric properties in the ARRC Petrophysics laboratory.

Background

Dr Clennell has 11 years of postdoctoral experience researching and teaching in the areas of marine geology, rock mechanics and rock physical properties at the Universities of Birmingham and Leeds in the United Kingdom (UK). 

He worked as a consultant on fault sealing with the Rock Deformation Research Group and participated in two Ocean Drilling Program cruises investigating active tectonics and gas hydrates. 

Prior to working for CSIRO, Dr Clennell was based for four years in Brazil where he lectured on petrophysics and hydrogeology as a Visiting Professor at Federal University of Bahia. 

During his time in Brazil, he conducted research into petrophysics applications for petroleum geology and hydrogeology, and developed electrical and electrokinetic systems to characterise tight gas sands. 

He additionally supervised several students and conducted research in other areas such as gas hydrates at Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, Scotland.

Academic qualifications

Dr Clennell has been awarded a:

• Bachelor of Science (Honours) Geology, University of Oxford, England, 1985-1988
• Doctor of Philosophy Geology, Royal Holloway University of London, England, 1998-1992. Thesis 'The Melanges of Sabah, Malaysia'.

Achievements and activities

Dr Clennell has published 19 papers in international peer-reviewed journals, 19 peer-reviewed book chapters, 12 expanded abstracts and conference papers and presented over 50 talks at international scientific meetings, several as an invited speaker.

Half of his publications centre around marine geology including gas hydrates, while the other half are focused on the physical properties of sediments, fault sealing and petrophysics. 

His scientific work has been widely cited in the literature.

Dr Clennell is an active member of several societies: 

• Society of Petroleum Engineers
• Society of Exploration Geophysicists
• American Association of Petroleum Geologists
• Society of Core Analysts Chapter of The American Geophysical Union and Society of Petrophysicists
• Well Log Analysts(SPWLA) (committee member of the Formation Evaluation Society of Australia Chapter of SPWLA, invited as a 2006-7 Distinguished Lecturer)
• Fellow of the Geological Society of London.

He has been a representative on expert panels at two international gas hydrates research meetings, most recently at the Fiery Ice from the Seas meeting in Edinburgh, Scotland, 2006. 

Dr Clennell has been a committee member of MARGO; the Peak Body for Australian Marine Geoscience, and played a part in CSIRO's participation in the Integrated Ocean Drilling Program (IODP).

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