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Portrait of Dr Ben Clennell
Dr Ben Clennell, leading CSIRO's offshore oil and gas research.

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.

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. 

Dr Ben Clennell has over 11 years of experience in marine geology, rock mechanics and rock physical properties.
 

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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Profile

Name: Dr Ben Clennell

Title: Acting Theme Leader: Blue GDP

Qualifications:

  • BSc 
  • PhD

Expertise:

  • marine geology
  • rock physics and mechanics
  • fault sealing
  • gas hydrates
  • electrical, electrokinetic and NMR methods
  • shale properties

Current projects: 

  • multiphysics rock characterisation
  • dynamic fault seals
  • gas hydrates in sediments
  • microbial enhanced oil recovery
  • rock dielectric properties
  • shale physical properties and wettability (IPETS)
  • shaley sand rock physics

Contact Information

Science Contact
Dr Ben Clennell
Production Stream Leader
Earth Science and Resource Engineering
Phone: 61 8 6436 8599 
Fax: 61 8 6436 8555 
General Contact
Ms Jackie Walsh
Communications Manager
Earth Science and Resource Engineering
Phone: 61 8 6436 8707 
Fax: 61 8 6436 8555 

Location

Australian Resources Research Centre (ARRC)
26 Dick Perry Avenue
Kensington WA 6151
Australia

PO Box 1130
Bentley WA 6102
Australia