Kim Senger

On sabbatical at the Geodynamics of the Polar Regions group at the University of Bremen from August 2023 to July 2024

Background and research interests

I have broad research interests focusing on applied scientific problems – be it CO₂ storage in Svalbard, exploration for hydrocarbons offshore Norway or groundwater exploration in volcanic basins. My PhD (2010–2013) focused on reservoir modelling for the UNIS CO₂ lab, spanning the entire outcrop to simulator workflow. The thesis focused primarily on the effect of the natural fracture network in the Late Triassic-Middle Jurassic Kapp Toscana Group on subsurface fluid flow, and the impact that igneous intrusions have on the reservoir. Both before and after my PhD I have worked in the Norwegian oil & gas industry in exploration.

Key research interests

CO₂ sequestration, particularly in Svalbard
Impact of igneous intrusions on the petroleum system
High Arctic Large Igneous Province and links to Early Cretaceous tectono-stratigraphy
Integrated exploration in general, using both elastic (i.e. seismic) and electric (i.e. controlled-source electromagnetics) data sets to reduce exploration risk
Fractured reservoirs
Gas hydrates, and particularly stability zone modelling and quantification of hydrate-bound gas resources
From outcrop to simulator: how can Svalbard’s world-class outcrops be used optimally to address subsurface challenges elsewhere

Master projects

The following is a non-exhaustive list of possible MSc thesis projects, all making use of the excellent Svalbard exposures. Contact me for further details or with own ideas.

Structural investigation of igneous intrusions in Svalbard: implications for fluid flow
Regional geometry of igneous intrusions from field and LiDAR data
Electric-elastic exploration: what do Svalbard exposures “look like” on geophysical data sets?
GPR characterization of the Kapp Toscana Group at Botneheia: towards a 3D structural map of the CO₂ target aquifer
Geological drivers of resistivity in exhumed basins: a well-based study
Seismic-well-outcrop calibration of central Spitsbergen
Petrophysical evaluation of Mesozoic-Cenozoic successions on Svalbard
Synthetic seismic modelling of igneous intrusions onshore Svalbard
Formation evaluation of igneous intrusions and associated contact metamorphic aureoles based on wireline data