RESEARCH INTERESTS

Seismic modelling and imaging with application to petroleum/reservoir and near-surface geophysics, including finite-difference wavefield simulation, Eikonal solver (first-arrival traveltimes), tomography, generalized diffraction tomography, imaging/inversion in seismology and seismics, hybrid modelling ray-tracing/finite-difference, refraction seismic modelling, seismic resolution, SAR techniques applied to seismic imaging, simulated prestack imaging using Point-Spread Functions (PSF); seismic modelling from outcrops via PSF convolution, imaging in other domains (GPR, etc), CO₂ and geothermal site assessments, near-surface geophysics, ground-penetrating radar (GPR), geohazards, and E-learning.

Research work involving theoretical studies, method developments and applications, originally within seismic modelling and imaging in relation to O&G applications and equivalent (geothermal, CCS), but also in near-surface geophysics (e.g., geophysics for geohazards in ICG-related projects, 2003-2012), especially using GPR for education and very-shallow ground applications (e.g., archaeology).

CV available here
 

SELECTED PROJECTS

• 2023-present: NFR kompetanse- og samarbeidsprosjekt (344437) “Sound TRAnsport NETworks (S-TRANET): Establishing the cause of hazard events on railway infrastructure using a distributed sensor network”, Peter J. Thomas (NORCE, leader); participating as work package leader and main supervisor of PhD.
   
• 2023-present: NFR ENERGIX-Stort (336559) “4SWIND: Advancing seismic seabed survey techniques”, Prof. H. Haflidason (leader, UiB/GEO); participant in geophysics.
   
• 2021-present: Sand Injection Research Group (SIRG), University of Aberdeen, Phase 4 and 5 (under preparation), A. Hurst/M. Brettke project leader (industry consortium); participating for geophysics and seismic modelling, principal researcher.
   
• 2021-2023: partner in 2-year industry project with NORCE (leader) and Lundin; modelling of paleokarst reservoirs; advisor of postdoctoral fellow at NORCE.
   
• 2020-present: NFR Petromaks2 (308805, KMP), “Rift and rifted margin deep-water depositional systems: Application to Late Jurassic – Early Cretaceous rifting on the NCS - DeepRift”, Prof. R. Gawthorpe (leader, UiB/GEO); participant.
   
• 2020-2023: "Environmental factors in minimal-invasive Cultural Heritage Management. The Vestfold Monitoring Project - VEMOP", Dr. P. Schneidhofer project leader, Vestfold og Telemark fylkeskommune; member of the reference group.
   
• 2019-2023: European COST Action SAGA (CA17131), “The Soil Science & Archaeo-Geophysics Alliance”, C. Cuenca Garcia project leader, Dept. of Archaeology and Cultural History, NTNU; acting as MC substitute 2 for Norway 2019-2021; participating to Working Group 3 “Data integration, visualization and Parameterization”.
   
• 2017-2020: project leader for UiB/GEO participation in “Forecasting of architecture, seismic characteristics and flow behaviour in paleokarst reservoirs - FOPAK”, NFR Petromaks2 project 267634, led by NORCE/CIPR, Jan Tveranger project leader.
   
• 2014-2018: project leader for NORSAR participation in the UiO “TriasNorth: Reconstructing the Triassic northern Barents Shelf; basin infill patterns controlled by gentle sags and faults”, NFR Petromaks project 234152.
   
• 2008-2010: Project leader of the NORSAR Innovation AS “Fast Elastic Inversion of Multi-offset Prestack Depth Migrated Seismic Data”, NFR Petromaks project 187318, in cooperation with the Norwegian Computing Center, O. Kolbjørnsen and colleagues, and ConocoPhillips and Statoil.
   
• 2007-2009: Project leader and grant owner of the NORSAR Strategic Institute Program “Flexible local seismic imaging in an integrated dynamic modelling framework”, NFR project 181688.
   
• 2003-2012: Guest researcher in the International Center for Geohazards (ICG), NFR-funded Norwegian Research Centre of Excellence (SFF), in cooperation with NGI, NGU, UiO and NTNU. Theme coordinator for “Geophysics for Geohazards”.
   

EDUCATION

1990 PhD Geophysics: Disputation date: 18.12.1990, Université Louis Pasteur, Strasbourg 1, France.

1988 Civ. Eng. Geophysics, Ecole de Physique du Globe de Strasbourg, France.

1987 M.Sc. Geophysics, Université Louis Pasteur, Strasbourg 1, France.
 

CURRENT AND PREVIOUS POSITIONS

2021-present Professor, Reservoir and Near-Surface Geophysics, Geodynamics and Basin Studies, Department of Earth Science, University of Bergen (UiB), Norway

2021-present Visiting Professor, Seismic Modelling, NORSAR, Kjeller, Norway

2016-2021 Associate Professor, Reservoir Geophysics, Basin and Reservoir Studies, Department of Earth Science, University of Bergen (UiB), Norway

2016-2021 Visiting Associate Professor, Seismic Modelling, NORSAR, Kjeller, Norway

2016/(01-06) Associate Professor (adjunct), Reservoir Geophysics, Department of Earth Science, University of Bergen (UiB), Norway

2012-2016 Associate Professor (adjunct), Near-Surface Geophysics, Department of Geosciences, University of Oslo (UiO), Norway

2003-2012 Guest researcher, International Centre for Geohazards (ICG), NFR-funded Norwegian Research Centre of Excellence (SFF), partners NGI (lead), NORSAR, NGU, UiO and NTNU.

1993-2016 Principal Research Geophysicist, Seismic Modelling, NORSAR, Kjeller, Norway
 

FELLOWSHIPS AND AWARDS

2014 Norwegian Geophysical Award, Norwegian Petroleum Society.

2001 Best Paper award, Geophysical Prospecting, EAGE.

1992 NTNF Postdoctoral fellowship, NORSAR, Kjeller, Norway.

1991 EU Postdoctoral fellowship, NORSAR, Kjeller, Norway.

1988-1990 PhD grant, IFREMER, Brest/Strasbourg, France.

1988 NATO Scientific Division, Young Researcher, Summer School, Les Houches, France.

University of Bergen - UiB                                                                                                                            

• GEOV111, “Geofysiske Metodar”, mandatory intro-course for geologists and geophysicists, responsible teacher from 2018 - 2017-present
• field course "Reservoir Geophysics: from outcrop to seismic", Spain, for geologists and geophysicists (2017, 2019, 2023), co-teacher
• Lectures in GEOV272 (2016-present), PTEK100 (2016-2019)
• education board member 2017-2024; education board leader 2024-present.               

University of Oslo - UiO                                                                                                                                 

• GEO4120, “Near-Surface Geophysics”, responsible teacher - 2012-2016
• GEO4260, “Reservoir Geophysics”, responsible teacher - 2015
• GF281, “Inverse metoder”, responsible teacher - 1995
• Lectures in GEO4170 (2012), GEO4171 (2013), GEO4360 (2012-2014), GEO4620 (2013), GEO4181 (2015-2016), GEO4240 (2016-2017)                                                                                                  

University Centre of Svalbard - UNIS                                                             

• AG222, “Integrated Geological Methods: from Outcrop to Geomodel” - 2018-2022
• AG335/835, “Arctic Seismic Exploration”, lectures in micro-seismicity, seismic modelling and GPR - 2015, 2017
• partner in the UNIS UArctic education projects “Circum-Arctic Geology for Everyone: An integrated approach to learning and teaching in the Arctic” (2016-2018) and “Svalbox2020: digital teaching and outreach of Arctic Geology” (2019-2020).

SVALEX - multidisciplinary integration of students, Norwegian Universities (UiO, UiB, NTNU, UiT, UiS and UNIS)                                                                                                                                                         

• Lectures/demos in near-surface geophysics and participation to petroleum-related student exercises - 2005-2009

Google Scholar

ResearchGate

ORCID

Scopus author

Selected/recent publications:

•    Dimmen, V., Rotevatn, A., Prestegård, M., Lecomte, I., and I. G. Andersen, 2024. Imaging along-strike variability in fault structure; insights from seismic modelling of the Maghlaq Fault, Malta. Marine and Petroleum Geology, 165, 106891.

•    Dimmen, V., Rotevatn, A., and Lecomte, I., 2023. Imaging of small-scale faults in seismic reflection data: Insights from seismic modelling of faults in outcrop. Marine and Petroleum Geology, 147, 105980.

•    Volatili, T., Agosta, F., Cardozo, N., Zambrano, M., Lecomte, I., and E. Tondi, 2022. Outcrop-based characterization and seismic modelling of an extensional fault zone in Mesozoic platform carbonates of the Fucino Basin, central Italy. Journal of Structural Geology, 155, 104515.

•    Faleide, T. S., Braathen, A., Lecomte, I., and I. Anell, 2021. Exploring detection and resolution thresholds of fault architecture and gas seeps in the shallow subsurface with seismic modelling. Marine and Petroleum Geology, 143, 105776.

•    Jensen, K., Lecomte, I., Gelius, L.-J., and Kaschwich, T., 2021. Point-Spread Function convolution to simulate prestack depth migrated images: a validation study. Geophysical Prospecting, 69, 1571-1590.

•    Faleide, T.S., Braathen, A., Lecomte, I., Mulrooney, M.J., Midtkandal, I., Bugge, A.J., and S. Planke, 2021. Impacts of seismic resolution on fault interpretation: Insights from seismic modelling. Tectonophysics, 816, 229008.

•    Bradaric, A. D., Andersen, T., Lecomte, I., Løseth, H., and C. H. Eide, 2021. Recognition and characterization of small-scale sand injectites in seismic data: Implications for reservoir development. Journal of the Geological Society.

•    Jensen, K., Johansen, M. K., Lecomte, I., Janson, X., Tveranger, J., and T. Kaschwich, 2021, Paleokarst reservoirs: Efficient and flexible characterization using point-spread function-based convolution modeling, Interpretation, 9, 2, 1-65.

•    Mascolo, V., and I. Lecomte, 2020, Seismic modelling of outcrop carbonate systems: an application to the Cretaceous platform-to-basin system of the Maiella Mountain (Central Apennines, Italy), in Seismic characterization of carbonate platforms and reservoirs, Special Publications, Geological Society, 509.

•    Wrona, T., Fossen, H., Lecomte, I., Eide, C.H., and Gawthorpe, R.L., 2020, Seismic expression of shear zones: Insights from 2-D point-spread-function based convolution modelling, Journal of Structural Geology, 140.

•    Rabbel, O., Galland, O., Mair, K.; Lecomte, I., Spacapan, J. B., Senger, K., and R. Manceda, 2018, From field analogues to realistic seismic modelling: a case study of an oil-producing andesitic sill complex in the Neuquén Basin, Argentina, Journal of the Geological Society, 175(4), 580.

•    Eide, C. H., Schofield, N., Lecomte, I., Buckley, S. J., and J. A. Howell, 2018, Seismic interpretation of sill complexes in sedimentary basins: Implications for the sub-sill imaging problem, Journal of the Geological Society, 175(2), 193-209.

•    Lecomte, I., Lubrano Lavadera, P., Anell, I., Buckley, S. J., Eide, C. H., Grippa, A., Mascolo, V., and S. Kjoberg, 2016, 2(3)D convolution modelling of complex geological targets – beyond 1D convolution, First Break, 34, 99-107.

•    Botter, C., Cardozo, N., Hardy, S., Lecomte, I., Paton, G., and A. Escalona, 2016, Seismic characterisation of fault zones in 3D using mechanical and seismic modelling techniques, Marine and Petroleum Geology, 77, 973-990.

•    Lecomte, I., Lubrano Lavadera, P., Anell, I., Buckley, S. J., Schmid, D. W., and M. Heeremans, 2015, Ray-based seismic modelling of geological models: understanding and analyzing seismic images efficiently, Interpretation, 3, no. 4, SAC71-SAC89.

•    Botter, C., Cardozo, N., Hardy, S., Lecomte, I., and Escalona, A., 2014, From mechanical modeling to seismic imaging of faults: A synthetic workflow to study the impact of faults on seismic, Marine and Petroleum Geology, 57, 187-207.

•    Sauvin, G., Lecomte, I., Bazin, S., L'Heureux, J. S., Vanneste, M., Solberg, I. L., and Dalsegg, E., 2013, Towards geophysical and geotechnical integration for quick-clay mapping in Norway, in Special Issue on Geotechnical Assessment and Geo-environmental Engineering, Near Surface Geophysics, 11, no 6, 613-623, ICG contribution 395.

•    Lecomte, I., 2008. Resolution and illumination analyses in PSDM: A ray-based approach, The Leading Edge, 27, 650-663.

•    Lecomte, I., Thollet, I., Juliussen, H., and Hamran, S.-E., 2008, Using geophysics on a terminal moraine damming a glacial lake: the Flatbre debris flow case, Western Norway, Advances in Geosciences, 14, 301-307, ICG contribution 191, doi: 10.5194/adgeo-14-301-2008.

•    Lecomte, I., Hamran, S.-E., and Gelius, L.-J., 2005. Improving Kirchhoff migration with repeated Local Plane-Wave imaging? a SAR-inspired signal-processing approach in prestack depth imaging, Geophysical Prospecting, 53, 767–785

•    Gelius, L.-J., Lecomte, I., and Tabti, H., 2002. Analysis of the resolution function in seismic prestack depth imaging, Geophysical Prospecting, 50, 505-515.

•    Lecomte, I., Gjøystdal, H., Dahle, A., and Pedersen, O. C., 2000. Improving modelling and inversion in refraction seismic with a first order Eikonal solver, Geophysical Prospecting, 48, 437-454, Cit. 57. 

•    Podvin, P., and Lecomte, I., 1991. Finite difference computation of traveltimes in very contrasted velocity models: a massively parallel approach and its associated tools, Geophys. J. Int., 105, 271-284

• 2023-present: NFR kompetanse- og samarbeidsprosjekt (344437) “Sound TRAnsport NETworks (S-TRANET): Establishing the cause of hazard events on railway infrastructure using a distributed sensor network”, NORCE leader; PhD main supervisor (TBA).
• 2023-present: Sand Injection Research Group (SIRG), Phase 5, M. Brettle project leader (industry consortium); participating for geophysics and seismic modelling, principal researcher.
• 2023-present: NFR ENERGIX-Stort (336559) “4SWIND: Advancing seismic seabed survey techniques”, Prof. H. Haflidason (leader, UiB/GEO), participant.
   
• 2021-2023: Sand Injection Research Group (SIRG), Phase 4, A. Hurst project leader (industry consortium); participating for geophysics and seismic modelling, principal researcher.
   
• 2021-2023: partner in 2-year industry project with NORCE (leader) and Lundin; modelling of paleokarst reservoirs; advisor of postdoctoral fellow at NORCE (B. Lønøy).
   
• 2020-2024: NFR Petromaks2 (308805, KMP), “Rift and rifted margin deep-water depositional systems: Application to Late Jurassic – Early Cretaceous rifting on the NCS - DeepRift”, Prof. R. Gawthorpe (leader, UiB/GEO); participant.
   
• 2020-2023: "Environmental factors in minimal-invasive Cultural Heritage Management. The Vestfold Monitoring Project - VEMOP", Dr. P. Schneidhofer project leader, Vestfold og Telemark fylkeskommune; member of the reference group.
   
• 2019-2023: European COST Action SAGA (CA17131), “The Soil Science & Archaeo-Geophysics Alliance”, C. Cuenca Garcia project leader, Dept. of Archaeology and Cultural History, NTNU; acting as MC substitute 2 for Norway 2019-2021; participating to Working Group 3 “Data integration, visualization and Parameterization”.

• 2020-present: participant to “Centre for Integrated Earth Science Education”, iEarth  (external link)(Centres for Excellence in Education – SFU); e.g., design of a new 10-ECTS course “Geopraksis” and attending seminars, workshops, etc.
• 2020-present: participant to UiB research group “Teaching and Learning in Higher Education- TeLEd”.
• 2018-2019: participant to UiB research project “Teaching and Learning in the Digital Age: Rethink learning through teaching and assessment - TALIDA (external link)", with re-designing of course GEOV111 in 2018-2019.

University of Bergen (approved full pedagogy completed in 2017 with UiO part + 5 UiB ECTS; 5 extra UiB ECTS)

• Pedagogy, “UPED621: Vurdering og vurderingsformer”, 5 ECTS - 2017
• Pedagogy, “UPED637: How to Create Effective Instructional Videos”, 5 ECTS - 2017

University of Oslo (87.5% of full pedagogy, taken during 5-year adjunct position 2012-2016)                                       

• Pedagogy, “The courage to teach”, 12.5% module (12 hours; voluntary) - 2015
• Pedagogy, “Forskningsveiledning”, 25% module (25 hours; voluntary) - 2014
• Pedagogy, “Basiskompetanse”, 50% module (50 hours; mandatory for adjunct professors) - 2013

- for potential MSc projects within my research group (Geodynamic and Basin Studies), check here.
- if interested in developing your own MSc project, contact me via e-mail or come to my office (2A16b - 2114) (external link).
(check first ongoing and past projects below to get an idea of the possibilities).

UiB/Earth Science - MSc.:

• Nooshin Fathi, 2023-2025, ongoing, working title "Seismic modelling of brecciated sand injectite systems: sensitivity analyses and uncertainty", main  supervisor.
• Espen Tjessheim, 2024, "Insights Into CO2 Storage Using the FluidFlower", co-supervisor.
• Synnøve Sørvåg Slåtsveen (external link), 2023, working title "Interpretation of 3D Ground Penetrating Radar data in archaeology by applying seismic attributes", main supervisor.
• Muhammad Usman Khurshid (external link), 2023, "3D reservoir characterization of paleokarst reservoirs on Loppa High through seismic modelling", main supervisor.
• Wouter Bell Gravendeel (external link), 2022, "Seismic imaging of fault-controlled dolomites in carbonate successions: insights from seismic modeling and RMS amplitude analysis", co-supervisor.
• Lucas Corrêa Tonon D'Almeida (external link), 2022, “A study of normal fault structure and along-strike variations, based on the northern Moab fault system, Utah”, co-supervisor.
• Kingsley Chibuzo Ofoedu, 2022, “Seismic data analysis of an onshore-offshore transition zone at Ramså Basin, Norway – a modelling study”, main supervisor.
• Casper Paulsen Flæte (external link), 2022, “Seismic imaging of faults and fault zones: insight through modelling for improved interpretation”, main supervisor.
• Victoria Gajos Hamre, 2022, “Seismic Modelling of the Stratigraphic Architecture of Syn-rift Gilbert Delta Bottomset and Deepwater-fans of the West Xylokastro Fault Block, Corinth Rift”, co-supervisor.
• Ina Tårup (external link), 2022, “Seismic modelling of the stratigraphic architecture of syn-rift deep-water channel complexes in the Corinth Rift, Greece”, co-supervisor.
• Emil Lie Hansen (external link), 2021, UiB MSc., “Ground penetrating radar for archaeology in Western Norway: Examples from Lyse Abbey and Fana burial mound”, main supervisor.
• Øystein Haugen Ødegård (external link), 2021, UiB MSc., “From outcrop to Ground Penetrating Radar images with Point-Spread Function based convolution modelling”, main supervisor.
• Alma Dzozlic Bradaric (external link), 2020, UiB MSc., “Seismic signature and detectability of small-scale sand injectites: insights from 2D Point-Spread Function based convolution modelling”, main supervisor. Earth Model Award 2020 winner; 2021 paper (external link).
• Mari Prestegård (external link), 2020, UiB MSc., “Controls of fault zone structure on synthetic seismic images of the Maghlaq Fault, Malta”, co-supervisor.
• Ingvild Gabrielsen Andersen (external link), 2020, UiB MSc., “Effects of geophysical parameters on the seismic expression of the Maghlaq Fault, Malta: insights from outcrop-based 2D seismic modeling”, co-supervisor.
• Mustaqim Balyesiima (external link), 2020, UiB MSc., “Flow Simulation and Sensitivity Analysis of Paleokarst Carbonate Reservoirs”, main supervisor.
• Sondre Hagevold (external link), 2019, UiB MSc., “From outcrop to synthetic seismic: 2D and 3D modelling of igneous intrusions at Botneheia, central Spitsbergen”, main supervisor.
• Mari Sæbø (external link), M., 2019, UiB MSc, “Kallskarskredet og påfølgjande tapping av Onilsavatnet – Tafjord, Møre og Romsdal”, co-supervisor.
• Espen Friestad (external link), 2018, UiB MSc., “Synthetic seismic modelling of fluvial channels in the Blackhawk Formation as an analogue to the Triassic Barents Sea”, co-supervisor.
• Thomas Jarle Grimstad (external link), 2018, UiB MSc., “Modelling illumination and resolution effects in seismic with a 2(3)D convolution method”, main supervisor.
• Martin Kyrkjebø Johansen (external link), 2018, UiB MSc., “A Modelling Workflow for Seismic Characterization of Paleokarst Reservoirs”, main supervisor.
• Malin Flesland (external link), 2017, UiB MSc., “Volcanic rifted margins: comparing lidar data from outcrops of Traill Ø (East Greenland) with seismic data from the conjugate Vøring Margin”, co-supervisor.

UiB/Earth Science - PhD.:

• Lkhagvadorj Dalaijargal, 2024-present, working title "Monitoring hazard events on railway infrastructure using a distributed sensor network", main-supervisor.
• Vilde Dimmen (external link), 2017-2023, working title “Geologic controls on fluid flow and seismic imaging of faults in carbonate
  rocks. Insights from quantitative outcrop analysis and reflection seismic modeling”, University of Bergen, co-supervisor (A. Rotevatn main supervisor).
• Kristian Jensen (external link), 2017-2021, “Seismic modelling and deconvolution of prestack depth migrated images through ray-based Point-Spread Functions”, University of Bergen, main-supervisor.
• Bjarte Lønøy (external link), 2017-2021, “Paleokarst reservoir modelling – a concept-driven approach”, University of Bergen, co-supervisor (J. Tveranger main supervisor).
   

Other universities - PhD.:

• Daniel Holden (external link), 2023-present, working title "Resolving geological complexity using seismic modelling: visualising sand injection complexes and sub-seismic geological features", Univ. Aberdeen, co-supervisor (A. Hurst main supervisor).
• Anders Dahlin (external link), 2020-present, working title "Deposition and preservation of carbonates in tectonically active regimes: An onshore-offshore correlation (DEPOCIT)", cooperation seismic modelling (K. Senger main supervisor).
• Peter Betlem (external link), 2023, "Multi-physical detection of along-fault CO2 migration through cap rock shales", Univ. Oslo / UNIS, co-supervisor (K. Senger main supervisor).
• Cui Zhihua (external link), 2023, “Fluid pipe subsurface characterisation using seismic modelling methods”, Univ. Aberdeen, co-supervisor (D. Iacopini main supervisor).
• Raisya Noor Pertiwi (external link), 2022, "From Reservoir Elastic Parameters to Seismic Models: A Study of 3D Heterogeneous and Anisotropic Sand Injection Complex An Interdisciplinary Study of Rock Physics and Seismic Modelling", Univ. Aberdeen, co-supervisor (D. Iacopini/A. Hurst main supervisor).
• Tiziano Volatili (external link), 2021, "Multiscale geological modelling for fluid flow evaluation in deformed carbonates", Univ. Camerino, cooperation seismic modelling (E. Tondi main supervisor).
• Thea Svea Faleide (external link), 2021, "Seismic imaging of faults and sedimentary systems of the Hoop region, Barents Sea: Seismic facies, fault geometries and detection thresholds", Univ.  Oslo, co-supervisor (A. Braathen main supervisor).
• Isabelle Masiero (external link), 2020, "3D Stratigraphic and seismic forward modeling of syn-rift carbonate platforms evolution", Univ. Liverpool, cooperation seismic modelling (P. Burgess main supervisor).
• Honoré Yenwongfai (external link), 2018, "Quantitative seismic reservoir characterization - A Seismic Petrophysical Study in the Goliat Field, SW Barents Sea", Univ. Oslo, co-supervisor (J. I. Faleide main supervisor).
• Simon Oldfield (external link), 2018, "Addressing structural uncertainty through seismic forward modelling", Univ. Leeds, cooperation seismic modelling (D. Paton main supervisor).
• Charlotte Botter (external link), 2016, "Seismic Imaging of Fault Zones : A synthetic workflow to study the impact of faults on seismic images", co-supervisor (N. Cardozo main supervisor).

Prior UiB (prior 2016) - MSc./Civ. Eng./PhD./Misc. : See CV, long-list part (external link).