Expertise

Marcello Badalì, PhD

Marcello Badalì (PhD) is an experienced carbonate geologist and seismic interpreter. He has 25 years’ experience in exploration-related geology (of which 15 years with operators, such as Repsol and Equinor). He built a new methodology (the Carbonate Seismic Scorecard, recently published in Badalì et al. 2022, AAPG Bulletin, vol. 106, p. 243-265) aimed at recognizing carbonate targets on seismic data. His most recent research has focused on the investigation of the evolution of the seismic expression of carbonate systems over geologic time, from Precambrian to present day, and it was published in the SEG/AAPG journal “Interpretation” (Badali’ 2024, Vol. 12, No. 2, T119-T147).

He performs interpretation of carbonates at a basin to prospect/reservoir scale, integrating seismic stratigraphy, sequence stratigraphy and seismic attribute imaging with sedimentology and petrographic analysis. He helps assess and rank carbonate prospects and predict reservoir properties of carbonate sedimentary and diagenetic (including fractured) plays, through seismic analysis, field and outcrop analog study and core, thin section and well-log integration. Last, but not least, he provides training for industry and academia on characterization and seismic recognition of carbonate prospects and plays.

Marcello’s expertise includes most types of sedimentary carbonate plays, which include marine/lacustrine, platform/ramp reefal, lagoonal and shoal/bank systems, resedimented carbonates (such as calciturbidites, debris and breccia bodies) and evaporite systems, as well as the main types of carbonate diagenetic plays, like fresh-water karst, early and hydrothermal dolomites, and (shallow-water and pelagic) fractured limestones. Also, where possible, potential source rock layers can be mapped.

During his career he has developed an extensive and worldwide (e.g. SE Asia, Middle East, Mex/US Gulf of Mexico, S/N Mediterranean, Caribbean, Russia, West Africa, North Africa, Southern Atlantic, Black Sea, Portugal, Ireland) project expertise in Proterozoic, Paleozoic, Mesozoic and Tertiary carbonate plays.

Marcello is fluent in English, Spanish, French and Italian.

Geographic expertise

(One dot can be related to more than one project)

Strengths

A specialist with a professional background with an operator has a perfect knowledge of the needs of an exploration/development team.
Marcello’s expertise is an uncommon combination of a solid carbonate sedimentology and petrography background and remarkable carbonate seismic interpretation skills.
Marcello has developed the Carbonate Seismic Scorecard, and such a tool can be created only thanks to an extensive exposure and study of thousands of seismic images of carbonate and biasing structures, which makes this a top consulting company in this discipline.
Marcello believes clients should always have a clear picture of the reasons of his working results: You will never hear him saying “This is the right interpretation because I am the specialist”. He will always explain his interpretation in the simplest possible way.
Marcello has developed many contacts with specialists of other E&P disciplines over these many years and he has worked on a professional net that can help his clients to find reliable technical support in other disciplines when needed (see bottom of this page).

The Seismic Carbonate Scorecard

The SCS is a proprietary tool which was designed to help distinguish, on seismic data, shallow-water carbonate structures from similar, non-carbonate structures, such as volcanoes, basement highs, erosional remnants and various tectonic features (Badalì et al., 2022, AAPG Bulletin).

This tool allows to “score” fifteen parameters from a seismic image, resulting in a final quantitative score which indicates the chance of dealing with a carbonate (positive score) or a non-carbonate (negative score) structure.

The effectiveness of the SCS concept was proven during a massive test on more than 200 images of different structures, which were scored by a non-carbonate, junior geologist, whose interpretation, in 90% of the cases, matched the drilled/calibrated/interpreted nature of the structure (Badalì et al., 2022). This tool, as a matter of fact, was built to give the possibility to non-specialist geoscientists to assess seismic images of potential carbonate prospects without the assistance of a carbonate interpreter.

Nevertheless, some points should be highlighted:

– This scorecard, beside requiring some training before its use, will never replace an experienced specialist.

– In Marcello’s consulting activity, this can be a powerful tool to risk-rank potential carbonate prospects, if needed or required by the client; however his overall carbonate assessment rather focuses on the integration and analysis of all available data and he does not use the SCS as his main and only reference.

The Seismic Carbonate Scorecard

The Seismic Carbonate Scorecard (published and downloadable version, Badalì et al. 2022)

C = Common P = Possible R = Rare ROP = Ruling-out parameter

Marcello's CV

Work experience

Independent consultant (seismiccarbonates.com): Sep 2021 – Present

Position: Carbonate consultant
Location: Rome area, Italy

Provides technical support and training to industry and academic institutions, on carbonate geoloogy and seismic interpretation aimed at exploration and development.

Repsol: Sep 2011 – August 2020

Position: Carbonate specialist
Location: Madrid, Spain

Provides technical support to exploration and development teams. Teaches the internal course “Carbonates: Sequence stratigraphy and seismic interpretation applied to HC exploration and development”. Develops a quantitative Seismic Scorecard tool to distinguish carbonate buildups from biasing structures on seismic data. See “Detailed project experience” at the end of the page.

Statoil (now Equinor): Feb 2006 – Jul 2011

Position: Principal Exploration Geologist
Locations: Harstad and Oslo, Norway
Carbonate exploration projects in Cuba, Bahamas and Brazil. Carbonate and deep-water exploration projects in Russia and Gulf of Mexico.

Georex AT: Jan 2004 – Jan 2006

Position: Geologist
Locations: Pau, Paris (France) and Tripoli (Libya)
Carbonate research (“Deeply buried carbonate reservoirs”) and exploration projects for TOTAL.

IES GmbH: Jan 2003 – Dec 2003

Position: Geologist
Locations: Juelich (Germany) and several Pemex offices in Mexico.
Basin modeling. Project work and training for PEMEX. Southern Gulf of Mexico.

University of Alabama, Geology department: May 1999 – Dec 2002

Position: Research assistant
Location: Tuscaloosa, Alabama (USA)
Carbonate interpretation from basin to reservoir scale: seismic, well-log and core integration. Northern Gulf of Mexico (collaboration with Mobil Oil, ChevronTexaco, DOE and MMS).

EDRA (European Development & Research Agency): Mar 1997 – May 1999

Position: Field geologist
Location: Rome, Italy
Physical modeling of shale-diapir structures. Northern Apennines, Italy.

Education

Ph.D. in Geological Sciences

The University of Alabama
May 1999 – Dec 2002
Dissertation title: “Sequence and Seismic Stratigraphy of Lower Cretaceous Strata in the Northeastern Gulf of Mexico Area”.
Final grade (GPA): 4.0 / 4.0 (Outstanding Research Award).
Grants: BP-Amoco, Mobil Oil, GSA.
3 papers and several abstracts published

B.Sc. + M.Sc. in Geological Sciences

University of Rome “La Sapienza”
Nov 1988 – Dec 1996
Thesis title: “Geologic mapping at 1:10,000 scale, tectonic and depositional reconstruction of an Upper Cretaceous carbonate platform area in the Central Apennines, Italy”. (40 km² mountain area, two-year research and fieldwork)
Final grade: 106/110 (12/12 for the thesis research)

Representative publications:

Badali’ M., 2024, “Seismic expression of shallow-water carbonate structures through geologic time”, Interpretation (SEG/AAPG journal), Vol. 12, No. 2, T119-T147.
Badalì M., Hsieh J. and D’Annibale S., 2022, “A new methodology using seismic data to differentiate shallow-water carbonate deposits from similar, non-carbonate structures”, Geohorizon paper, AAPG Bulletin, Vol. 106, p. 243-265.
Pellan C., Mudaham Z., Fontanelli L., Leon M.F., Badalì M. and Palacios J.M., 2018, “How integration of 4D Stratigraphic Modeling can improve Carbonate Reservoir Characterization – An example from a Cenozoic partially rimmed system”, 80th EAGE Conference and Exhibition, 5 pp.
Martín-Monge A., Baudino R., L. M. Gairifo-Ferreira, R. Tocco, M. Badali`, M. Ochoa, S. Haryono, S. Soriano, N. El Hafiz, J. Herna, B. Chaco, I. Brisson, G. Grammatico, R. Varade´ & H. Abdallah, 2016, “An unusual Proterozoic petroleum play in Western Africa: the Atar Group carbonates (Taoudeni Basin, Mauritania)”, In: Sabato Ceraldi T., Hodgkinson R.A. & Backe G. (eds) Petroleum Geoscience of the West Africa Margin. Geological Society, London, Special Publications, 438, p. 1-39.
Mancini E.A., Obid J., Badali M., Liu K, Parcell W.C, 2008, “Sequence-stratigraphic analysis of Jurassic and Cretaceous strata and petroleum exploration in the central and eastern Gulf coastal plain, United States”, AAPG Bulletin 92(12):1655-1686
Badali` M. 2003 “Paleoenvironments, Diagenesis, and Sequence Stratigraphy of the Mid-Cretaceous Section (Albian/Cenomanian) in the Main Pass Field Area, Northeastern Gulf of Mexico”. Carbonates and Evaporites, v.18, no.1, p. 29-40.
Badali` M. 2002 “A simple methodology for Carbonate Sequence Stratigraphic and Seismic Stratigraphic Interpretation: Examples from the LK section in offshore Alabama and Mississippi”. GCSSEPM (Gulf Coast Section of the Society of Economic Paleontologists and Mineralogists) Foundation Bob F. Perkins 22nd Annual Research Conference Proceedings , December 2002, Houston, Texas, USA, p. 681-708.
Badali`M., 2002 Sequence Stratigraphy and Seismic Stratigraphy of the Lower Cretaceous Section in the Northeastern Gulf of Mexico. GCAGS (Gulf Coast Association of Geologic Societies) Annual Meeting Proceedings, October 2002, Austin, Texas, USA, p. 13-24.

Recent abstracts:

Badali M., 2023, “Evolution of the seismic character of slope/basinal resedimented deposits from shallow-water carbonate structures over geologic time”, presented at AAPG ICE (International Conference & Exhibition) ‘23, Madrid.
Badali M., 2023, “Distribution over geologic time of seismic-scale, early-karst features in shallow-water carbonates”, presented at the 17th Bathurst Meeting of Carbonate Sedimentologists, Naples, p. 7.
Badali’ M., 2022, “Seismic Expression of Shallow-Water Carbonate Structures Through Geologic Time”, AAPG “Carbonate Sequences and Reservoirs”, Naples

Badalì M., 2018, “A Seismic Carbonate Scorecard: How to recognize carbonate buildups/platforms from deceiving structures”, GSL Abstract Volume, Presented at The Geological Society “Seismic characterisation of carbonate platforms and reservoirs” Conference, London.
Badali’ M., 2013, “Lower Cretaceous Marine microbial reef classification, distribution, and porosity trend in Northeastern Gulf of Mexico”, presented at the “Microbial Carbonates in Space and Time: Implications for Global exploration and production” GSA Conference, London.

Training provided to external/academic institutions:

August 2022, PTTEP, Thailand. Teaches the 3-day course “Seismic interpretation of carbonates”
January 2019, University of Rome “La Sapienza”, Rome, Italy. Teaches the 3-day course “Carbonate seismic interpretation and sequence stratigraphy applied to HC exploration” to the graduate students of the Geological Sciences Department.
May 2018, University od Basilicata, Potenza, Italy. Teaches the 3-day course “Carbonate seismic interpretation and sequence stratigraphy applied to HC exploration and development” within the II Level Master in Petroleum Geoscience of the University of Basilicata, organized by the University of Basilicata in cooperation with Shell Italia E&P, Total E&P Italia and ENI
April 2017, Servicio Geologico de Cuba, Habana, Cuba. Teaches the 5-day course “Carbonates for E&P geoscientists”

Professional affiliations:

AAPG (American Association of Petroleum Geologists), EAGE (European Association of Geoscientists and Engineers), SEG (Society of Exploration Geophysicists), IAS (International Association of Sedimentologists), Ordine dei Geologi del Lazio (Italian Geologists Professional Association)

Geo-software expertise:

Petrel, Paradigm, Ffa Geoteric, Geoframe, SeisWorks, Kingdom Suite, ArcGIS, PetroMod

Languages

Fluent in Italian, English, Spanish and French

Detailed project experience

Marcello, during his career, has worked in numerous long-term and short-medium term, mainly carbonate-exploration related, projects.

Some representative examples of long-term projects are listed:

West Africa (Mauritania): Proterozoic play. 2D seismic interpretation. Seismic stratigraphy, 2D attribute analysis, rock study
Arabian Peninsula: Mid Cretaceous play (Shu’aiba Fm). Thin section study and reservoir characterization: Petrographic/sedimentologic description – Diagenetic evolution reconstruction – Reservoir parameter estimation (including MICP plot analysis)
Black Sea (Bulgaria): Cretaceous and Tertiary plays. 3D seismic interpretation. Seismic stratigraphy, attribute analysis
Kurdistan (Iraq): Mesozoic play. Fieldwork and play characterization
Kurdistan (Iraq) (Development project): Tertiary play. 3D seismic interpretation. Seismic stratigraphy, sequence stratigraphy, attribute analysis, well-log and rock study
Ireland: Cretaceous play. 3D seismic interpretation. Seismic stratigraphy, attribute analysis
Cuba: Basin screening and prospect study. Mesozoic (depositional and diagenetic) plays. 2D and 3D seismic. Seismic stratigraphy, well log study
Russia (several projects in the Timan-Pechora Basin): Paleozoic plays. 2D and 3D seismic interpretation. Seismic stratigraphy, attributes, well-log analysis, extensive rock study
Argentina (Salta Basin): Upper Cretaceous lacustrine play. Following an IFP consortium aimed at the thorough study of a potential pre-salt analog. Fieldwork
Gulf of Mexico (several projects in Mexican and US waters): Jurassic and Cretaceous plays. 2D and 3D seismic interpretation. Seismic stratigraphy, attributes, well-log analysis, extensive rock study
Libya offshore (Sirte Basin, Tripolitania Basin and Cyrenaica Platform): Mesozoic and Tertiary plays. 2D seismic interpretation. Seismic stratigraphy, well log study
Libya onshore (Sirte Basin): Tertiary plays. 3D seismic interpretation. Seismic stratigraphy, attributes and well-log analysis
Angola (Kwanza Basin): Pre-salt (Cretaceous) play. 3D seismic interpretation. Seismic stratigraphy, attributes.
Greece (onshore): Cretaceous-Tertiary fractured carbonate plays. 2D seismic interpretation. Seismic stratigraphy, well-log, fieldwork and rock study
Philippines (Palawan basin):Tertiary plays. 2D seismic interpretation. Seismic stratigraphy.
Venezuela: Tertiary play. Providing input and working as carbonate advisor for a reservoir forward modeling project

Also, Marcello provided internal consultancy on countless carbonate seismic interpretation short to medium term projects, mainly for New Ventures and Exploration teams:

Some examples are:

Greece (offshore): Cretaceous and Tertiary plays
Montenegro: Cretaceous plays
Papua New Guinea: Tertiary play
Indonesia: Several Tertiary plays and basins (e.g. Ganal, Biak, Cendrawasih, East Jabung)
Myanmar: Tertiary play
Thailand: Paleozoic play
Venezuela: Tertiary play
Brazil: Pre-salt (Cretaceous) play
Caribbean and South-America: Numerous Tertiary plays (Guyana, Trinidad, Colombia, Aruba, Jamaica, Nicaragua)
Algeria: Tertiary plays
Morocco: Jurassic and Cretaceous plays
Cyprus: Cretaceous plays
Norway (Barents sea): Paleozoic plays

Partnership

Marcello is building a large network of reliable and experienced partners in many disciplines with which he can partner for projects, if needed. Feel free to contact them directly if you need assistance, or simply contact Marcello and he can make the introduction.