About Us

John Lorenz and Scott Cooper formed FractureStudies LLC in 2008 to provide information, support and solutions to the energy industry and research organizations. We utilize our 50+ years of combined international experience in fracture analysis to achieve our mission of providing timely analyses of your fractured reservoir system.

 

John C. Lorenz - Certified Petroleum Geologist

downloadable pdf format

John has specialized in understanding naturally-fractured reservoirs since 1981, and to further that work founded FractureStudies LLC with Scott Cooper in 2008. In an effort to help others with similar interests John and Scott wrote the "Atlas of Natural and Induced Fractures in Core," published by Wiley and Sons, 2018.

John earned an undergraduate degree, with a double major in geology in anthropology, from Oberlin College in 1972, after which he ran off to Morocco to teach English and learn Arabic with the Peace Corps. In Morocco, he met a group of geologists from the University of South Carolina, where he earned an M.Sc. with a thesis describing a Moroccan Triassic rift basin. After earning that degree John worked for the USGS in Louisiana and New Mexico from 1975 to 1977, leaving to pursue a Ph.D. at Princeton University where he studied the Nubian Sandstone in Libya and Cretaceous strata in Montana, graduating in 1981. He then joined Sandia National Laboratories where he was the geologist for the tight gas Multiwell Experiment in the Piceance basin. John worked as a geologist at Sandia Labs from 1981 to 2007, doing fractured-reservoir studies in areas ranging from Alaska to Algeria, to Texas. During that time, he served as the American Association of Petroleum Geologists Elected Editor from 2001-2004. More recently he was elected as president of the AAPG and served in that capacity during 2009-2010, supporting the local affiliated societies and the advancement of the geosciences in their application to hydrocarbon-related problems.

John's presentations and published papers on natural and induced fractures in reservoirs range geographically from the Lisburne Limestone in Alaska to the Shaikan Anticline in Kurdistan. These papers and presentations have been awarded several AAPG Levorsen and Jules Braunstein awards. He has worked closely with the oil and gas industry on problems involving reservoir dimensions and in situ permeability, receiving regular doses of reality while gaining extensive hands-on experience with core analysis and fieldwork. John has led field trips, presented core workshops, and taught short courses for the industry-oriented geologic community. His work has been practical, aimed at improving the understanding of fracture-controlled reservoir permeability to enhance fluid extraction. John is also a commercial pilot and flight instructor, and has ferried aircraft across the U.S. in both directions east-west, as well as north-south.

Education

  • 1981, Ph.D., Geology, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey
  • 1975, M.Sc., Geology, University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina
  • 1972, B.A, Double major in Geology/Anthropology, Oberlin College, Oberlin, Ohio

Experience

  • 2008-present, Partner, FractureStudies LLC, Edgewood, NM
  • 2007-present, Geological Consultant, and flight instructor: Geoflight LLC, Edgewood, NM
  • 1981-2007, Distinguished Member of Technical Staff, Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, New Mexico
  • 1975-1977, Geologist, US Geological Survey, Metairie, Louisiana, and Roswell, New Mexico
  • 1972, Volunteer, Peace Corps Morocco, Casablanca, Morocco

Memberships

  • American Association of Petroleum Geologists
  • Albuquerque Geological Society
  • Rocky Mountain Association of Geologists

Publications
Numerous publications, including the books "Applied Concepts in Fractured Reservoirs", "The Atlas of Natural and Induced Fractures in Core", and "Triassic-Jurassic Rift Basin Sedimentology", on sedimentology and natural fractures, and reservoir characterization, as well as articles on general aviation (see accompanying publications list).

Associations

  • FracGeo LLC, The Woodlands, TX
  • SCA (Subsurface Consultants and Associates) of Houston, TX
  • Associated with the Enhanced Oil Recovery Institute, University of Wyoming, Laramie and Casper, WY
  • Nautilus World, RPS Group, Houston, TX
  • Adjunct professor at the New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology, Socorro, NM

Other Interests

  • American Association of Petroleum Geologists President, 2009-2010
  • American Association of Petroleum Geologists Elected Editor 2001-2004
  • Sedimentology (See publications list)
  • Flight instruction (Private, Instrument, Commercial, Tailwheel, Mountain checkouts, High Performance, Complex, and Multi-engine (see articles authored in the Southwest Aviator, www.swaviator.com)

Contact

John C. Lorenz
john@fracturestudies.com

FractureStudies LLC
99 Rainbow Road, Suite 4-5
Edgewood, NM 87015

 

Scott P. Cooper - Certified Petroleum Geologist

downloadable pdf format

Scott first started working on naturally-fractured reservoir issues in 1993. In 2008, he partnered with Dr. John Lorenz forming FractureStudies LLC, a consulting company focusing on naturally fractured reservoir-characterization issues in sandstones, carbonates and shales around the world from Alaska throughout the continental USA to Brazil, North Africa and Iraq. Data from these projects provided Scott and John the opportunity to co-author the "Atlas of Natural and Induced Fractures in Core" and "Applied Concepts in Fractured Reservoirs" which are designed to help geologists log, characterize and recognize the relative importance of each fracture type on reservoir production.

Earlier in his career as a Senior Member of the Technical Staff at Sandia National Laboratories (a U.S. Department of Energy facility) Scott worked on numerous government and industry-supported energy-related research projects. Scott received a B.S. in geology from the South Dakota School of Mines and a M.S. in geology from the New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology. His thesis work involved characterization and modeling of natural fractures in strata at Teapot Dome, a basement-cored anticline in central Wyoming. The database developed from that work continues to be used as a teaching tool in various industry fracture-modeling programs. Detailed descriptions and links to Scott and John's numerous projects, published papers, open-file reports, short courses, core workshops, fieldtrips, webinars and the new Atlas are available on our website (www.fracturestudies.com).

Education

  • 2000, M.S., Geology, New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology, Socorro, NM, Advisor: Dr. Laurel Goodwin, Thesis: Deformation within a Basement-Cored Anticline: Teapot Dome, Wyoming
  • 1997, B.S., Geology with highest honors, South Dakota School of Mines and Technology, Rapid City, SD, Advisor: Dr. Alvis Lisenbee, Senior Thesis: Gas/Fluid Evolution and the Formation of Rhyolite Dike associated Breccia Margins at the Homestake Gold Mine, Lead, South Dakota

Experience

  • 2008-present, Partner: FractureStudies LLC, Edgewood, NM
  • 2008-present, Consultant: Cooper Geological Consulting LLC, Tijeras, NM
  • 1999-2008, Senior Member of Technical Staff: Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, New Mexico
  • 1997-2000, Research Assistant: Fractured Reservoirs, New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology, Dr. Teufel
  • 1995, Teaching Assistant: Mining Surveying, South Dakota School of Mines and Technology, Dr. Ashworth
  • 1993, Research Assistant: Hydrologic fluid flow modeling of fractured carbonates, Dr. Islam and Dr. Cheema
  • 1979-1992, Manager, assistant manager, ranch hand and trout wrangler: Trout Haven, Trout Haven Ranch and Crystal Cave Park Inc., Black Hills, SD

Memberships

  • American Association of Petroleum Geologists
  • Society of Petroleum Engineers
  • Rocky Mountain Association of Geologists
  • Albuquerque Geological Society
  • Roswell Geological Society
  • Wyoming Geological Association

Publications
Numerous publications, including the books "Applied Concepts in Fractured Reservoirs and "The Atlas of Natural and Induced Fractures in Core", on natural fractures and reservoir characterization, (see accompanying publications list).

Associations

  • FracGeo LLC, The Woodlands, TX
  • Nautilus World, RPS Group, Houston, TX
  • Subsurface Consultants & Associates LLC, Houston, TX
  • Enhanced Oil Recovery Institute, University of Wyoming, Laramie and Casper, WY
  • Petroleum field camp instructor, South Dakota School of Mines and Technology

Other Interests

  • American Association of Petroleum Geologists Delegate, 2017-2020
  • Boy Scouts of America
  • Subsurface Consultants & Associates LLC, Houston, TX
  • Trout wrangling

Contact

Scott P. Cooper
scott@fracturestudies.com

FractureStudies LLC
99 Rainbow Road, Suite 4-5
Edgewood, NM 87015

 

photo
Fractures related to folding and variations therein by lithology are a specialty.

phto
Large-scale fracture initiated in the subsurface but opening recently due to gravity and slumping into canyon visible at top of photograph.

phtoFractures provide preferential flow pathways and cause leakage around dams.

photoJohn Lorenz putting natural fractures into a local and regional framework under the blazing sun and wondering if it is lunchtime yet.

photo Which of these fractures (if any) are important for your reservoir?