Folarin Kolawole, Ph.D.

Structural Geologist, BP America  |  Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory

Hi! I am a structural geologist, currently working as an Upstream Structural Geologist in BP America, Houston, USA, and as an Adjunct Associate Research Scientist at the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, Columbia University, New York, USA. My research involves the integration of structural geology, near-surface geophysics, and geomechanics to understand 1) how the earth’s lithosphere breaks up to form new sedimentary basins and deform existing basins, and 2) how industrial subsurface activities 'wake-up' ancient faults in the crust (i.e. induced earthquakes in areas of wastewater injection, CO2 injection etc.), and 3) the dynamics of natural earthquakes in areas far away from active tectonic boundaries (i.e. intraplate earthquakes). In other words, I use field observations of fault deformation zones and fracture systems, structural analyses of mappable features in seismic reflection and aeromagnetic datasets, laboratory geomechanics testing of rock samples (obtained from the field and in drill cores), and finite element numerical modelling of deformational processes.
 
My ongoing research projects are focused on 1.) strain accommodation during the early-stages of continental rifting [Natural Laboratory: East African Rift Zones and Rio Grande Rift], 2.) basement structure and reactivation mechanics of basement-rooted faults in areas of induced seismicity [Natural Laboratory: Central-Eastern U.S.], and 3) structural geology and geomechanics of hydrothermally-altered sedimentary reservoirs.

I am very passionate about promoting racial and gender diversity in the Geosciences... because it is the right thing to do. Also, I do enjoy rock climbing.