Diagenetic studies have been my bread and butter since year 2000, when we started the first supporting project for Pemex from Academia (Centro de Geociencias, UNAM). Those projects were focused in the re-definition of the diagenetic trends and associated paleofluids affecting the Cretaceous reservoirs in general, abd specially focused on Cantarell and Ku-Maloob-Zaap K-T breccias in particular, including a Ph.D. Thesis by my friend and former student Ricardo Martínez Ibarra.

This activity continued while working for Repsol (2009-2020), being mostly focused on the now highly-famous pre-salt Brazilian lacustrine carbonate reservoirs, being later applied to the pre-salt reservoirs of Kwanza Basin, in Angola (if interested, please see my page devoted to the Pre-Salt carbonates).

 My broad experience in other geological fields than sedimentary carbonates allowed me to implement techniques and knowledge not usually used, and to apply them to oil exploration fields mostly in volcanic, intrusive or metamorphic rocks.

All these diagenetic studies have always been tailored to client needs, but they follow a well-defined workflow, integrating:

• Detailed Field Work (if needed).

• Core description, documentation and sampling.

• Hand sample, Side Wall Core and/or Cuttings preparation, description, documentation and sampling.

• Detailed petrographic studies, including rock classification (allochems, matrix, cements, ...), paragenetic sequence, precise mineral identification (XRD, SEM-EDS, EPMA, ...).

• Detailed stable isotope analyses (C, O, S, H) after careful microsampling or in-situ analyses.

• Paleo-fluid history through fluid inclusion analyses (brines, gases, hydrocarbons identification) and sequence.

• Thermal history (fluid inclusions, isotope pairs, conodonts, ...).

• Paleo-fluid (oil, brine, gases) PVTx reconstruction (see description of methods and results below, in the fluid inclusion services).

• Fluid & gas origin and processes (noble gases isotopes, halogens).

• Absolute dating (K-Ar, Ar-Ar, Rb-Sr, Sm-Nd, U-Pb) depending on samples available.

• Graphic production, documentation systematics and data reduction, documentation

• Extensive reporting.

For pure analytical services, follow this link.

Native hydrogen was thought to be a chymera or, in the best of cases, a curiosity. The presence of small quantities of abiogenic methane along with hydrogen in ophiolitic complexes (Turkey, Italy, Spain...) explained the almost legendary tales of eternal fires of Yarnatas, near the Olympus Valley, in Antalya (Turkey). Nevetheless, during the last 20 years natural hydrogen seeps have been found to occur in North Atlantic hydrothermal systems (Lost City, North Atlantic) to cratonic sites in Russia, Mali, Brazil and USA. 

Global energy transition can take advantage of natural accumulations of hydrogen. This can help to change the paradigm from hydrogen as an energy vector to hydrogen as an energy source and, thus, the role of geology and geologist can be again key to define the future energy mix.

The presence, origin and distribution of natural hydrogen seeps is still under scientific debate.  A bunch of scientist took over this findings and tried to upscale this possible clean energy source to an economic reality. In Bourakébougou (Mali; Prinzhofer et al., 2019) the accumulation of free hydrogen of great purity allowed this escalation into business, with the installation of the first electric power plant (PETROMA Inc.) driven by natural hydrogen. 

The possibilities of native hydrogen seeps that remained undiscovered are huge, even in highly populated areas as Europe. I am actively looking for interest and some budget to start screening the complex spanish geology to see if such a kind of system can exist in the Iberian Peninsula. 

Since the beginning of my professional career I've been engaged in projects (research, industry) where fluids (brines, liquid and gaseous hydrocarbons, CO2), their behaviour and interaction with rocks were of paramount importance. 

During my PhD I started to workd with high-density CO2-rich fluids generated by organic matter destruction during hydraulic fracturing and HTD cementation as the main mechanism for Hg-Sb ore formation in the Espadán Ranges (Castellón, Spain). This experience with complicated carbonic fluids continued with fluid inclusion studies in the Gavarnie Thrust through EEC projects in Leeds and Barcelona Universities, followed by Cantarell diagenetic paleo-fluid reconstruction and passing to pre-salt paleofluid reconstruction and hydrothermal overprinting (CO2 tracing, pyrobitumen) for Repsol in colaboration with Petrobras, Statoil, ENI and Conoco-Philips.

During my stay in Mexico (UNAM; 1998-2009), I had also had the opportunity to work in geothermal fields (Los Azufres, Tres Virgenes), reconstructing the paleofluid history, sampling and analyzing present day fluids.

To work with paleo/present day fluids require a very careful and detailed sampling of rocks and fluids, preserving them of any possible excess manipulation that can affect the final results. A panoply of analytical techniques are usually applied to unravel the fluid history including noble gas isotopes (He, Ne, Ar, Kr, Xe), C and O stable isotopes for CO2 and hydrocarbons, fluid inclusion microthermometry of brines (NaCl, CaCl2, KCl, ...) and gases (CO2, N2, CH4, SO2), FTIR, micro-Raman, XANES, and others always tailored to client needs.

My professional geological career started with the study of some local vein Pb-Ba mineralizations crosscutting granites near Barcelona (Spain) back in the 80's, shortly after my graduation in geology. I continued to be interested in ore deposits since then, actively working in low-temperature Hg-Sb veins (see my PhD thesis), Mississippi Valley-Type (MVT) deposits, epithermal systems, volcanogenic massive sulphide (VMS) deposits, sedimentary-exhalative deposits (SEDEX) and Iron-Oxide-Copper-Gold (IOCG) deposits.

All this work that I unfolded during my scientific career in Barcelona, Leeds, México City, Querétaro and Nancy, exposed me to the influence of a bunch of magnificent scientists that master several specialities (ore deposits, mineralogy, fluid inclusions, geochemistry, in situ analyses, stable isotopes, ...), giving me access to state-of-the art facilities worldwide, as reflected in my academic production.

All these ore deposit studies have always been focused  to client needs, but in general they include:

• Detailed Field Work, mapping (outcrops, quarries, mines, ...) and sampling.

• Core, chips and hand sample description and documentation.

• High-quality thin sectioning (with or without mirror-finish polishing) from hand samples, core samples, side wall cores or cuttings.

• Detailed petrographic studies (incident and reflected light), including paragenetic sequence, precise mineral identification (XRD, SEM-EDS, EPMA, ...).

• Paleo-fluid history (brines, gases, hydrocarbons identification) and sequence; fluid processes (mixing, boiling, effervescence, ...); P-T reconstruction.

• Detailed stable isotope work, including microsampling or in-situ sampling on thin sections if needed, using different techniques (micro-hand sampling, micro-drilling, in-situ ablation).

• Absolute dating (K-Ar, Ar-Ar, Rb-Sr, Sm-Nd, U-Pb).

• Data reduction.

• Reporting (PPT, written report, photo album, etc).

For pure analytical services, follow this link.