Elena Konstantinovskaya, PhD, PGeo

Science Instructor, Faculty of Science - Earth & Atmospheric Sciences Admin

Curriculum Vitæ

Contact Overview Announcements Courses Publications Links

Contact

Science Instructor, Faculty of Science - Earth & Atmospheric Sciences Admin

Email: konstant@ualberta.ca

Overview

Area of Study / Keywords

fault reactivation seismic interpretation reservoir geomechanics

About

I investigate the fault architecture and influence of natural and hydraulic fractures and faults on the distribution and state of stresses, pressure regimes, and permeability of flow units in subsurface reservoirs. My research focuses on predictive models of faults hydraulic behavior and fault shear reactivation potential and topseal breaching under the in situ stress and pore pressure changes caused by depletion or injection operations. My work integrates structural studies of outcrops, interpretation of seismic reflection data, analysis of vertical anisotropy and brittleness in shales, and coupled reservoir geomechanical numerical simulations with implications for petroleum exploration, geothermal energy, and environmental studies.

Degrees:

2002 Doctor of Science, Geological Institute, Russian Academy of Science: Margins of East Asia: Tectonics, Structural Evolution and Geodynamic Modeling
1992 PhD, Geological Institute, Russian Academy of Science: Eastern Kamchatka during the Cretaceous time
1986 Honor’s in Geology (cum laude), the Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow

Awards:

2016Eureka activist, award from Eureka Schlumberger community, SIG geology.
2012 David Elliott Award for Best Paper of the Structural Geology and Tectonics Division of the Geological Association of Canada: Konstantinovskaya E., and Malavieille J., 2011. Thrust wedges with décollement levels and syntectonic erosion: A view from analogue models. Tectonophysics, 502: 336–350
2008David Elliott Award for Best Paper of the Structural Geology and Tectonics Division of the Geological Association of Canada: Konstantinovskaya E. A., L.B. Harris, J. Poulin, G.M. Ivanov. 2007. Transfer zones and fault reactivation in inverted rift basins: Insights from physical modeling. Tectonophysics. 441: 1-26.
2008Best Abstract of the 2008 CSPG CSEG CWLS Convention, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
2007CGC-Québec Prime au mérite locale en reconnaissance de participation à l’activité du jour de la Terre du CGQ dans le cadre de la journée internationale du jour de la Terre 2007.
2004-2005Laureate of the competition for Doctors of Sciences, Russian Academy of Sciences
1999Medal of Russian Academy of Sciences, Laureate of the competition for young scientists, Russian Academy of Sciences

Personal interests:

outdoor sports, gardening, movie making

Research

Skills / Research interests:

1D-3D coupled reservoir geomechanics modeling, in-situ pore pressure and stress analysis in conventional and unconventional reservoirs, areas of salt tectonics
core description and sampling, mechanical properties of rocks, mechanical stratigraphy
structural geology and tectonics of sedimentary basins and orogenic belts
structural interpretation of 2D and 3D reflection seismic survey data, well log correlation
analysis of natural fractures, fault instability and fault seal capacity, caprock integrity
analogue modeling at upper crustal and lithospheric scale
paleogeographic and paleotectonic reconstructions, terrane analysis

Fieldwork areas:

Canada: St. Lawrence Platform, Quebec Appalachians, Gaspesie, Labrador trough
Russia: Kamchatka Peninsula, Sea of Okhotsk area, Western Siberia, Russian Platform
Asia: Taiwan, Tibet, Tien-Shan
Europe: Ligurian Sea, Corsica

Software:

Petrel RG, VISAGE, IX, TECHLOG, Python, IHS Kingdom Suite, FLAC3D-TOUGH2
GOCAD, ArcGIS, Geodatabase, MapInfo, Stereostat, GMT (Linux)
Microsoft Office, graphic and digital video software

Teaching

Teaching areas:

EAS 422/522 Advanced seismic interpretation, Fundamentals of Petroleum Geomechanics

IPG 512 Seismic interpretation (Fall 2017, 2023)

EAS 421/521 Advanced Structural Geology and Tectonics (Winter 2024)

Supervising: IPG Program capstone projects

Announcements

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

My research and teaching development efforts are currently supported by grants from:

NSERC (Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council, Canada)

I acknowledge the generous donations of academic licenses by:

Schlumberger, for Petrel-Techlog-Visage-Eclipse-Intersect-Kinetix software used for the interpretation of seismic reflection data, well-log analysis and coupled reservoir-geomechanical modeling: https://www.software.slb.com/products/petrel, https://www.software.slb.com/products/techlog, https://www.software.slb.com/products/visage, https://www.software.slb.com/products/eclipse, https://www.software.slb.com/products/intersect, https://www.software.slb.com/products/kinetix
Petroleum Experts Ltd, for Move software used for 3D structural modelling: http://www.petex.com/products/move-suite/ The software has a commercial value of £ 1,872,218.26
geoLOGIC systems Ltd, for the contribution of subsurface data and software GeoSCOUT: https://www.geologic.com/geoscout/
Sound QI Solutions Ltd., for the QI-Pro software used for interactive seismic attribute interpretation: https://www.sound-qi.com/

Courses

EAS 233 - Geologic Structures

Orientation, measurement description, and analysis of planar and linear structures in rocks, including folds, faults, and fabrics. Introduction to mapping and the collection of structural information. Construction of geologic maps and cross-sections. Introduction to stereographic and equal-area projections. Basic concepts of strain and stress in rock deformation. Prerequisite: EAS 105, 210 or SCI 100. [Faculty of Science]

Winter Term 2025

EAS 421 - Structural Geology and Tectonics

Geometric, kinematic, and dynamic analysis of structures produced by deformation. Stress and the origin of faults, joints, veins, folds, and tectonites. Brittle and ductile strain in rocks. Extensional, strike-slip, and compressional structural associations. Regional structure, orogens, and crustal tectonics. Lab exercises include structural interpretation for subsurface hydrocarbon and mineral exploration, stereographic techniques for structural analysis, and the study of rock fabrics. Prerequisites: EAS 233 and any 300-level EAS course. Not available to students with credit in EAS 321. [Faculty of Science]

Winter Term 2024 Winter Term 2025

EAS 422 - Structural Interpretation of Sedimentary Basins

Seismic interpretation of structurally complex sedimentary basins, including those associated with fold and thrust terrains, extensional systems, and various types of strike-slip faulting and salt/mud-related deformation. Interpretation will also include seismic facies analysis, interpretation of depositional environments, and seismic geomorphology related to a wide range of hydrocarbon exploration and development evaluation tasks. Prerequisite: EAS 233; one of GEOPH 210, 223, 224; one of EAS 421, EAS 462.

Winter Term 2024 Winter Term 2025

EAS 521 - Advanced Structural Geology and Tectonics

Geometric, kinematic, and dynamic analysis of structures produced by deformation. Stress and the origin of faults, joints, veins, folds, and tectonites. Brittle and ductile strain in rocks. Extensional, strike-slip, and compressional structural associations. Regional structure, orogens, and crustal tectonics. Lab exercises include structural interpretation for subsurface hydrocarbon and mineral exploration, stereographic techniques for structural analysis, and the study of rock fabrics. Classes concurrent with EAS 421. Not available to students with credit in EAS 321 or 421. [Faculty of Science]

Winter Term 2024 Winter Term 2025