Dr Joyce Neilson

Biography

Following completion of a B.Sc. at the University of Aberdeen in 1984, I studied for a Ph.D. at Imperial College, London, completing in 1987.  After this I worked for BP Research for 5 years which took me across the globe before becoming an independent consultant.  During this time, I also began teaching at the University of Aberdeen, a role which increased rapidly.  I eventually joined the staff in 2005 in a part-time role (0.4/0.6 FTE) before retiring in 2024 and being awarded an Emeritus position.

During the course of my career in Geology, I have seen a huge increase in the role of women in both industry and academia.  Early summer placements with Shell saw me spending time offshore as the only woman on the rigs I visited. Work roles in the Middle East with BP again saw me operating as the only woman in many male teams.  Later I served on the Geological Society of London's Petroleum Group which included appointments as Treasurer and Secretary, the first woman to have office bearing roles in that group.  All of this has helped open pathways for women in Geoscience.  I currently sit on the Geological Society of Londons Awards Committee.

My interests in Geology focus on carbonate systems - depositional and diagenetic.  Over the years, I have applied this to the exploration for and production of hydrocarbon reservoir systems.  An understanding of these reservoirs are key for subsurface sequestration and storage of carbon dioxide and hydrogen.  Carbonates however also tell us a lot about ancient depositional environments and ocean chemistry and in recent years, my personal research has focused more on these issues.  My publication list can be found on this webpage and Research Gate.

External Memberships

Geological Society of London - Member of the Awards Committee

Research Overview

Much of my research has focused on the effect that burial fluids and petroleum filling has on carbonate diagenetic reactions.  This not only involves carbonate sedimentology and diagenesis but also structural geology (e.g. large scale tectonic movement, faults, fractures and stylolitisation).  The data collected and studied ranges from sedimentology, geochemistry, structural geology, geophysics and petrophysics.  Several Ph.D. students have been involved with this research in areas such as the Middle East and Mediterranean, the results of which have been published and widely disseminated. 

Recent research has also included the investigation of ocean chemistry, using isotopic and elemental analysis, in deep time (late Cambrian) in Newfoundland and Oman through study of the marine carbonates precipitated at the time.  This has given new insights into global ocean chemistry around a major faunal extinction (the SPICE).  Other recent research has looked at how archaeologists can be supported through use of traditional petrographic techniques.

Current research focuses on the carbonates and evaporites of the Southern Permian Basin (UK) and the role of late stage fluids and faulting in the role of Pb/Zn mineralisation in the Moray Firth.

Teaching Responsibilities

Over the years, I had a significant role in teaching at both undergraduate and post-graduate levels.  I taught Carbonate Sedimentology, Diagenesis and Reservoir Quality to M.Sc. students from 1993-2024.  Through the years this included M.Sc. courses such as IPG, OGEM and the more recent Sustainable Energy Geoscience course.

Undergraduate B.Sc. courses included Petroleum Geology (which I co-ordinated from 2006-2022), Carbonate Sedimentolgoy at Level 2 (until 2022) and Level 3 (until 2024).  I continue to offer supervision for undergraduate Geoscience Research Projects.