Maximilian Witek

Maximilian is a Junior BS Geology student at Texas A&M University. He has worked in collaboration with the Institute of Oil and Gas- National Research Institute in Poland on many projects including preparing samples, running, and analyzing XRF, XRD, X-Ray Computed Tomography, GC/MS, Mercury Porosimetry/ Gas Sorption, and NMR as well as XMRI image analysis. He also worked to create a regional stratigraphy map covering close to 100,000 mi2 using Petrel, as well as made use of Matlab and Techlog to create pore overpressure prediction algorithms used to determine the correct density of drilling muds at a given site; this can help minimize or even prevent the drilling mud from entering the water table and contaminating it. He recently spent several weeks in the field evaluating an experimental method of locating subsurface faulting that common geophysical techniques are unable to detect relying mainly on the concentrations of subterranean near surface Radon gas.

Over the course of the project I hope not only to master the techniques used in EM research, but also the vast field experience that I will be a part of. I think that this will be a prime opportunity to be able to help with a project, starting from the early phases, and see it to its conclusion. There is also the practical matters of ensuring the instruments are available and functioning, devising a route, planning the “human” aspect of any expedition, and many others. I also look forward to the data analysis associated with such an undertaking. This is an opportunity to take a question, run analyses and obtain data from a geologically fascinating region of the USA, and draw conclusions from the results, all at a level that meets the standards of the global scientific community. And I want to play as much of a role as I can to help make the project a rousing success.

November 2016