Chris Clarkson

Christopher R. Clarkson is the Tamaratt Research Professor in Transitional Energy, ARC/Ovintiv Research Chair in Subsurface Transitional Energy Pathways (STEPs), and Associate Head Research and Innovation in the Department of Earth, Energy and Environment at the University of Calgary. He is also an adjunct professor with the Department of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering at the University of Calgary.
His work focus in the industry was on exploration for, and development of, unconventional gas (UG) and light oil (ULO) reservoirs. His research focus, since coming to the University of Calgary in 2009, has been on advanced reservoir characterization methods for UG-ULO, such as rate- and pressure-transient analysis, flowback analysis, DFIT analysis, and reservoir sample analysis. He is also interested in the application of these advanced reservoir characterization methods to the evaluation of subsurface transitional energy pathways using the subsurface, such as geological carbon storage, hydrogen storage, and geothermal energy. Clarkson currently leads an industry- and government-sponsored research group called “Tight Oil Consortium," focused on unconventional light oil reservoirs, and has recently initiated an industry-sponsored research group called “Transitional Energy Consortium”, focused on subsurface transitional energy pathways.
Clarkson has authored or co-authored over 150 peer-reviewed journal articles, over 150 full-length conference papers (primarily associated with SPE conferences), 3 book chapters (2 for SPE monographs), and a book, the latter comprised of 2 volumes (>1,100 pages) on the topic of “Unconventional Reservoir Rate-Transient Analysis” (Elsevier, 2021). He has presented his work all over the world at conferences, workshops and forums.
Clarkson has been an active SPE member since 2000. He was an SPE Distinguished Lecturer for the 2009/2010 lecturer season and was an Associate Editor for the Journal of Canadian Petroleum Technology (2012-2015) and SPE Journal (2015-2020). He has served on numerous conference technical and organization committees for SPE in the past 20+ years and received the SPE “A Peer Apart” award (2020) for completing more than 100 reviews for SPE’s peer-reviewed journals. Clarkson is the recipient of the Rossiter W. Raymond Award (AIME) and Alfred Noble Prize (ASCE) (2005), 2016 SPE Regional Reservoir Description and Dynamics Award (Canadian Region), the 2018 SPE Calgary Section Technical Excellence and Achievement Award, 2021 SPE Regional Formation Evaluation Award (Canadian Region), the 2022 SPE International Reservoir Description and Dynamics Award, and the 2024 SPE John Franklin Carll Award for Distinguished Professionals. He also received the 2017 Alberta Science and Technology (ASTech) award for “Outstanding Achievement in Applied Technology and Innovation”.
Clarkson is a certified professional engineer (APEGA, 2003) with 11 years of industry experience as a petroleum (reservoir) engineer. He received BASc (1992), MASc (1994) and PhD (1998) degrees in Geological Engineering from the University of British Columbia.