Estibalitz Ukar

Estibalitz Ukar is a Research Associate Professor at the Bureau of Economic Geology, Jackson School of Geosciences, The University of Texas at Austin. His work focuses on the interplay between structural geology and diagenesis, particularly in fractured carbonate reservoirs and subduction zone processes. He leads the Structural Diagenesis Initiative’s natural fracture research and directs a high-resolution SEM-CL facility for advanced imaging of fracture cements.

Research interests include brittle structural petrology, fracture evolution modeling, and paleostress analysis using twinned fracture cements. His expertise spans carbonate rock characterization, subduction zone metamorphism, and carbonation of ultramafic rocks. Notable projects include studies in the Tarim Basin (China), Santos Basin (Brazil), and Samail ophiolite (Oman).

Key awards include the GDL Foundation Fellowship (2012), R.L. Folk Petrography Award (2009), and Geological Society of America Grant (2006). He has secured grants from international organizations like the Basque Government and GDL Foundation. Current research explores fluid-rock interactions in reservoirs and reaction-driven fracturing mechanisms.

His lab facilities enable nanoscale analysis of fracture microstructures, advancing understanding of diagenetic controls on subsurface permeability. Collaborations bridge field observations, laboratory experiments, and numerical modeling to address energy and environmental challenges in geoscience.