John Snedden

John Snedden is a senior research scientist at the University of Texas Institute for Geophysics (UTIG), part of The University of Texas at Austin’s Jackson School of Geosciences. He serves as director of the Gulf Basin Depositional Synthesis (GBDS) program, an industry-funded research initiative focused on Gulf of Mexico geology. His work emphasizes sedimentary basin analysis, carbon sequestration potential, and the impacts of tectonics and climate on geological systems.

Before joining UTIG, Snedden held leadership roles at ExxonMobil, including groundbreaking reservoir connectivity research that identified new oil reserves. His current projects include expanding GBDS collaborations with the Gulf Coast Carbon Center to explore carbon storage in Gulf subsurface reservoirs. Snedden’s research has been pivotal in recognizing the Gulf of Mexico as a global energy super basin, as detailed in his 2019 co-authored book The Gulf of Mexico Sedimentary Basin.

He was awarded the Don R. Boyd Medal—the highest honor from the Gulf Coast Association of Geological Societies—in 2023, recognizing his contributions to Gulf Coast geology. His work spans topics like Chicxulub impact aftermath, Louann Salt formation, and Miocene deltaic carbon storage potential.