Katie Smye

Dr. Katie Smye is a Research Professor at the Bureau of Economic Geology, University of Texas at Austin, where she has worked since 2013. Her research focuses on subsurface geologic characterization for unconventional tight oil and shale gas formations, with emphasis on induced seismicity and saltwater disposal risks in the Permian Basin, Delaware Basin, and other major U.S. hydrocarbon provinces. She holds a Ph.D. in Earth Sciences from the University of Cambridge as a Gates Cambridge Scholar and dual B.S. degrees in Geology and Chemistry from the University of Oklahoma.

• Education:
  • PhD, Earth Sciences, University of Cambridge (2012)
  • BS, Geology, University of Oklahoma (2008)
  • BS, Chemistry, University of Oklahoma (2008)

Katie's work bridges geology, engineering, and economics to assess reservoir productivity and geomechanical risks. Her methods include stratigraphic interpretation, lithofacies analysis, and stress-pore pressure modeling, with applications to induced seismicity, wellbore stability, and resource economics. She leads projects for the Energy Information Administration and collaborates with multidisciplinary teams to evaluate basin-scale geological frameworks.

Her recent publications address vertical stress variations, fault stability, and multidisciplinary approaches to well performance in unconventional plays. Key projects include the Tight Oil Resource Assessment (TORA) and Center for Integrated Seismicity Research (CISR), focusing on Permian Basin geomechanics and wastewater disposal impacts.

• Scientific Awards:
  • Gates Cambridge Scholar (2008-2012)
  • Oklahoma School of Geology and Geophysics Outstanding Senior (2008)
  • Goldwater Scholar (2007-2008)
  • Morris K. Udall Scholar (2007-2008)
  • National Merit Scholar (2004-2008)

Katie's research requires integration of public and proprietary subsurface datasets to model pore pressure evolution, fault rupture scenarios, and surface deformation linked to fluid injection. She seeks partners with localized data and expertise in petrophysics, structural geology, and quantitative modeling to enhance basin-scale analyses.