Robert Marc Bustin

Robert Marc Bustin is a Professor in the Department of Earth, Ocean & Atmospheric Sciences at the University of British Columbia, within the Faculty of Science. His research focuses on reservoir characterization of unconventional petroleum resources, including gas and oil shales, coalbed methane systems, and organic maturation processes in sedimentary basins. He specializes in evaluating factors influencing reservoir quality, such as diagenesis, lithology, and mechanical properties of tight rocks.

Dr. Bustin holds a Ph.D. from UBC and has extensive expertise in unconventional resource evaluation. His work integrates geochemical, geomechanical, and sedimentological analyses to assess reservoir potential, with a particular emphasis on the Western Canadian Sedimentary Basin. Notable research topics include hydraulic fracturing effects, CO₂ sequestration in shale reservoirs, and the interplay between mineralogy and hydrocarbon retention.

Supervision & Research Contributions:

• Supervised doctoral and master's theses on topics like Doig Formation petroleum systems, Duvernay Formation reservoir characterization, and Montney Formation flowback water geochemistry.
• Investigated hydraulic fracture mechanics, coal composition impacts on porosity, and CO₂ storage potential in unconventional reservoirs.

Education & Professional Standing:

• Ph.D. in Geological Sciences, University of British Columbia.
• Member of the UBC Graduate Program (G+PS) and affiliated with the Department of Earth, Ocean & Atmospheric Sciences.