Roland N. Horne

Roland N. Horne is the Thomas Davies Barrow Professor of Earth Sciences at Stanford University and Senior Fellow at the Precourt Institute for Energy. He holds positions in the Department of Energy Science & Engineering and is an Affiliate at the Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment. With degrees from the University of Auckland (BE, PhD, DSc), Horne has established himself as a leading expert in geothermal reservoir engineering and energy production optimization.

His research focuses on inverse problems in reservoir modeling, including tracer analysis of fractures, computer-aided well test analysis, production schedule optimization, and automated history matching. Horne has made significant contributions to understanding geothermal reservoir engineering and multiphase flow of boiling fluids through porous materials and fractures.

The analysis of his recent publications (2023-2025) reveals a strong emphasis on enhanced geothermal systems (EGS), with particular focus on flexible operations, economic modeling, and advanced characterization techniques. His work increasingly incorporates machine learning approaches for reservoir analysis and has expanded into microbial tracing methods for interwell connectivity assessment. There's also significant attention to US geothermal resource potential and integration into the broader energy transition.

• Honorary Member of the Society of Petroleum Engineers
• Member of the US National Academy of Engineering
• Multiple SPE Distinguished Lecturer appointments (1998, 2009, 2020)
• John Franklin Carl Award recipient
• Five Best Paper awards from Geothermal Resources Council
• Patricius Medal from German Geothermal Society
• Core Values Award from Women in Geothermal (2023)

Horne has supervised 60 PhD and 135 MS students throughout his career. His current teaching includes undergraduate and graduate courses in Fundamentals of Energy Processes, Geothermal Reservoir Engineering, Mass and Energy Transport in Porous Media, and Well Test Analysis. He previously served as President of the International Geothermal Association (2010-2013) and Technical Program Chair for multiple World Geothermal Congress events.

Horne maintains active research collaborations worldwide, including with the University of Tokyo (where he was a Fellow of the School of Engineering in 2016) and China University of Petroleum. His current research group focuses on advancing EGS technologies and developing more accurate reservoir characterization methods for geothermal applications.