Tingwei Ko

Tingwei (Lucy) Ko is a Research Assistant Professor at the Bureau of Economic Geology within the Jackson School of Geosciences at The University of Texas at Austin. Her work focuses on sedimentary geochemistry, mudrock characterization, and reservoir geology with applications to unconventional energy resources and subsurface engineering.

Her research expertise includes source rock characterization, petrographic analysis of mudrocks using SEM, and diagenetic studies of shale and carbonate systems. Key areas of investigation involve the interplay between depositional environments, mineralogical evolution, and hydrocarbon migration pathways. She has conducted extensive field and lab studies in the Eagle Ford, Austin Chalk, and Delaware Basin regions, addressing reservoir heterogeneity and unconventional resource potential.

Recent projects include geological suitability assessments for hydrogen storage in salt formations and geospatial analysis for data center placement. Her work integrates machine learning techniques for borehole analysis and combines experimental methods (e.g., pyrolysis, imbibition) with traditional geologic approaches.

Dr. Ko’s publications emphasize diagenetic processes in mudrocks, pore network evolution, and the application of multi-scale imaging in reservoir characterization. She collaborates with industry and academic partners to advance understanding of shale gas systems, carbon sequestration, and energy transition strategies in the Permian Basin and broader Gulf Coast region.