User:Travellingmax/Randi Martinsen

Randi Martinsen is an American geologist working as a senior lecturer in the Department of Geology and Geophysics at the University of Wyoming. In the past she has worked as a consulting petroleum geologist for Cities Service Company in Denver, Colorado. She has extensively worked on the Western Interior Cretaceous basin with particular interest in stratigraphic trap exploration, paleotectonic influences on depositional systems, and clastic reservoir characterization. Martinsen is also involved with the American Association of Petroleum Geologists Foundation, an organization that provides educational programs, scientific research, and engineering services in communities around the world. Randi Martinsen has been President of the AAPG since 2014. In a two part manuscript she enters the significance of remnants of sedimentary deposits originating from an existing depositional system for constructing accurate stratigraphic frameworks, facies models, and paleogeographic maps. She notes that these depositional remnants have a vastly different geometry from that of the strata underneath and their identification is crucial. If a stratigraphic unit is not recognized as a remnant and is assumed to be the product of its depositional environment, its origin may be misinterpreted and it may possibly be completely unrelated to adjacent facies. In her specific field of petroleum geology if depositional systems are not correctly identified, then accurate exploration and production strategies for reservoirs cannot be developed and petroleum may not be efficiently extracted. Through the use of stratigraphy, sedimentology, geophysics, geochemistry and many other geologic sub-disciplines are used to exploit petroleum deposits. Martinsen's research interests specifically involve the exploration and production of hydrocarbons from stratigraphically trapped accumulations, as well as exploring different types and characteristics of reservoir quality rocks found in the systems of the Cretaceous Western Interior Seaway.

Recent Projects

 * Synsedimentary tectonic influences on basin physiography and depositional regime
 * Sequence stratigraphic analysis and reservoir characterization of the tight gas sands in the Mesaverde Group, Greater River Basin, Wyoming
 * Influence of syn-sedimentary faulting on the distribution and reservoir quality of sandstones

Career History

In 1971, Randi Martinsen received her BS in Earth and Space Science at the State University in Stony Brook, New York. In 1975, Randi Martinsen completed her MS in geology at the Northern Arizona University From 1974-79, Randi Martinsen worked as a geologist for the Cities Service Company in Denver, Colorado. Later on from 1980-2011, she worked as a consulting geologist in Laramie, Wyoming. In her later years from 1981-95, Randi Martinsen was a lecturer at the University of Wyoming, specifically working in the Dept. of Geology and Geophysics. From 1995-2014, she still worked at the University of Wyoming in the Dept. of Geology and Geophysics, but was a senior lecturer. In 2011, Randi Martinsen worked as a principal at Hydrocarbon InSight, LLC. In 2015, she went back to the University of Wyoming to work as a lecturer emeritus, again the the Dept. of Geology and Geophysics. From 2014-15, Randi Martinsen also served as the president of the American Association of Petroleum Geologists.

'''Fighting Sexism '''

Although Randi Martinsen became a very respected person in the geologic community, she faced some obstacles in terms of gender inequality. For example, after she became the first woman to be an expert in the Wyoming and Gas Commission in the 1970s, she tried to enter the Casper Petroleum Club but she was stopped because of the sole reason of being a woman. However, she graduated with her degree in geology at the University of North Arizona in 1975 as the only woman in her class so she must have been accustomed to being the sole woman in her profession. In 1979, she submitted an abstract to the Rocky Mountain Section American Association of Petroleum Geologists about the Hartzog Draw which was a top notch oil field during the time. Unfortunately, her proposal was rejected because the program chair thought it was too important for a female to present. However, Martinsen fought back by forcing the program chair to reverse his decision and offer her to present. Ultimately, Randi Martinsen did experience some gender inequality in her profession, but it didn't stop her from becoming the prestigious woman that she is although she did suggest that the field of petroleum geology has some work to do if it wanted to become a comfortable profession for all genders.

AAPG Honors and Awards

During her time working with the AAPG Randi Martinsen received several honors and awards. This includes: the A.I Levorsen Memorial Award (1979), two Certificates of Merit (2001 and 2006), and the Distinguished Service Award (2009).

Personal Life
Randi Martinsen was born and raised in New York City. Spending most of her summers as a child in the Ramapo Mountains of New Jersey, Martinsen grew a fascination for the natural world. After she received her BS in Earth and Space science, she obtained her MS in geology at the University of Northern Arizona. Five years into working at the Cities Service Company in Denver, Colorado, she married Jim Steidtmann who was a geology professor at the University of Wyoming. The couple went on to have three kids, one of which also decided to become a geologist.

Publications
Throughout her career Randi Martinsen has published over 25 peer reviewed article and presentations. All of which focus on hydrocarbon accumulation controls: depositional system analysis, sequence stratigraphy, tectonics and sedimentation, anomalous pressures, and tight gas sandstones. Some of her other publications include her course notes and field trip guides.

Martinsen, R.S., 2003, Depositional remnants, part 1:Common components of the stratigraphic record with important implications for hydrocarbon exploration and production: AAPG Bulletin, v. 87, p. 1869-1882

Martinsen, R.S., 2003, Depositional remnants, part 2: Examples from the Western Interior Cretaceous basin of North America: AAPG Bulletin, v. 87, p. 1883-1909

Randi S. Martinsen1 (2001). "ABSTRACT: Wave Dominated versus Current Dominated Shorelines in the Cretaceous Western Interior Seaway". AAPG Bulletin. 85.

OLSON, MARK, RANDI MARTINSEN, DIANE (1999). "Abstract: Improving Reservoir Characterization Techniques with Behind Outcrop Coring and Logging Studies: Preliminary Results of the Rock Springs Drilling Project, Southwestern Wyoming ". AAPG Bulletin. 83.

MARTINSEN, RANDI S., University of (1998). "Abstract: Depositional Remnants: Products of the Interplay Between Synsedimentary Tectonics and Changes in Relative Sea Level". AAPG Bulletin. 82.

Martinsen, R.S., 1997, Stratigraphic controls on the distribution of pressure compartments, in R.C. Surdam (ed.), Seals, Traps and the Petroleum System: AAPG Memoir, p. 223-241.

Randi Martinsen, William Iverson, R (1996). "Facies, Faults and Potential Sweet Spots in a Tight Gas Reservoir: Almond Formation, Wyoming: ABSTRACT". AAPG Bulletin. 80

Martinsen, Randi S.; Jiao, Zun S.; Iverson, William P.; Surdam, Ron C. (1994). "Paleosol and Subunconformity Traps: Examples from the Muddy Sandstone, Powder River Basin, Wyoming"

Ole J. Martinsen (2), Randi S. Mart (1993). "Mesaverde Group (Upper Cretaceous), Southeastern Wyoming: Allostratigraphy Versus Sequence Stratigraphy in a Tectonically Active Area". AAPG Bulletin. 77.

Randi S. Martinsen (1990). "Cretaceous Stratigraphy, Laramie Basin, Southeastern Wyoming: ABSTRACT". AAPG Bulletin. 74.

TILLMAN, R. W.; MARTINSEN, R. S. (1987), "SEDIMENTOLOGIC MODEL AND PRODUCTION CHARACTERISTICS OF HARTZOG DRAW FIELD, WYOMING, A SHANNON SHELF-RIDGE SANDSTONE", Reservoir Sedimentology, SEPM (Society for Sedimentary Geology), pp. 15–112

MARTINSEN, R. S.; TILLMAN, R. W. (1985), "HARTZOG DRAW, A NEW GIANT OIL FIELD", Shelf Sands and Sandstone Reservoirs, SEPM (Society for Sedimentary Geology), pp. 349–350

Roderick W. Tillman, Randi S. Marti (1983). "Possible Tectonic Influence on and Facies Distribution of Shannon Ridge Sandstones, Wyoming: ABSTRACT". AAPG Bulletin. 67