Biography

Preston Jordan is a geologist in the Energy Geosciences Division at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. He received his B.A. in Geology in 1988 and M.S.Eng.Sci. in Geotechnical Engineering in 1997, both from the University of California, Berkeley. He is a California Professional Geologist, Certified Hydrogeologist and Certified Engineering Geologist. In his first fifteen years at LBNL he performed paleoseismic research, characterized the geology and hydrogeology of the lab for environmental remediation, and conducted contaminant remediation pilot tests. Over the last fifteen years his research focus has been deep subsurface fluid engineering, including geologic carbon sequestration, well stimulation, underground gas storage, and just lately underground hydrogen storage. He has published on well and fault leakage risk, and co-authored risk reviews of geologic carbon sequestration, well stimulation, and underground natural gas storage, the last two for the State of California. His risk review of one of the world’s first commercial-scale geologic carbon storage projects led to a reduction of its injection pressure. The California Air Resources Board adopted his methodology for estimating the methane mass blown out of well SS-25 in the Aliso Canyon natural gas storage field. The Board adopted most of the recommendations he co-authored for its geologic carbon sequestration protocol. As the geologic carbon sequestration industry ramps up, he is performing project siting and reservoir/hydrologic engineering and reviewing the geologic, dynamic simulation, and risk assessment and management components permit applications to the Federal and State level.