Net-Zero Emissions: Critical Minerals, Hydrogen, Nuclear, Geothermal, Wind, CCUS, and AI

Hilde Braut is Head of new industries in the Norwegian offshore Directorate. She is responsible for the work related to CCS, Seabed minerals. She is a geologist /sedimentologist by background, examinate from the University in Bergen in 2009. Shoe joined the Norwegian offshore directorate in 2018 and has 16 years’ experience form both the industry and the state.

Jürgen is currently University Lecturer Geo-Energy in the master program at the Friedrich-Alexander Universität (FAU) in Erlangen, Germany. He holds a PhD in geology from FAU which he did in collaboration with Scripps Institution of Oceanography in La Jolla, CA and the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam.

In 1991 he joined Shell International and had various assignments in the Middle East and Europe where he was amongst others Chief Geologist of NAM B.V. and Head of Geoscience Services in Europe. In 2011, he initiated the Open Subsurface Data Universe^TM project which is currently the largest global digital technology project in the energy industry.

Since his retirement from Shell in December 2022, his focus is on sustainable subsurface solutions for the energy transition like Natural Hydrogen Exploration, Geothermal Exploration and Development and their synergies with net zero brine and gas mining. In this context he is the founder and CEO of the FAU-backed start-up Tellus Energy Solutions GmbH which is the 1^st natural hydrogen and helium exploration and development company in Germany.

Jürgen has been SPE Distinguished Lecturer, is a member of the scholarship organisation ‘Studienstiftung des Deutschen Volkes’ in Germany as well as of the energy think tank ‘AURIGA’ in the Netherlands. He is Past-President of the German Geological Society (DGGV) which was founded in 1848 by Alexander von Humboldt.

Silvan has 15 years of experience as a structural geologist in Equinor, providing technical services for field development projects. Involved in several regional projects ranging from Triassic to Neogene, and more recently working on Hydrogen storage in salt caverns.

Ms. Marianne Lefdal is currently VP for Geoscience Global Excellence and Country Manager for Viridien in Norway. Marianne has close to 30 years of experience in the geophysical industry, where she has held positions in finance, controlling, and business development, as well as in senior management. In parallel, she has served on the board of Offshore Norway and of companies in the maritime and geophysical sectors.

She holds a Master of Science in Business and Economics from BI Norwegian Business School.

Godwin Mnyika is an exploration geophysicist with 8+ years in mineral exploration using integrated technologies. He has 4-years experience in processing and interpretation of airborne surveys for diverse applications. He will share insights on the utility of Kenya Nationwide Airborne Geophysical Survey dataset in mineral exploration.

Adriana Citlali Ramírez is a Mexican physicist and energy executive with a PhD in physics and executive education from Cambridge Judge Business School. She has held senior leadership roles—including research portfolio lead, senior director, and chief geophysicist—across technology, operations, and multiclient business for integrated energy operators and major service companies. Her work integrates geophysics, multiphysics, and artificial intelligence to inform technology strategy and investment decisions across the energy value chain, spanning hydrocarbons, minerals, and new energies.

Adriana is the Founder and Managing Director of ACR Insights, Vice President of the SEG Board of Directors, and a former Board Chair and Vice Chair of SEAM. She is also a lecturer, public speaker, and executive leadership coach, with a strong commitment to ethical leadership and empowering women in STEM.

Lisa is the Head of Global Lithium at Equinor, with a career spanning nearly 30 years across the energy sector. First managing oil and gas exploration portfolios and major international projects for 10 years at bp. She then moved to Equinor, where she has held many senior leadership roles for the past 15 years. She has headed up safety and sustainability over a large international portfolio and served as the SVP for exploration excellence. She then became the SVP for emerging and future business and industrial venture partnerships in 2021. Now, as head of the global lithium business, she leads an international team delivering more local and sustainable battery-grade lithium into the global market.

Lisa holds a BSc (Hons) in Petroleum Geoscience & Geology as well as an MSc in Petroleum Geoscience, both from Imperial College London.

Bio coming soon.

Farideh Sarikhany has 15 years of experience as a geophysicist at Equinor, working in production, conducting 3D and 4D seismic evaluation and well planning, and involved in regional overburden projects in the North Sea and Norwegian Sea. Currently working on renewables, i.e., Hydrogen storage in salt caverns as well as CCS projects.

Henrik Schiellerup is Director for Resources and Environment at the Geological Survey of Norway. He has a PhD from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology and an MSc from the University of Aarhus in Denmark. Since 2001 he has been working at the Geological Survey of Norway both as a researcher and in various managerial roles. His professional background is in igneous petrology and mineral resources.

Frances is Professor of Applied Mineralogy at Camborne School of Mines and has a BSc in Geochemistry and a PhD from the University of London.  She worked in the Natural History Museum in London before moving to Cornwall in 2007.  She is a former Head of Camborne School of Mines, and currently leads large research projects on critical minerals, circular economy and regional development, such as the UKRI Critical Minerals Challenge Centre as well as teaching students. She serves in various roles including as a member of the UK Department of Business and Trade Expert Committee on Critical Minerals.  She was nominated one of the 100 Global Inspirational Women in Mining 2016, recipient of the William Smith Medal of the Geological Society in 2019 and awarded an OBE in the 2026 New Years Honours list.

Kristian Bär is the Director of New Business and Exploration at Vulcan Energy Resources Deutschland. He has expertise in deep geothermal energy for heat transition and CO2-neutral lithium supply. He received a PhD from the Technische Universität Darmstadt.

Dr Marit Brommer is Executive Director of the International Geothermal Association (IGA) and a leading voice in advancing geothermal energy as a scalable pillar of the global energy transition. She leads global efforts to accelerate geothermal deployment through international collaboration, policy development, and industry alignment, working to move geothermal from the margins of energy discussions to the centre of energy systems.

With a PhD in Applied Geophysics from TU Delft and an MSc in Geology from the University of Amsterdam, she began her career in the oil and gas sector as a wellsite geologist and production technologist before moving into seismic technology deployment.

Since joining the IGA in 2017, Dr Brommer has worked at the intersection of subsurface expertise, policy, and finance, supporting governments, industry leaders, and international organisations in advancing geothermal standards, investment frameworks, and cross-industry partnerships. She is a frequent international speaker on scaling geothermal energy and the evolving role of subsurface professionals in the energy transition. As she often notes, “Geothermal is not just heat beneath our feet; it is an industry waiting to be built.”

Dr Jonathan Cobb is Senior Programme Lead, Climate at World Nuclear Association. He is the lead author of the World Nuclear Performance Report, which evaluates global nuclear construction and operational performance, and the World Nuclear Outlook Report, which reviews government plans for future nuclear capacity.

Dr Cobb has represented the association on television and radio, including appearances on BBC World, CGTN, Channel NewsAsia, France 24, Sky News, and TRT.

With 30 years of experience in the nuclear industry, Jonathan has worked on a wide range of topics, including nuclear research and development, commercial analysis, corporate strategy, sustainable development, and climate change.

Esben Dalgaard is Managing Director and co-founder of SolidGround, with over 10 years of experience in advanced seismic reservoir characterization, integrating geophysics and geology. He specializes in UHRS seismic for wind farm and geohazard site investigations and has developed seismic inversion methods applied across offshore wind, geothermal, and hydrocarbon projects. Esben has extensive experience integrating geophysical and geotechnical data to support quantitative ground modeling across diverse global sites for offshore foundations projects, including wind farms and energy islands

Eknes is global segment director for offshore service vessels and special ships in DNV. The role includes a global responsibility for DNVs strategic directions within the market segment, keeping a close eye on technology trends and developments. Eknes is working to improve technological innovation and systemic need for adaptation to cope with decarbonization, alternative fuels, digital technologies, and new ways of assuring safe performance.

His background after graduating with MSc in Marine structures includes more than 30 years of experience in different technical and management positions. This includes heading the section for offshore support, special vessel, and conversions and being a country manager DNV Maritime in Finland, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. He is presently a board member of the Shipping & Offshore Network, the Maritime Battery Forum and the Norwegian Forum for Marine Minerals. With strong interest in the subject of communicology (common factors in communication and change processes) he is an active sparring partner to several companies working with innovation in the maritime and offshore energy segment. Eknes is an active motivator and frequently used advisor in how the industry can improve its competitiveness and have been involved in several joint industry projects addressing energy efficiency relevant for multiple ship types (offshore-, short sea and coastal-, ferries- etc.).

Bent Kjølhamar is currently the Lead Geoscientist at TGS, working on the New Energy Solutions team. Bent has a long career in the geophysical industry in business development. Current focus areas are site characterization for offshore wind and marine CCS. Before his current role, as a Director of Project Development, he led a team of G&G experts steering investments in multi-client geophysical databases in Europe. TGS is the leading geophysical data provider for Oil & Gas and is now building similar technology developments, services, and databases within the Renewable industry.

Gunhild Myhr current position is Vice President of New Energy Solutions at TGS, where she leads the company’s strategic entry and expansion into Offshore Wind Site Characterization. With more than 30 years of experience in marine geophysics, she has held a wide range of leadership roles spanning offshore operations, seismic processing, business development, and management.

She has played a key role in developing large-scale geophysical solutions for offshore wind, including the commercialization of UHR3D and integrated site-wide characterization workflows. Her work focuses on translating advanced geophysical technology into scalable, efficient services that reduce project risk and accelerate development timelines for offshore wind projects.

Gunhild Myhr holds a Master’s degree in Geophysics and has completed advanced programs in offshore wind, sustainability, digital transformation, and scale-up leadership. She is actively engaged in industry forums and collaborative initiatives supporting the energy transition, with particular emphasis on offshore wind, CCS and emerging marine industries.

Claes Olsen has 30+ years of offshore technology experience, including EVP of Prosafe Production, senior management positions in Hitec/Remora, and project engineer in Aker Engineering. He has extensive experience from product development, project management, sales and business development on a global basis. Firsthand project experience with LNG and CCS concepts and technologies.

Dr. Kari-Lise Rørvik is Country Manager Norway for 44.01, a company developing technology for permanent CO₂ storage through natural mineralisation in rocks. She leads the company’s work in Norway, focusing on partnerships and projects that can scale carbon mineralisation as a durable climate solution.

Rørvik has worked with CO₂ storage since 2009 and has more than 25 years of experience as a geologist from industry, government and research. She previously led the Technology and Innovation department at Gassnova SF, where she was responsible for the Norwegian CCS research and innovation programme CLIMIT and the follow-up of Technology Centre Mongstad.
Her work focuses on the intersection of geology, technology development and policy, with the aim of accelerating scalable solutions for permanent CO₂ storage and carbon removal.

Bio coming soon.

Anton Ziolkowski is Professor of Petroleum Geoscience at the University of Edinburgh, appointed in 1992. He co-founded MTEM Limited, a 2004 spinout exploration company from the University using a patented electromagnetic method to look for subsurface hydrocarbons. He was MTEM’s Technical Director until 2007, when the company was bought by Petroleum Geo-Services (PGS), where he became Chief Scientist, Geoscience and Engineering.  He returned to the University in 2010. He is a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh.  His current research includes the application of the MTEM method to the search for hot groundwater for geothermal energy and monitoring subsurface sequestration of carbon dioxide.

Dr. Ahmad Bahaa Ahmad is a Geophysicist and Project Researcher at The University of Tokyo. He holds a Ph.D. in Earth Resources Engineering from Kyushu University. His research specializes in seismic imaging, basin analysis, and the application of AI and machine learning to geophysical challenges. Dr. Ahmad’s current work heavily integrates innovative seismic acquisition methods, including Portable Active Seismic Sources (PASS) and Distributed Acoustic Sensing (DAS), for CO2 storage monitoring. Recognized for his impactful research, he is a recipient of the prestigious JSPS Fellowship for Young Scientists and has earned multiple accolades, including the SPWLA President Award and a nomination for the UAE’s Blue Visa for exceptional environmental contributions. Additionally, he manages a joint research project with Google X, focusing on developing AI-driven seismic sensing systems.

Behzad Alaei is co-founder of Earth Science Analytics, a technology company developing cloud-based AI applications for the energy industry. Through ESA, he has led the development of scalable, data-driven tools and workflows designed to address complex geological and reservoir challenges. He is an experienced geoscientist and innovator in subsurface data interpretation with more than three decades of combined research and industry experience.

Behzad earned his PhD in Exploration Seismology from the University of Bergen and his career bridges academic innovation and practical energy-sector solutions, positioning him at the forefront of AI-driven geoscience.

Felix J. Herrmann is the Georgia Research Alliance Eminent Scholar Chair in Energy at the Georgia Institute of Technology and is responsible for running the Center for Machine Learning for Seismic Industry Partners Program tasked with developing ML-enabled Digital Twins for Underground Energy Storage and Production. Felix has 30 year experience working with industry, has a PhD from Delft University of Technology, and served on the faculty of The University of British Columbia. Since 2017, he serves on the faculty of the Georgia Institute of Technology where he is appointed at the Schools of Earth & Ocean Sciences, Computational Science & Engineering, and Computer & Electrical Engineering.

Lars Anton is an IT Architect for Prepare for Operation at Equinor, bringing more than 30 years of experience in industrial IT. He began his career as a software developer specializing in industrial robotics and operator training simulators. From 2007 entering the energy sector holding different roles within Integrated Project Execution, Lifecycle Management moving over to become an IT Solution Architect specialized with Prepare for Operation, supporting initial plant operation and maintenance for new installations for Oil, Gas and CCS. This includes contributing to Northern Lights, the world’s first permanent CO₂ storage terminal, which receives and injects CO₂ into offshore wells.

Lars holds an MSC in Computer Science from the University of Stavanger.

Karin de Borst is a subsurface specialist at Shell with experience in CO₂ storage and H₂ storage. She currently holds the position of Principal Hydrogen Storage Engineer, in which she is leading the development of subsurface hydrogen storage technologies with an interdisciplinary team in support of Shell’s evolving H₂ business.

Karin has a PhD in Computational Mechanics and was pursuing an academic career in the field of material science before joining Shell in 2015, having been Reader in the School of Engineering at University of Glasgow in her last role.

Professor Katriona Edlmann holds a personal Chair of Sustainable Energy at The University of Edinburgh. Katriona has over 25 years’ experience researching the secure and sustainable utilisation of the subsurface for low-carbon energy applications including hydrogen energy, carbon dioxide, compressed air and thermal energy storage.

Katriona studied Petroleum Geology at Aberdeen University before undertaking her master’s degree and PhD in Petroleum Reservoir Engineering at Heriot-Watt University.

Katriona leads multiple UKRI, EU and industry funded projects focused on underground hydrogen storage technologies. Katriona is a member of the UK Government Department for Energy Security and Net Zero Hydrogen Advisory Council Transportation and Storage Infrastructure Working Group and is sub-task lead on the International Energy Agency Technology Collaboration Programme task 42: Underground Hydrogen Storage and contributor to Task 49: Natural Hydrogen.

Alex Jackson is a radioactive waste specialist with over 15 years’ experience in waste treatment and nuclear decommissioning. He holds the position of Technical Development Manager at Cyclife (part of EDF Group), a key player in the European nuclear decommissioning and waste management market. The main focus of his current role is on the strategic and technical development of new waste treatment service offerings to the nuclear market – focusing on volume minimisation, stabilisation and recycling of radioactive wastes.

Prior to joining Cyclife, Alex worked in predisposal management of radioactive wastes at Magnox decommissioning sites in the UK – experience which included waste characterisation, waste conditioning and active effluent management. Additionally, Alex has experience in the new build sector and was involved in the regulatory design assessment process for the Holtec SMR-300 reactor technology. Alex is also a member of the OECD Nuclear Energy Agency Working Party on Technical, Environment and Safety Aspects of Decommissioning and Legacy Management (WPTES).

Alex holds a PhD in Palaeoclimatology from University College Dublin, a MSc Oceanography from University of Southampton and a BSc (Hons) Geology from University of Durham. He is also a Fellow of the Geological Society of London.

Morten Enholm leads the Data Gateway business area at TGS Prediktor, where he works with industrial data integration and operational data infrastructure for energy companies worldwide. His focus is on enabling reliable and secure data flows from operational technology (OT) environments to enterprise and cloud platforms, supporting digitalization of complex industrial operations.

He works closely with major energy operators on real-time data integration, operational data architectures, and long-term data infrastructure for large-scale assets. In the context of carbon capture and storage (CCS), his work focuses on how robust data infrastructure can support monitoring, operational insight, and safe long-term management of CO₂ transport and storage systems.

Gareth O’Brien is leading technology for the Energy and Resources Industry team in Microsoft across EMEA where he is specialising in AI programs focusing on improving business outcomes. This work encompasses GenAI/AL, data platforms, schemas, and HPC solutions, and adheres to data governance standards. Gareth holds a PHD in Geophysics from University College Dublin, an M.Sc. from Durham University, and a B.A. in Theoretical Physics from Trinity College Dublin. He also earned an M.Sc. in Business Analytics from Smurfit Business School and currently holds an adjunct professorship at the Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies. Prior to working at Microsoft, he worked as a Principal Scientist in the energy sector, tackling industry challenges with HPC and AI, and before that, as a research scientist in academia. Gareth’s expertise spans academia, industry, and cloud technology, with numerous scientific publications in physics, imaging, and AI applications.

Hendrik Paasche is an academic researcher working at the interface of geoscience and data analytics. He holds an M.Sc. from the University of Leipzig, a Ph.D. from ETH Zurich, and a senior academic qualification (Habilitation) from the University of Potsdam, all in the field of Geophysics. He leads the Data Integration and Parameter Estimation Research Area in the Department of Monitoring and Exploration Technologies at the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ), Germany. During its founding and ramp-up phase, he served on the Steering Board of the Helmholtz Imaging Platform within the Helmholtz Information and Data Science Incubator. His research focuses on tomographic imaging, data integration, uncertainty quantification, and data-centric analytics, with applications in subsurface characterization and mineral potential mapping.

Adriana Citlali Ramírez is a Mexican physicist and energy executive with a PhD in physics and executive education from Cambridge Judge Business School. She has held senior leadership roles—including research portfolio lead, senior director, and chief geophysicist—across technology, operations, and multiclient business for integrated energy operators and major service companies. Her work integrates geophysics, multiphysics, and artificial intelligence to inform technology strategy and investment decisions across the energy value chain, spanning hydrocarbons, minerals, and new energies.

Adriana is the Founder and Managing Director of ACR Insights, Vice President of the SEG Board of Directors, and a former Board Chair and Vice Chair of SEAM. She is also a lecturer, public speaker, and executive leadership coach, with a strong commitment to ethical leadership and empowering women in STEM.

Niall Tomlinson (MSc, CGeol) has 20 years’ experience in mineral exploration, ranging from establishing remote field camps to valuation of exploration properties and CP technical reporting. His experience spans projects from reconnaissance through to bankable feasibility, though with a particular focus on early-stage exploration. Niall conducts evaluations and valuations of exploration properties from greenfield to brownfield, is a CP/QP for technical reporting of early-stage exploration, and specialises in the use of statistical methods to value and manage exploration projects. Niall holds an MSc in Metals and Energy Finance from Imperial College London, an MSc in Mining Geology from Camborne School of Mines, and is a Chartered Geologist of The Geological Society. In addition to his experience as a consultant at SRK Exploration, he has held senior roles at a number of mineral and energy juniors and worked as an independent mining analyst.

Ying Wang is the Senior AI Advisor at the Geological Survey of Norway (NGU) and a member of the SEG Europe Regional Advisory Committee. At NGU, she leads AI strategy and the integration of machine learning into geoscience workflows. Her current projects include the development of predictive models for mineral potential, radon susceptibility, and Norway’s onshore CO2 mineralization potential. Ying holds dual PhDs in computational and applied mathematics from the University of Science and Technology of China and the City University of Hong Kong, as well as a B.Sc. in Mathematical Statistics from Nanjing University in China. Prior to joining NGU, she worked as a Research Geophysicist and Data Scientist across industry and academia, including positions at Statoil (Equinor), CGG (Viridien), and the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), where she focused on seismic processing, imaging, and multi-geophysical integration. Her expertise spans mathematical modeling, subsurface geophysics, and applied machine learning, with a focus on delivering practical, data-driven solutions for the energy transition.