2026 PESA WEBINAR SERIES: Multiscale Characterisation of Shales for CO2 Storage – A Framework for Integrative Learning (Sudeshna Basugupta)
Guest Speaker(s): Sudeshna Basugupta (University College London)
Dr. Sudeshna Basugupta is an Associate Professor (Teaching) in Sustainable Resource Management in the Department of Chemical Engineering at University College London (UCL). She is a geologist by training, with over two decades of experience spanning geoscience research, sustainability, and engineering education across India and UK.
Dr. Basugupta’s research combines expertise in natural resources, energy transition, and educational innovation. Her technical research has focused on the geological processes controlling the formation and evolution of natural resources, including rare earth element (REE)-bearing rocks such as carbonatites, as well as shales and other subsurface reservoirs relevant to sustainable resource development and energy transition.
Her teaching and educational research focus on sustainability education and the development of interdisciplinary learning approaches that integrate technical, environmental, and policy perspectives. At UCL, she has designed and leads courses including Geology for Sustainable Resource Management and Energy Transition and Sustainable Water Resource Management, supporting students from diverse disciplinary backgrounds.
She currently leads a UCL Global Engagement Fund project developing sustainability-focused educational resources on lithium extraction, water impacts, and policy integration through collaborative case studies in the United Kingdom and Türkiye. Through her work, she seeks to bridge geoscience, engineering and policy to equip students with the interdisciplinary skills needed to address emerging resource and environmental challenges.
2026 PESA Webinar Series
Kindly supported by Rock Flow dynamics 
The next webinar as part of the 2026 PESA Webinar Series will take place on Tuesday 23rd September 2026, and will be co-hosted by the CCUS Network Australia.
This live webinar will take place at:
4pm – Perth
5.30pm – Darwin, Adelaide
6pm – Brisbane, Canberra, Hobart, Melbourne, Sydney
Use the calendar link on this page to add this event in to your own calendar at the correct local time for your location.
Tickets are free for PESA and CCUSNA members (please log in to see this) and $10 for non members.
Please buy your tickets and immediately follow the link in the ticket e-mail (not the calendar invite or this webpage, which is just generic and not event specific) to set up your registration with the webinar software well in advance of the time of the talk. Once registered with the webinar software you will receive a reminder e-mail 1 hour beforehand.
Multiscale Characterisation of Shales for CO2 Storage – A Framework for Integrative Learning
Presented by Sudeshna Basugupta (University College London)
Abstract:
Shales and mudrocks are compositionally and texturally heterogeneous, varying widely in their occurrence and evolution across geological basins worldwide. Despite this diversity, they are globally ubiquitous and play a critical role in subsurface CO₂ storage systems. In particular, shale porosity governs both storage capacity and caprock integrity by controlling fluid flow through complex pore networks.
This study presents a multiscale characterisation of shales from the Songliao Basin, China, and the Wessex Basin, USA, to evaluate how mineralogical composition and geochemical processes influence pore development. The application of noble gases and nitrogen as proxies for fluid circulation is also demonstrated using samples from the Wessex Basin, providing insight into fluid–rock interactions and transport pathways.
These datasets are integrated with reservoir-scale storage capacity assessments and modelling of CO₂ migration pathways, highlighting the critical role of shales in the performance and security of subsurface CO₂ storage systems. Based on these findings, a comprehensive framework for shale assessment is proposed.
Beyond its research application, this framework has been adapted for teaching to support the development of students’ ability to integrate data across scales. It provides a structured approach to linking micro-scale observations with basin-scale processes, fostering critical thinking and systems-level understanding in geoscience education.
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