Douglas K. McCarty, Ph.D.

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GENERAL


Broad experience in geology and mineralogy with a specialty in clay mineralogy. Research includes quantitative mineral analysis by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and mineralogy for petrophysics at Chevron, ETC, Houston, TX; characterization of the structure and composition of rock forming minerals by multiple methods including XRD, small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), subcritical nitrogen gas adsorption (SGA), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), TGA-Mass Spectroscopy and TGA-FTIR; development and application of methods to accurately determine porosity and pore-size distribution in tight oil and gas reservoirs; surface chemistry and rock and fluid interactions related to hydrocarbon production. These primary research areas involve applied research and technology development through multiple techniques to characterize and quantify the composition, petrophysical, and physical properties of rock formations especially in nano-scale texture and porosity in unconventional reservoirs.


EDUCATION


DARTMOUTH COLLEGE, HANOVER, NH Ph.D. Geology, August 1993
Advisor: Dr. R.C. Reynolds Jr.
UNIVERSITY OF MONTANA, MISSOULA, MT M.S. Geology, 1990 – Honors Graduate
Advisor: Dr. G.R. Thompson
UNIVERSITY OF MONTANA, MISSOULA, MT B.A. Geology, 1986 – Honors Graduate


PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE


CHEVRON ENERGY TECHNOLOGY COMPANY (ETC), Houston, TX (1997-2017)

  • Senior Staff Geologist. Specialist in clay mineralogy. Core analysis consultant and technical advisor, Chevron ETC Mineral Analysis Laboratory. Research in compositional characterization and quantification of fine-grained sedimentary rocks by X-ray diffraction yielding the following accomplishments and skills:


Accomplishments:

  • Development of a new method of whole rock quantitative analysis of clay-bearing rocks,
  • Co-founder and principle organizer of the Reynolds Cup competition in quantitative mineral analysis (2002), second place finisher (2004), first place finisher (2006),
  • Development of genetic algorithm optimization method and computer programs,
  • BESTMIN/BestRock, to determine elemental composition of individual minerals, including those with ionic substitution and solid solution, in multi-phase sedimentary rocks,
  • Development of advanced computer programs for one-dimensional and three-dimensional diffraction effects of disordered structures,
    Support of a wide variety of research and routine oil industry applications (April 1997 – Present).


Skills:

  • Quantitative clay mineral analysis and characterization using XRD computer simulation, using multispecimen simulation (modeling),
  • FTIR analysis of illite and smectite,
  • TGA-MS research on rocks and minerals to evaluate surface area and structural features,
  • Rietveld refinement of complicated structures (two-phase excess-Ca dolomite), clays and micas,
  • Thermal based methodology for total porosity by water immersion,
  • Subcritical gas adsorption for pore-size distribution between organic and inorganic components in unconventional resources.


MONTANA STATE UNIVERSITY, Bozeman, MT (September 1995 – December 1996).

  • Visiting adjunct professor of geology. Courses include: mineralogy, physical geology, igneous petrology, environmental-resource geology, and clay mineralogy-shale petrology.
  • Research Scientist – Trace metal partitioning, distribution in acid mine drainage streams. NSF Grant 9410957 “Heavy metal concentrations in stream sediments: analyses of local variability and hydraulic controls.”


MATRIX CONSTRUCTION INC., Anchorage, AK (June-August 1995).

  • Geotechnical evaluations and quality control manager. Construction aerial tramway, Big Sky, MT. Geotechnical design for base terminal on active rock glacier, and top terminal design on shattered blocks from ice-wedging


COLORADO AVALANCHE INFORMATION CENTER, Denver, CO. (October 1993 – May 1995).

  • Weather and avalanche hazard forecaster for Colorado Department of Transportation and Public Recreation. Instructor of avalanche phenomena, snow physics, and safety. Training programs for public and highway department personnel. Student intern advisor and supervisor, University of Colorado.


DARTMOUTH COLLEGE, Hanover, NH (1990-1993).

  • Research and teaching assistant, laboratory instructor for geology courses, during Ph.D. program in the Earth Sciences Department.


UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY WATER RESOURCES DIVISION, Boulder, CO (1992 and 1991).

  • Ph.D. candidate summer intern. Research geologist and clay mineralogist.


NORANDA EXPLORATION COMPANY, Cooke City, MT (Summer 1990).

  • Drill site and exploration geologist – New World Mine.


UNIVERSITY OF MONTANA, Missoula, MT (1988 – 1989 academic year).

  • M.S. student and laboratory instructor geology courses – geology department.


UNITED STATES ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS, Arctic, AK (Seasonal 1980-1983).

  • High tension rigger, aerial passenger tramway – seasonal construction work subcontract, remote sites Alaska.


UNITED STATES FOREST SERVICE, Juneau and Anchorage, AK (winters 1980-1983).

  • Avalanche hazard forecaster – avalanche control specialist, avalanche phenomenon and field instructor.


AVALANCHE TECHNICIAN, SKI PATROLMAN MOUNTAIN GUIDE, (1970-1980).

  • Alta, Utah; Big Sky, MT; Bridger Bowl, MT, avalanche study research assistant, engineering department, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT.


SELECTED PUBLICATIONS


  • Milliken, K.L., McCarty, D.K., and Derkowski, A (2018) Grain assemblages and diagenesis in the tarl-dominated Lower Silurian mudrock succession of the western margin of the east European craton in Poland and Lithuania. Sedimentary Geology 374, 115–133.
  • Derkowski, A. and McCarty, D.K. (2017) Cesium, a water-incompatible, siloxane-complexed cation in Earth’s upper crust. Geology, 45, 899-902.
  • Drits, V.A., Sakharov, B.A., McCarty, D.K., and Walker, G.M. (2016) Modeling of powder X-ray diffraction patterns of the Clay Minerals Society kaolinite standards: KGa-1, KGa-1b, and KGa-2. Clays and Clay Minerals, 64, 314-333.
  • Topór, T., Derkowski, A., Kuila, U., Fischer, T.B., McCarty, D.K. (2016) Dual liquid porosimetry: porosity measurement method for oil and gas bearing shales. Fuel, 183, 537-549.
  • Zviagina, B.B., Drits, V.A., Środoń, J., McCarty, D.K., and Dorzhieva, O. (2015) The illite-aluminoceladonite series: distinguishing features and identification criteria from XRD and FTIR data. Clays and Clay Minerals, 63, 378-394.
  • Crousse, L., Cuervo, S., Vallejo, D., Laurent, M., Fischer, T., McCarty, D. (2015) Unconventional Shale Pore System Characterization in El Trapial Area, Vaca Muerta, Argentina, Unconventional Resources Technology Conference (URTeC) DOI 10.15530/urtec-2015-2154603, 17 pages.
  • Rahman, R., McCarty, D.K., and Prasad, M (2015) Sub-THz complex dielectric constants of montmorillonite clay thin samples with Na+/Ca++-ions. Journal of Geophysical Research, 120, 1-7.
  • Derkowski A., Środoń J., and McCarty D.K. (2015) Cation exchange capacity and water content of opal in sedimentary basins: example from the Monterey Formation, California. American Mineralogist, 100, 1244-1256.
  • McCarty, D.K., Theologou, P.N., Fischer, T.B., Derkowski, A., Stokes, M.R., and Ollila, A. (2014) Mineral-chemistry quantification and petrophysical calibration for multi-mineral evaluations: A nonlinear approach. AAPG Bulletin, 99, 1371-1397.
  • Lee, S, Fischer, T.B., Stokes, M.R., Klingler. R.J., Ilavsky, J., McCarty, D.K., Wigand, M.O., Derkowski, A., and Winans, R.E. (2014) Dehydration effect on pore size, porosity, and fractal parameters of shale rocks: USAXS study. Energy & Fuels, 28, 6772-6779.
  • Burger, J., McCarty, D.K., Peacher, R., and Fischer, T.B. (2014) Sample preparation for unconventional analysis: A case against solvent extraction. Proceedings SCA2014-002 presented at the International Symposium of the Society of Core Analysts. p. 9.
  • Geatches, D., McCarty, D.K. and Wilcox, J. (2014) Ab initio investigations of dioctahedral interlayer-deficient mica: Modeling particles of illite found within gas shale. American Mineralogist, 99, 1962-1972.
  • Kuila, U., McCarty, D.K., Derkowski, A., Fischer, T.B., Topór, T., Prasad, M. (2014) Nano-scale texture and porosity of organic matter and clay minerals in organic-rich mudrocks, Fuel, 135, 359-373.
  • Kuila, U., McCarty, D.K., Derkowski, A., Fischer, T., Prasad, M. (2014) Total porosity measurement in gas shales by the water immersion porosimetry (WIP) method, Fuel, 117, 1115-1129.
  • Kuila, U., Prasad, M., Derkowski, A., McCarty, D.K. (2012) Compositional controls on mudrock pore-size distribution: An example from the Niobrara Formation, SPE 160141.
  • Drits, V.A., McCarty, D.K., and Derkowski, A. (2012) Mixed-layered structure formation during trans-vacant Al-rich illite dehydroxylation. American Mineralogist, 97, 1922-1938.
  • Drits, V.A., Derkowski, A., and McCarty, D.K. (2012) Kinetics of partial dehydroxylation in dioctahedral 2:1 layer clay minerals. American Mineralogist, 97, 930-950.
  • Derkowski, A, Drits, V.A., and McCarty, D.K. (2012) Nature of rehydroxylation in dioctahedral 2:1 layer clay minerals, American Mineralogist, 97, 610-629.
  • Derkowski, A, Drits, V.A., and McCarty, D.K. (2012) Rehydration of dehydrated-dehydroxylated smectite in a low water vapor environment. American Mineralogist, 97, 110-127.
  • Drits, V.A., Derkowski, A., and McCarty, D.K. (2011) Kinetics of thermal transformation of partially dehydroxylated pyrophyllite. American Mineralogist, 96, 1054-1069.
  • Drits, V.A., Derkowski, A., and McCarty, D.K. (2011) New insight into the structural transformation of partially dehydroxylated pyrophyllite. American Mineralogist, 96, 153-171.
  • McCarty, D.K. (2010) The defective structure of excess-Ca dolomite. 2010 APS/EMC Users Meeting, Argonne National Laboratory, May 3-5, 2010, Program and Abstracts. Page 23 Invited speaker, Workshop 1, Application of advanced X-ray techniques to industrial research. P.23.
  • Drits, V.A., Zviagina, B.B., McCarty, D.K., and Salyn, A.L. (2010) Factors responsible for crystal-chemical variations in the solid solutions from illite to aluminoceladonite and from glauconite to celadonite. American Mineralogist, 95, 348-361.
  • McCarty, D.K., Sakharov, B.A., and Drits, V.A. (2009) New insights into smectite illitization: a zoned K-bentonite revisited. American Mineralogist, 94, 1653-1671.
  • McCarty, D.K., Sakharov, B.A., and Drits, V.A. (2008) Early clay diagenesis in Gulf Coast sediments: new insights from XRD profile modeling. Clays and Clay Minerals, 56, 359-379.
  • Środoń, J. and McCarty, D.K. (2008) Surface area and layer charge of smectite from CEC and EGME/ H2O retention measurements. Clays and Clay Minerals, 56, 155-174.
  • Drits, V.A., and McCarty, D.K (2007) The nature of structure-bonded H2O in illite and leucophyllite from dehydration and dehydroxylation experiments. Clays and Clay Minerals, 55, 46-59.
  • Aplin, A.C., Matenaar, I.F., McCarty, D.K., and van Der Pluijm, B.A. (2006) Influence of mechanical compaction and clay mineral diagenesis on the microfabric and pore-scale properties of deep-water Gulf of Mexico Mudstones. Clays and Clay Minerals, 54, 500-514.
  • Omotoso, O., McCarty, D.K., Hiller, S. and Kleeberg, R. (2006) Some successful approaches to quantitative mineral analysis as revealed by the 3rd Reynolds Cup contest. Clays and Clay Minerals, 54, 751-763.
  • Drits, V.A., McCarty, D.K and Zviagina, B. B. (2006) Crystal-chemical factors responsible for the distribution of octahedral cations over trans- and cis-sites in dioctahedral 2:1 layer silicates. Clays and Clay Minerals, 54, 131-152.
  • McCarty, D. K., Drits, V.A., Sakharov, B. (2006) Relationship between composition and lattice parameters of some sedimentary dolomite varieties. European Journal of Mineralogy, 18, 611-627(17)
  • Huggett, J.M., McCarty, D.K., Calvert, C.C., Gale, A.S. and Kirk, C. (2006) Serpentine-nontronite-vermiculite mixed-layer clay from the Weches Formation, Claiborne Group, Middle Eocene, Northeast Texas. Clays and Clay Minerals, 54, 101-115.
  • Drits, V.A., McCarty, D.K., Sakharov, B., Milliken, K.L. (2005) New insight into structural and compositional variability in some ancient Excess-Ca dolomite. The Canadian Mineralogist, 43, 1255-1290.
  • Eichhubl, P., D’Onfro, P.S., Aydin, A., Waters, and McCarty, D.K. (2005) Structure, petrophysics, and diagenesis of shale entrained along a normal fault at Black Diamond Mines, California – Implications for fault seal. AAPG Bulletin, 89, 1113 – 1137.
  • McCarty, D.K., Drits, V. A., Sakharov, B.A., Zviagina, B B., Ruffell, A., and Wach, G. (2004) Heterogeneous mixed-layer clays from the Cretaceous greensand- Isle of Wight, southern England. Clays and Clay Minerals, 52, 552-575.
  • B. B. Zviagina, D. K. McCarty, J. Środoń and V. A. Drits (2004) Interpretation of infrared spectra of dioctahedral smectites in the region of OH-stretching vibrations, submitted to Clays and Clay Minerals, 52, 399-410.
  • McCarty, D.K. (2002) Quantitative Mineral Analysis of Clay-bearing Mixtures: The Reynolds Cup Contest, IUCr Newsletter No. 27, 12-16.
  • Środoń, J., Drits, V.A., McCarty, D.K., Hsieh, J.C.C., and Eberl, D.D. (2001) Quantitative X-ray diffraction analysis of clay-bearing rocks from random preparations: Clays and Clay Minerals, 49, 514-528.
  • McCarty, D.K., Hsieh, J.C.C., Drits, V.A. and Srodon, J. (2000) The mineralogy of mudstones: clay mineral heterogeneity. GSA Abstracts with Programs, 32 (7), p.321
  • McCarty, D.K. and Reynolds, R.C. Jr. (2001) Three-dimensional crystal structures of illite-smectite minerals in Paleozoic K-bentonites from the Appalachian Basin: Clays and Clay Minerals, 49, 24-35
  • Drits, V.A., Lindgreen, H., Salyn, A.L., Ylagan, R., and McCarty, D.K. (1998) Semiquantitative determination of trans-vacant and cis-vacant 2:1 layers in illites and illite-smectites by thermal analysis and X-ray diffraction: American Mineralogist, 83, 1188-1198.
  • McCarty, D.K., Moore, J.N. and Marcus, W.A. (1998) Mineralogy and trace element association in an acid mine drainage iron oxide precipitate; comparison of selective extractions: Applied Geochemistry, 13, 165-176.
  • Fiorillo, A.R. and McCarty, D.K. (1996) Paleopedological evidence for a humid paleoenvironment in the lower part of the Brushy Basin Member, Morrison Formation, of Curecanti National Recreation Area, Colorado: In The Continental Jurassic, Symposium Volume, Bull. 60, Museum of Northern Arizona, Michael Morales ed.
  • Gill, J.D., West, M.W., Noe, D.C., Olsen, H.W., and McCarty, D.K. (1996) Geologic control of severe expansive clay damage to a subdivision in the Pierre Shale, Southwest Denver Metropolitan Area, Colorado: Clays and Clay Minerals, 44, 530-539.
  • Drits, V.A, and McCarty, D.K. (1996) The nature of diffraction effects from illite and illite/smectite consisting of interstratified trans-vacant and cis-vacant 2:1 layers; A semi-quantitative technique for determination of layer-type content: American Mineralogist, 81, 852-863.
  • McCarty, D. K., and Reynolds, R. C. Jr. (1995) Rotationally disordered illite/smectite in Paleozoic K-bentonites: Clays and Clay Minerals, 43, No. 3, 271-284.
  • McCarty, D. K., and Thompson, G. R. (1991) Burial diagenesis in two Montana Tertiary Basins: Clays and Clay Minerals, 39, 293-305.


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