Sedimentological Characterization of Carbonate Rocks
(24 November 2026)

Instructor:	Dr. Laura Galluccio (Badley Ashton)
Language:	English
Level:	Foundation
Duration and format:	Classroom: 1 day
Location:	Sunbury, London

Course Description

Carbonate reservoirs present unique challenges and opportunities for subsurface characterisation. This one-day course provides a practical introduction to carbonate sedimentology, taking participants from microfacies analysis through to depositional environments and architecture. Through a combination of theory, case studies and practical exercises, attendees will gain the essential skills required to describe carbonate rocks, identify depositional environments and integrate geological data for effective reservoir characterisation.

Course Objectives

By the end of the course, participants will be able to:

Understand the fundamental principles of carbonate sedimentology;
Characterise carbonate rocks and their constituent components;
Recognise key carbonate facies in core and thin section;
Identify carbonate depositional environments;
Appreciate the biological, physical, chemical and climatic controls on carbonate production;
Improve prediction of reservoir geometry and heterogeneity in the subsurface.

Participants’ Profile

This course is designed for:

Petroleum geologists
Geoscientists
Petrophysicists
Reservoir and production engineers
Exploration and development professionals working with carbonate plays

Prerequisites

No prior knowledge of carbonate sedimentology is required.

Instructor

Laura Galluccio

Laura Galluccio (Ph.D) is one of Badley Ashton’s UK-based senior carbonate reservoir geologists with an interest in carbonate petrography and sedimentology. She specializes in sedimentology, diagenesis and reservoir quality characterization of limestones and dolomites in both conventional and unconventional reservoirs. She has wide experience in the Middle East, the USA, Europe and Africa. The projects she has been involved in cover a wide range of depositional environments from shallow to deeper water carbonates. Laura received his BSc, MSc and PhD at the University of Naples (Italy), with her PhD conducted in conjunction with Shell Italy. As an effective communicator and with a proven track record of excellent client care, past roles include Team Leader of the Carbonate Group, and local Business Manager and Consultant Geologist based in PDO’s offices, Muscat. Since her appointment as Regional Manager in August 2017, Laura oversees business activity in the Middle East, Africa and Asia, supported by regional Operations and Portfolio Managers.

Laura’s other research interests include sedimentology and sequence stratigraphy of ancient and recent carbonate platforms and the characterization of diagenetic processes affecting carbonate sediments with integration into the regional framework and influence on the pore system. She is currently involved in research on the diagenesis and pore volume assessment of Hyamm Formation in Oman in collaboration with the Ferrara University and Sultan Quaboos University, as well as a project focused on the role of hydrocarbons emplacement for calcite precipitation, in collaboration with Newcastle University. Laura has undertaken teaching of geological mapping, petroleum geology and reservoir quality evaluation at both BSc and MSc levels, while co-supervising a variety of BSc and MSc carbonate research projects.