Douwe van der Meer Ventures Exploration

Douwe van der Meer holds an MSc in Geophysics from Utrecht University (2002) and has built his career in New Ventures, first at Shell and, since 2011, at Nexen/CNOOC International.

Alongside his industry work, he conducts research in plate tectonics and Earth system evolution, integrating these with the tectono-stratigraphic development of sedimentary basins. He was awarded a PhD cum laude in 2017.

In 2023, he received the IAGR Best Paper Award and medal for his work on isotope-based reconstructions of paleo-sea level.

Professor Jonathan Redfern University of Manchester

Jonathan Redfern has more than 35 years’ experience across exploration, appraisal, regional new ventures, petroleum systems evaluation and strategic basin analysis, gained through senior industry roles, consultancy and academic leadership.

He is Director of the North Africa Research Group at the University of Manchester, where he leads a large team of PhDs and researchers who have been undertaking fieldwork and studies across North Africa for over 25 years, sponsored by leading energy companies.

Jonathan obtained his BSc from Chelsea College, University of London and a PhD from Bristol University. He began his career in the oil industry and, over a 15-year period, worked globally, starting as a geologist in the North Sea for Fina UK before moving internationally with Petrofina to Singapore, Libya and Italy. He later joined Amerada Hess, working on international new ventures and as Chief Geologist in Indonesia.

He moved to academia in 1999 to follow his passion for teaching and research, developing the Petroleum Geoscience MSc at the University of Manchester. To date he has supervised 38 PhDs to successful completion.

His research specialisms include North Africa regional geology, basin and petroleum system analysis, source-to-sink studies, fluvial and glacial sedimentology. He is a Chartered Geologist and Editor in Chief of the journal Petroleum Geoscience.

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James Iliffe I-Geoscience Ltd

James Iliffe is a Petroleum Geoscientist with over 35 years’ experience in global exploration. Following his MSc and PhD from the University of South Carolina, USA, he began his career in Basin Modelling R&D and then non-proprietary studies for ERC Tigress and PGS Geoservices consultancies.

His move to IOCs started with Conoco USA, followed by roles in the UK with BP, Nexen and BG. He retired after 10 years with Shell International as a Global Advisor in Technical Assurance and Subject Matter Expert in Stratigraphic Traps and Seals.

James has evaluated the petroleum potential of numerous basins, particularly in Libya, West Siberia, the South Atlantic, South Caspian, South America and the Middle East.

He is passionate about education and training and has written and delivered courses in Petroleum Systems, Overburden Characterisation, Stratigraphic Traps and Seals at universities and IOCs. He maintains a keen interest in technology development relating to seals and stratigraphic traps.

James has published over 20 technical papers, edited two books, and is a Fellow of the Geological Society, GESGB and EAGE. He currently teaches as an honorary lecturer at the University of Aberdeen and consults through I-Geoscience Ltd.