Randi Martinsen

Randi Martinsen is an American geologist and senior lecturer in the Department of Geology and Geophysics at the University of Wyoming.

Overview Martinsen has worked extensively on the Western Interior Cretaceous basin with a particular interest in stratigraphic trap exploration, paleotectonic influences on depositional systems and clastic reservoir characterization.

Martinsen is a former president (2014 - 2015) and the second woman ever elected to head the American Association of Petroleum Geologists Foundation (AAPG), an organization that provides educational programs, scientific research, and engineering services in communities around the world.

Early life and education Martinsen was born and raised in New York City. She spent most of her summers as a child in the Ramapo Mountains of New Jersey, which sparked her interest in the natural world. she was the only woman in her class.

Martinsen's hobbies include equestrian three-day events, traveling, scuba diving, and skiing. She has two children, Dana and Matt and one stepchild, David. She has three grandchildren: Lauren, Kaya, and Rylan.

Career From 1974 to 1979, Martinsen worked as a geologist for the Cities Service Company in Denver, Colorado. In 1979, Martinsen submitted an abstract to the Rocky Mountain Section American Association of Petroleum Geologists about the Hartzog Draw, a giant oil field. for the construction of accurate stratigraphic frameworks, facies models, and paleogeographic maps. Martinsen studied depositional remnants within the Western Interior of the Cretaceous basin and documented that these remnants have a vastly different geometry compared to the strata located underneath them. Her research emphasized the importance of identifying this phenomenon in relation to the field of petroleum geology on the basis that if depositional systems are not correctly identified, then accurate exploration and production strategies for the reservoirs cannot be developed and, in return, could result in inefficient petroleum extraction from these systems.

Awards and honors During her time working with the AAPG, Martinsen received honors and awards including the Stratigraphic Compartmentalization of Reservoir Sandstones: Examples from the Muddy Sandstone Power River Basin, Wyoming and Montana, AAPG Memoir 61 (1995), the A.I Levorsen Memorial Award (1979), two Certificates of Merit (2001 and 2006), and the Distinguished Service Award (2009).

Publications Martinsen has published 27 peer-reviewed articles and presentations with the AAPG and other organizations. The focus of these pertain to depositional system analysis, sequence stratigraphy, tectonics and sedimentation, anomalous pressures, hydrocarbon accumulation, and tight gas sandstones. Randi Martinsen, William Iverson, R (1996). "Facies, Faults and Potential Sweet Spots in a Tight Gas Reservoir: Almond Formation, Wyoming: ABSTRACT". AAPG Bulletin. 80 Martinsen, Randi S.; Jiao, Zun S.; Iverson, William P.; Surdam, Ron C. (1994). "Paleosol and Subunconformity Traps: Examples from the Muddy Sandstone, Powder River Basin, Wyoming" Ole J. Martinsen (2), Randi S. Mart (1993). "Mesaverde Group (Upper Cretaceous), Southeastern Wyoming: Allostratigraphy Versus Sequence Stratigraphy in a Tectonically Active Area". AAPG Bulletin. 77. Randi S. Martinsen (1990). "Cretaceous Stratigraphy, Laramie Basin, Southeastern Wyoming: ABSTRACT". AAPG Bulletin. 74. TILLMAN, R. W.; MARTINSEN, R. S. (1987), "SEDIMENTOLOGIC MODEL AND PRODUCTION CHARACTERISTICS OF HARTZOG DRAW FIELD, WYOMING, A SHANNON SHELF-RIDGE SANDSTONE", Reservoir Sedimentology, SEPM (Society for Sedimentary Geology), pp. 15–112 MARTINSEN, R. S.; TILLMAN, R. W. (1985), "HARTZOG DRAW, A NEW GIANT OIL FIELD", Shelf Sands and Sandstone Reservoirs, SEPM (Society for Sedimentary Geology), pp. 349–350 Roderick W. Tillman, Randi S. Marti (1983). "Possible Tectonic Influence on and Facies Distribution of Shannon Ridge Sandstones, Wyoming: ABSTRACT". AAPG Bulletin. 6 Martinson, R. S. (1998) Compartmentalization of Sandstone Reservoirs Due to Syndepositional Faulting, Almond Formation, Washakie Basin, Wyoming Martinson, R.S. (1989) Haystack Mountains Formation (Randi S. Martinson and Roderick W. Tillman)