Erika Calderon Medina | Earth | Best Researcher Award

Published on by Soil Scientist

Dr. Erika Calderon Medina | Earth | Best Researcher Award

Erika Calderon Medina | University of Leeds | United Kingdom 

Erika Elizabeth Calderon Medina is a senior geoscientist with over 16 years of combined industry and academic experience across Europe, Africa, and South America, specialising in 3D subsurface modelling, geomechanical analysis, seismic and petrophysical interpretation, and CO₂ storage assessment. Her PhD at Durham University (2024) advanced understanding of pore pressure evolution in basins such as the Gulf of Mexico, New Zealand, and West Africa through innovative thermo-hydro-mechanical modelling and geological reconstruction. She has held key roles at the University of Leeds, OMV Petrom in Romania, and Petrobras in Argentina and Ecuador, successfully leading multidisciplinary teams, enhancing reservoir development strategies, and improving hydrocarbon recovery. Erika has contributed to both exploration and mature field optimisation, delivering workflows that informed drilling, reservoir connectivity, and risk mitigation. Her research outputs are recorded on ORCID, reflecting impact across academic and industry domains. Fluent in English and Spanish, with additional proficiency in Portuguese and Japanese, she combines technical expertise with cross-cultural collaboration. Alongside her professional work, she remains engaged with emerging developments in energy transition, CO₂ storage, and subsurface risk reduction.

Profile:  Orcid 

Featured Publications

Calderon Medina, E. E., Obradors‐Prats, J., Aplin, A. C., Jones, S. J., Rouainia, M., & Crook, A. J. L. (2025). Modeling overpressure development and the mechanical behavior of sediments in a complex, tectonically active setting: East Coast Basin, New Zealand. Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth.

Obradors-Prats, J., Calderon Medina, E. E., Jones, S. J., Rouainia, M., Aplin, A. C., & Crook, A. J. L. (2023). Integrating petrophysical, geological and geomechanical modelling to assess stress states, overpressure development and compartmentalisation adjacent to a salt wall, Gulf of Mexico. Marine and Petroleum Geology.

Calderon Medina, E. E., Obradors-Prats, J., Aplin, A. C., Jones, S. J., Rouainia, M., & Crook, A. J. L. (2023, April 24). 1D hydro-geomechanical modelling of pore pressure on an active convergent margin: East Coast Basin, New Zealand. In Proceedings of the Offshore Technology Conference.

Calderon, E., & Gangatharan, G. (2015, June 1). Limitation of data in model generation – Zemeș Field, Romania. In Proceedings of the 77th EAGE Conference and Exhibition 2015.