Founder and Managing Partner, StrataImage Energy Services

Patricia de Lugão

Patricia de Lugão received a Bachelor of Science degree in Environmental Engineering and Water Resources from the University of South Carolina in 1988, a master’s degree in geophysics from the Observatório Nacional in Rio de Janeiro in 1992 and a Ph.D. in geophysics from University of Utah in 1997. At Observatório Nacional, she worked on the acquisition, processing, and modeling of magnetotelluric data from the Recôncavo Basin, Brazil. During her Ph.D. studies at the University of Utah, Patricia had the good fortune to work with Dr. Phil Wannamaker and Dr. Michael Zhdanov on the development of modeling and inversion algorithms for magnetotellurics. After her Ph.D., Patricia worked in the research department at Western Atlas in Houston with Dr. Kurt-Martin Strack, where she applied her knowledge in modeling and inversion to the development of algorithms for array borehole tools. In the Geosignal division of Western Atlas, Patricia worked with Dr. Lee Bell on two and three-dimensional refraction tomography techniques for statics correction and initial velocity model for pre-stack depth migration of seismic data from the foothills of South America to the Gulf of Mexico. In 2000, Patricia moved to Brazil and accepted a position with Landmark, working with the support group for the interpretation of seismic data, a shift from her previous work. In 2003, Patricia founded Strataimage Consultoria Ltda, foreseeing an interest in the new marine electromagnetic techniques that were being developed. From 2003 to 2006, Strataimage brought to Brazil companies such as AGO (Marine Controlled Source Electromagnetics) working with Arnold Orange and Oedegaard (elastic inversion) working with David Davies. In 2008, Patricia participated in the first marine magnetotelluric survey offshore Brazil, on the Santos Basin. Patricia was instrumental in helping establish electromagnetic methods onshore and offshore in Brazil, leading most of the recent commercial onshore surveys in that country. In 2021 Patricia established Strataimage Energy Services in Charlotte, North Carolina, to provide the same high-quality Multiphysics services that Strataimage Consultoria has been providing in Brazil.