• B.Sc. from Edinburgh University in Geology
• Ph.D. from Glasgow University in Geology

Al has worked for BP as a Petroleum Geologist/Exploration Manager for over 30 years. His career in petroleum exploration, has taken him to most corners of the world including N. America, Europe, Africa, Middle East and the Far East. Following the BP Amoco merger, he led the team which made the significant Plutonio discovery in Block 18, deepwater Angola.

Currently Al holds the EGI Chair in Petroleum Geoscience at Imperial College London (since June 2010). His main research intrests are the evolution and fill of rift basins, play fairway analysis, exploration and production in the Arctic. He is the author of many papers on the petroleum geology of extensional basins most notably on the North Sea Jurassic and northern England Carboniferous.

He recently launched a major research initiative to understand source rock distribution and petroleum potential of the Arctic region. The three-year collaborative project, Regional Source Rock Prediction & Hydrocarbon Potential of Arctic Basins, is now accepting sponsors.

Pursuing his interests in rifts and rifted margins will be one of his key areas of research focus. Areas of interest will include the following, (as joint Imperial/EGI projects).

• Arctic Margins:
  Geology and hydrocarbon potential of the Arctic margins
  Plate tectonic evolution of the Arctic
  Regional reservoir & source rock prediction
  
• Atlantic Margins:
  Structural and stratigraphic evolution of the Atlantic margins
  Pre-salt play systems
  Source rock systems
  Continental break-up and heat flow prediction
  
• Eastern Mediterranean:
  Geology of the Messinian from 3D reflection seismic data
  Tectonic evolution of the Eastern Mediterranean
  Petroleum systems of North Africa
  
• North Sea:
  Carboniferous gas potential of the Southern North Sea
  Mixed carbonate/clastic rift systems