For Aurélien Bordenave, Basin Geologist / Sedimentologist at BRGM (the French Geological Survey), geology is more than just a profession—it’s a deep-rooted passion that began the moment he stepped into the field.
Originally from Orthez, a small town in the southwest of France, Aurélien’s path into geoscience wasn’t exactly conventional. “I actually began studying Health, Safety, and Environmental sciences with the idea of becoming a firefighter officer,” he recalls. From there, an interest in natural disasters led him to ENSEGID, an engineering school in Bordeaux, where he specialised in geology, hydrogeology, and environmental assessment. A single field trip sparked a lasting love for geology, which set out the path for the rest of his student years.
After two internships with TotalEnergies, Aurélien pursued a PhD at Bordeaux University, focusing on basin geology in the southwest Pacific, specifically New Caledonia Island. During his doctorate, Aurélien participated in a seismic acquisition campaign (TECTA) and an International Ocean Discovery Program cruise (Expedition 371) in the region, exploring the evolution of the Zealandia continent. Following his PhD defence in 2019, he continued as a postdoctoral researcher with TotalEnergies, working on Morocco’s Amellago Platform—an outcrop analogue for oolitic carbonate reservoirs, and the current target of the French PilotSTRATEGY project.
Aurélien’s introduction to carbon capture and storage (CCS) came later, when he joined BRGM and was introduced to the PilotSTRATEGY project. “I’ve always been passionate about understanding reservoirs, and exploring how we can use them in the energy transition, especially in response to global warming.” Since then, he’s played a central role in the project, beginning with geocharacterisation work and now coordinating the entire French team. As coordinator, Aurélien ensures strong collaboration across teams and disciplines. “What I enjoy most is creating and maintaining strong connections between team members to deliver the best possible results for the project,” he says. His engagement extends beyond the technical. “I also feel particularly connected to WP6, which focuses on social acceptance. No matter how good the science is, without support and acceptance from the population and stakeholders, projects and technologies like this could never truly succeed.”
One of the milestones for Aurélien was leading the first 3D seismic acquisition for CCS purposes, which was carried out in France. “I am really proud of all the results achieved by the different teams. Many people—researchers, industry partners, and public authorities—are eagerly following the results we’ve obtained. I’m truly looking forward to the next steps of the project, which could lead to the first CCS pilot in a saline aquifer in France, led by an industrial operator. We have high hopes that this will become a reality.”
Outside of work, Aurélien has two main passions: rugby and music (he plays the slide trombone) — both hobbies typical for someone from the southwest of France. “What I enjoy most in both is being part of a team, where everyone contributes as much as they can to reach a common goal, and enjoys the journey along the way. It reflects a part of my personality: I like being close to people and always try to involve as many others as possible in different projects.”
With his strong leadership, technical expertise, and team spirit, Aurélien believes Europe holds a key position in becoming a world leader in CCS. “Given the current global context, Europe can set the pace for CCS worldwide. By developing high-potential technologies, we have the opportunity to lead the way, and hopefully, assist other countries and continents that wish to follow this path.”