Isabelle KOWALEWSKI

Research Engineer - PhD. Geochemistry (petroleum system and soil) and Basin modelling (TemisFlow®)

Summary

Geoscientist specialising in the geochemistry of petroleum systems, with a solid background in physico-chemical analysis and basin modelling. 30 years experience in applied research at IFPEN. Involved in supervisory activities since 1992 and in internal and external teaching since 2001. Since 2018, I have been developing expertise focused on new strategic IFPEN R&I related to environment and climate by developing methods to characterise soil carbon, biomass, plastics, ..... I am involved in several calls for projects: ADEME, ANR, ..... My work has resulted in 8 patents. I have supervised or co-supervised 9 PhD theses, 2 of which are in progress, related to soil carbon dynamics. In 2022, Martina Torelli's thesis, which I co-supervised, was awarded the Yves Chauvin thesis prize (https://www.ifpenergiesnouvelles.fr/recherche-fondamentale/prix-et-distinctions-obtenus-en-2022).

Field of expertises

• Soil and Subsurface Geosciences

- Unconventional and conventional Petroleum systems

-Reservoir geochemistry (biodegradation, bitumen/tar mats, thermal reduction of sulphates, pyrobitumen, etc.) and Organic deposits (waxes, diamondoids, asphaltenes …)

- Soil organic matter geochemistry

• Basin modelling (TemisFlow®)

•Analytical methods for the geochemical characterisation of Organic matter, biomass, plastics, source rocks and petroleum products, ....

Disciplinary fields

Geosciences
Geochemistry
Analysis and characterization

Projects

Projects:

- AAPG2021 e-DIP Project Environmental Dynamics and Impacts of contaminant cocktails originating from Plastics in soil ecosystems (2022-2025)

- Intercarnot ICEEL-IFPEN 2024 PollSider Project (Multi-analytical approach to understanding the stability of organic contaminants in steel industry materials) -2024-2025

- SIC SOC DYN project (Organic and inorganic carbon dynamics in calcareous soils) of the 1st external call of the European programme EJP Soil (2022-2024)

PhD supervisions:

- Carbon-sulphur interactions in marine sediments: Impact on biogenic and geothermal methane emissions in the Guaymas Basin (Gulf of California, Mexico) (IFPEN/University of Lille)

- Modelling microbial Methane Processes in Marine Environments: from Source to Seep (IFPEN/Ifremer/Total)

Publications

- Hazera J., Sebag D., Kowalewski I., Verrecchia E., Ravelojaona H., Chevallier T. (2023). Adjustments of the Rock-Eval® thermal analysis for soil organic and inorganic carbon quantification. Biogeosciences, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-20-5229-2023.

- Ducasse V., Watteau F., Kowalewski I., Ravelojaona H., Capowieza Y., Peigné J. (2023). The amending potential of vermicompost, compost and digestate from urban biowaste: Evaluation using biochemical, Rock-Eval® thermal analyses and transmission electronic microscopy. Bioresource Technology Reports Vol. 22, 101405, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biteb.2023.101405.

- Sun Z., Quénéa K., Delarue F., Anquetil C., Ravelojaona H., Sebag D., Eon L., Kowalewski I. (2023). Combining Rock-Eval® thermal analysis and thermochemolysis to evaluate the influence of forest management on soil organic matter quality and stability. Org. Geochem., Vol. 179, 104585, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.orggeochem.2023.104585.

Torelli M., Kowalewski I., Gervais V., Wendebourg J., Dupré S., Wolf S., Gout C., Deville E. (2021). Quantification of natural microbial methane from generation to emission in the offshore Aquitaine: A basin modelling approach, Marine and Petroleum Geology Vol. 127, pp. 104949, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpetgeo.2021.104949.

Sebag, D., Verrecchia, E.P., Adatte, T., Aubert, M., Cailleau, G., Decaëns, T., Kowalewski, I., Trap, J., Bureau, F, Hedde, M. (2022). Size fractions of organic matter pools influence their stability: Application of the Rock-Eval® analysis to beech forest soils. Pedosphere Vol. 32(4), pp. 565–575, https://doi.org/10.1016/S1002-0160(21)60050-4.

Kowalewski I., Carpentier B., Huc A.Y., Adam P., Hanin S., Albrecht P., Wojciak P., Frewin N.L., Al-Ruwehy N. (2009). An unconventional neoproterozoic - early Cambrian source rock interval in southern Oman: implications for oil and gas generation. GeoArabia Vol. 14 (4), pp. 53-86, https://doi.org/10.2113/geoarabia140453.

Kowalewski I., Schaeffer P., Adam P., Dessort D., Fafet A., Carpentier B. (2010). Formation of H2S and sulfur-rich bitumen from a reservoired heavy oil in the presence of elemental sulfur, Organic Geochemistry, Vol. 41 (9), pp. 951-958, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.orggeochem.2010.05.002.