Shane Butler

Biography

Shane K. Butler is a Principal Geologist at the EERC, where he interacts with leadership and a diverse team of scientists and engineers to develop and advance EERC analytical techniques related to unconventional oil and gas reservoirs, shales, and other tight formations for federal, state, and commercial clients. In this role, he also oversees the EERC’s Natural Materials Analytical Research Laboratory, which performs and interprets chemical and mineralogical analyses of rocks, clay, coal, and other materials. He holds an M.S. degree in Geology from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, and a B.S. degree in Geoscience and a B.A. degree in Anthropology from Minnesota State University, Moorhead. Prior to his current position, he served as a Senior Geologist and a Research Scientist at the EERC. Prior to that, he was a Geologic Specialist with the Illinois State Geological Survey.

Mr. Butler’s principal areas of interest and expertise include coupling of x-ray diffraction (XRD), x-ray fluorescence (XRF), and field emission scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive spectrometry (FESEM/EDS) for the characterization of rock, soil, and mineral samples; clay mineralogy; characterization of geologic material related to unconventional oil and gas systems; characterization of geologic material related to carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) efforts; characterization of products for use in desulfurization systems for coal-fired power plants; investigations into flue gas desulfurization scrubber materials; environmental impact of experimental combinations of desulfurization by-products with manure fertilizers; application of technical scientific techniques to archaeological problems; travertine deposition and diagenetic alteration; cathodoluminescent microscopy and plane light microscopy; and outreach to high school and junior high students about geologic processes and job opportunities in the science field.

Mr. Butler is a member of the Geological Society of America and is a council member of the Clay Minerals Society. He is author or coauthor of numerous peer-reviewed publications and presentations for regional, national, and international conferences.