Dr. SANTANU GHOSH

Bright and research-oriented Geologist focused on gathering information and analyzing data. Energetic, enthusiastic, inquisitive and hands-on with ability to characterize sediment, perform organic petrological, organic and inorganic geochemical as well as stable isotopic studies. Hard working, responsible and highly motivated; have in-depth subject knowledge and ability to conduct research independently.

• Organic petrology, Organic geochemistry and stable isotope geochemistry of coal, shale and other organic matter-comprising sedimentary deposits to determine source and depositional environment of organic matter, thermal maturity and hydrocarbon generation potential of source rocks.
• Palaeoclimatic and palaeodepositional reconstruction using lipid biomarkers and stable isotopic proxies on terrestrial/lacustrine/marine palaeolimatic archives.
• Microstructure and microchemistry of organic matter using optical microscopy (maceral-microlithotype), Raman, Fourier Transform Infrared, X-ray Photoelectron, Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction.
• Compound specific stable isotopes of coal and shale bed gas and associated formation water samples to document the origin of these unconventional hydrocarbons.
• Microbially enhanced coal bed methane and shale gas production.
• Petroleum geochemistry, kerogen and bitumen chemistry, diamondoids, oil-oil and oil-source rock correlations.

• ORCID id: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0149-368X
• Scopus Author ID: 57216311224
• Web of Science Researcher id: AAC-3603-2020
• Google Scholar id: NlahoOEAAAAJ
• ResearchGate profile id: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Santanu_Ghosh22
• Vidwan-id: 155432
• SCI Profile: https://sciprofiles.com/profile/SantanuGhosh

• Young Scientist Award, 2023 in the Earth System Science section from Indian Science Congress Association (Govt. of India)
• Best Ph.D. Thesis award 2021 (Institute level) from IIT (ISM) Dhanbad
• Best Ph.D. Thesis award 2021 (Department level) from the Department of Applied Geology, IIT (ISM) Dhanbad
• Institute Postdoctoral Fellowship from IIT Bombay
• Occupational Trainee at The University of Queensland, Australia from May – June, 2017.
• DST-INSPIRE scholarship award from Department of Science &Technology, India from 2010 to 2015
• Qualified Lectureship (Net) In Earth Atmospheric Ocean and Planetary Sciences held jointly by UGC-CSIR in December, 2014.
• Merit Scholar of West Bengal Council of Higher Secondary Examination.
• State champion of West Bengal Science Talent Search Examination in 2006 and 2007.

1. Project Title: Origin of vitrinite/huminite-rich lithotype through palaeofloral evolution and their relations to depositional environment: Anecdote from stable isotopes, organic geochemistry, and organic petrology

Role: Principal Investigator

Funding: Research Promotion Grant, Mizoram University, Mizoram, Aizawl, India

Amount: 200000 INR

Tenure: 2 Years 

2. Project Title:  Diagenetic versus Pyrogenic Origin of Megascopic and Microscopic entities in Organic Sedimentary Archives: Illustrations from Organic Geochemistry (Molecular Fossils and PAHs)

Role: Principal Investigator

Funding: SERB-SRG

Amount: 28.6 Lakh INR

Tenure: 2 Years 

• Ghosh, S., Adsul, T., Tiwari, B., Kumar, D., Varma, A.K., 2024. Exploring Geochemical Signatures in Production Water: Insights from Coal Bed Methane and Shale Gas Exploration—A Brief Review. Methane 3, 172–190. https://doi.org/10.3390/methane3010011
• Ghosh, S., Dutta, S., Bhattacharyya, S., Konar, R., Priya, T., 2022. Paradigms of biomarker and PAH distributions in lower Gondwana bituminous coal lithotypes. International Journal of Coal Geology, 260, 104067. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.coal.2022.104067
• Ghosh, S., Ojha, A., Varma, A.K., 2022. Geochemical signatures of potassium metasomatism in anthracite from the Himalayan fold-thrust belts of Sikkim, India. International Journal of Coal Science & Technology, 9, 29. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40789-022-00495-z
• Ghosh, S., Ojha, A., Varma, A.K., 2020. Spectral manifestations of coal metamorphism: Insights from coal microstructural framework. International Journal of Coal Geology, 228, 103549. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.coal.2020.103549
• Ghosh, S., Golding, S.D., Varma, A.K., Baublys, K.A., 2018a. Stable isotopic composition of coal bed gas and associated formation water samples from Raniganj Basin, West Bengal, India. International Journal of Coal Geology, 191,1-6. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.coal.2018.02.019
• Ghosh, S., Rodrigues, S., Varma, A.K., Esterle J., Patra, S., Dirghangi, S.S., 2018b. Petrographic and Raman spectroscopic characterization of coal from Himalayan fold-thrust belts of Sikkim, India. International Journal of Coal Geology, 196, 246-259. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.coal.2018.07.014
• Anwita, Ghosh, S., Varma, A.K., Das, S.K., Pal, D., Solanki, G., 2020. Metamorphic transformations of nitrogen functionalities: Stabilization of organic nitrogen in anthracite and its effect on δ15N parameter. Journal of Marine and Petroleum Geology, 112, 104090 . https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpetgeo.2019.104090
• Adsul T., O'Beirne, M., Ghosh, S., Werne, J.P., Mani, D., Bhattacharyya, S., Varma, A.K., 2023. Molecular fossil chronicles and geochemical probes of Paleogene coals from Meghalaya, India. Organic Geochemistry, 184, 104659. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.orggeochem.2023.104659
• Drobniak, A., Mastalerz, M., Jelonek, Z., Jelonek, I., Adsul, T., Andolšek, N.M., Ardakani, O.H., Congo, T., Demberelsuren, B., Donohoe, B.S., Douds, A., Flores, D., Ganzorig, R., Ghosh, S., Gize, A., Goncalves, P.A., Hackley, P., Hatcherian, J., Hower, J.C., Kalaitzidis, S., Kędzior, S., Knowles, W., Kus, J., Lis, K., Lis, G., Liu, B., Luo, Q., Du, M., Mishra, D.,Misz-Kennan, M., Mugerwa, T., Nedzweckas, J.L., O'Keefe, J.M.K., Park, J., Pearson, R., Petersen, H.I., Reyes, J., Ribeiro, J., de la Rosa-Rodriguez, G., Sosnowski, P., Valentine, B., Varma, A.K., Wojtaszek-Kalaitzidi, M., Xu, Z., Zdravkov, A., Ziemianin, K., 2023. Interlaboratory study: Testing reproducibility of solid biofuels component identification using reflected light microscopy, International Journal of Coal Geology, 277, 104331. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.coal.2023.104331
• Adsul, T., Ghosh, S., Kumar, S., Tiwari, B., Dutta, S., Varma, A.K., 2023. Biogeochemical Controls on Methane Generation: A Review on Indian Coal Resources. Minerals, 13, 695. https://doi.org/10.3390/min13050695
• Adsul, T., Ghosh, S., Ojha, A., Bhattacharyya, S., Varma, A.K., 2023. Spectral narratives of microstructural restyling and their controls on hydrocarbon generation potential from coal.International Journal of Coal Science & Technology, 10, 33. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40789-023-00591-8
• Tiwari, B., Ghosh, S., Kumar, S., Varma, A.K., 2023. Trace and rare earth elements in the Permian shales: geochemical paradigms. Arabian Journal of Geosciences, 16, 272. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12517-023-11361-w
• Sen D, Ghosh, S., Varma, A,K., 2022. Functional group chemistry and its functions in coal carbonization:a scientific intelligence from infrared spectroscopy. Arabian Journal of Geosciences, 15 (5):406. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12517-022-09719-7
• Kumar, D., Ghosh, S., Tiwari, B., Varma, A.K., Mathews, R.P., Chetia, R., 2021. Palaeocene-Eocene organic sedimentary archives of Bikaner-Nagaur Basin, Rajasthan, India: An integrated revelation from biogeochemical and elemental proxies. International Journal of Coal Geology, 247, 103848. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.coal.2021.103848
• Dutta, S., Ghosh, S., Varma, A.K., 2021. Methanogenesis in the Eocene Tharad lignite deposits of Sanchor Sub-Basin, Gujarat, India: Insights from gas molecular ratio and stable carbon isotopic compositions. Journal of Natural Gas Science and Engineering, 91, 103970. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jngse.2021.103970
• Das, S.K., Ghosh, S., Isaksson, S., Lidén, K., Dey, A., 2018. Organic residue analysis in archaeological ceramics from Lahuradewa, India: role of contaminants. Current Science, 115 (8): 1456-1458 (Q3).
• Tiwari, B., Ojha, A., Ghosh, S., Varma, A.K., Mendhe, V.A., Mondal, A., 2020. A composite microstructural and geochemical approach to quench the quest for hydrocarbon from Barren Measures shales of Jharia Basin, India. Journal of Natural Gas Science and Engineering, 78, 103310 . https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jngse.2020.103310
• Samad, S.K., Mishra, D.K., Mathews, R.P., Ghosh, S., Mendhe, V.A., Varma, A.K., 2020. Geochemical attributes for source rock and palaeoclimatic reconstruction of the Auranga Basin, India. Journal of Petroleum Science and Engineering, 185, 106665 . https://doi.org/10.1016/j.petrol.2019.106665
• Patra, S., Dirghangi, S.S., Rudra, A., Dutta, S., Ghosh, S., Varma, A.K., Shome, D., Kalpana, M.S., 2018. Effect of thermal maturity on biomarker distributions in Gondwana coals from the Satpura and Damodar Valley Basins, India. International Journal of Coal Geology, 196, 63-81. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.coal.2018.07.002

• Kumar, D., Ghosh, S., Tiwari, B., Adsul, T., Varma, A.K., 2022. Relevance of Rock Eval data in assessing the depositional environment of the bio-sedimentary rocks in the Bikaner-Nagaur Basin, Rajasthan, India. ICCP Newsletter, 82, 9-10.
• Adsul, T., Ghosh, S., Varma, A.K. 2021. Expressive Bittersweet Association of Sulfur with Coal. The Society for Organic Petrology Newsletter (December), 38 (4), 10-12.
• Kumar, D., Ghosh, S., Varma, A.K., 2021.Influence of palaeovegetation shifts on organic matter sources: An acuity from the n-alkane palaeohydrological proxies. The Society for Organic Petrology Newsletter (September), 38 (3), 8-10.
• Ghosh, S., Varma, A.K., 2021. Deformational Features of Macerals in Anthracite from the Rangit Tectonic Window, Sikkim, India. The Society for Organic Petrology Newsletter (June), 38 (2), 11-12.
• Ghosh, S., Varma A.K., 2020. Secondary microbial methanogenesis in the coal beds of the Raniganj Basin, India: A future quest for microbially enhanced methane production. The Society for Organic Petrology Newsletter (June), 37 (2), 8-9.
• Das, S.K., Ghosh, S., Gangopadhyay, K., 2014. Major element oxides in archaeological potteries (Fine ware) from coastal India: Preliminary Results. IAG Working Group on Geoarchaeology, Newsletter 15.

• Varma, A.K., Ghosh, S. 2018. Hydrocarbon Exploration and Licensing Policy: A Boost for Petroleum Exploration. Technical article. MGMI News Journal. Vol. 44 (2), July-September, 2018.
• Das, S.K., Ghosh, S., Gangopadhyay, K., Ghosh, S., Hazra, M., 2017. Provenance Study of Ancient Potteries from West Bengal and Tamil Nadu: Application of Major Element Oxides and Trace Element Geochemistry. Man and Environment, XLII (2): 11-20.

• Ghosh, S., Varma, A.K., 2023. Geothermal Energy-Driven Hydrogen Production Systems (Chapter 12). In: Inamuddin, Altalhi, T., Adnan, S.M., Amin, M.A. (Eds.), Materials for Hydrogen Production, Conversion, and Storage. Willey Scrivener Publishing LLC, USA. ISBN: 9781119829348; https://doi.org/10.1002/9781119829584.ch12
• Ghosh, S., Adsul, T., Varma, A.K., 2023. Organic matter and mineralogical acumens in CO2 sequestration (Chapter 26). In: Inamuddin, Altalhi, T. (Eds.), Green Sustainable Process for Chemical and Environmental Engineering and Science: Carbon Dioxide Capture and Utilization: Elsevier. ISBN 978-0-323-99429-3.
• Varma, A.K., Ghosh, S., 2020. Supercritical Carbon Dioxide: A Glimpse from the Modern Era of Green Chemistry (Chapter 5). In: Inamuddin, Asiri, Abdullah M. (Eds.), Advanced Nanotechnology and Application of Supercritical Fluids. Springer Nature Switzerland AG. ISBN 978-3-030-44984-1 (eBook); ISBN 978-3-030-44983. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-44984-1_5

• Hatcherian, J., Adsul, A., Hackley, P., Ghosh, S., Varma, A.K., 2023. "Impact of pyrite-sourced sulfur on catagenesis in gilsonite undergoing hydrous pyrolysis" In: An abstract volume published at Joint 74th ICCP and 39th TSOP Meeting in Patras, Greece, during 17th to 24th September 2023.
• Ghosh, S., 2023. "Illitization of kaolinite in the anthracites from the Sikkim Himalayan Fold-Thrust Belts of India" In: An Young Scientist abstract volume published at 108th Indian Science Congress Association (ISCA) during 3-7th January 2022 at Nagpur, India.
• Raj, P., Adsul, T., Ghosh, S., Hazra, B., Varma, A.K., 2023. "Source rock evaluation using enhanced pyrolysis of coal and shale from Rajmahal Basin, India" In: An abstract volume published at 108th Indian Science Congress Association (ISCA) during 3-7th January 2022 at Nagpur, India.
• Adsul, T., Ghosh, S., Ojha, A., Bhattacharyya, S., Varma, A.K., 2023. "Functional Group Niceties during Microstructural Restyling and Hydrocarbon Generation from Coal" In: An abstract volume published at 108th Indian Science Congress Association (ISCA) during 3-7th January 2022 at Nagpur, India.
• Ghosh,S., Dutta, S., Bhattacharyya, S., Priya, T., 2022. "Biomarker and PAH Niceties in Early Permian Coal Lithotypes" In: An abstract volume published at 73rd International Committee for Coal and Organic Petrology (ICCP) during 18th to 25th September, 2022 at New Delhi, India.
• Varma, A.K., Se, D., Ojha, A., Adsul, T., Ghosh, S., Kumar,S., 2022. "A spectral probe on thermal maturity and rheology of bituminous coals from nitrogen geochemistry" In: 73rd International Committee for Coal and Organic Petrology (ICCP) during 18th to 25th September, 2022 at New Delhi, India.
• Adsul, T., Ghosh, S., Varma, A.K., Bhattacharyya, S., 2022. "Source and Palaeodepositional Environment of Eocene Meghalaya Coals, India: A Rock Eval and Stable Carbon Isotopic Minutiae" In: 73rd International Committee for Coal and Organic Petrology (ICCP) during 18th to 25th September, 2022 at New Delhi, India.
• Kumar, D., Adsul, T., Ghosh, S., Datta, S., Sen, R., Hazra, B., Varma, A.K., 2022. "Carbon isotopic excursions in Palaeocene organic matter from India" In: 38th Annual Meeting of The Society for Organic Petrology during 12th to 16th September 2022.
• Adsul, T., Ghosh, S., Bhattacharyya, S., Konar, R., Varma, A.K., 2021."Structural and Chemical Upshots with Prograding Coal Rank: A perspicacity from Spectral Probes" In: An Abstract volume published at Geological Society of America (GSA Connects) during 10th to 13th October 2021 at Portland, USA.
• Adsul, T., Ghosh, S., Varma, A.K., 2021. "Allusions of Raman Spectroscopy on Microstructural Ordering and Thermal Maturity Assessment of Kerogen" In: An abstract volume published at 72nd International Committee for Coal and Organic Petrology (ICCP) during 19th to 25th September, 2021 at Prague, Czech Republic.
• Ghosh, S., Adsul, T., Ojha, A., Kumar, D., Varma, A.K., 2021. "Stable isotopes and nitrogen functionalities in coals and their crafty responses to coal metamorphism" In: An abstract volume published at Frontiers in Geoscience Research Conference. Physical Research Laboratory, Ahmedabad, during 27th to 28th September, 2021.
• Ghosh, S. & Varma, A.K., 2020. “Metamorphic facets of the coals from the Himalayan fold-thrust belts of Sikkim, India” In: An abstract volume published at 107th Indian Science Congress Association (ISCA), Bengaluru during 3rd to 7th January, 2020.
• Ghosh, S., Anwita, Varma, A.K., Das, S.K., Pal, D., Solanki, G., 2019. “Reactions and Stabilization of Organic Nitrogen Moieties and Their Influence on δ15N Parameter in Coals” In: An abstract volume published at 71st International Committee for Coal and Organic Petrology (ICCP) during 15th to 21st September, 2019. pp. 14.
• Tiwari, B., Varma, A.K., Ojha, A., Ghosh, S., Mendhe, V.A., 2019. “Multi-Proxy Aspects for Hydrocarbon Potential of Barren Measures Shales from Jharia Coal Basin, India” In: An abstract volume published at 71st International Committee for Coal and Organic Petrology (ICCP) during 15th to 21st September, 2019. pp. 10.
• Ghosh, S., Varma, A.K., Patra S., Dirghangi, S.S., Mendhe, V.A., Mukherjee, S., 2018. “Optical and macromolecular investigations of the coals from Himalayan fold-thrust belts, Sikkim, India: A target to produce artificial graphite for nuclear reactors and activated carbons” In: An abstract volume published at ‘XVII International Seminar on Mineral Processing Technology” on October 10-12, 2018. pp.111.
• Varma, A.K., Ghosh, S., Patil, D.J., Mani, D., Biswas, S., 2017. “Effects of tectonism on the organic matter of coal from Sikkim, India: Insights from petrography and geochemical proxies”. In an abstract volume of “Goldschmidt Conference (2017)” in Paris, France. Available online: https://goldschmidtabstracts.info/abstracts/abstractView?id=2017001781.
• Das S. K., Ghosh S., Nautiyal C.M., Tripathi S., Basumatary S. K., Ghosh R, Thakur B., Chandra Singh M., Kushwaha R.A.S. (2014) “Palaeoclimate reconstruction using Lake Loktak sediment: A progress report”. In: An abstract volume published at “National Conference on Quaternary Climate Change: New Approaches and Emerging Challenges” on December 15-16, 2014. pp.35.
• Ghosh S., Das S. K., Tripathi S., Basumatary S. K., Ghosh R, Thakur B., Singh M.C., Kushwaha R.A.S. (2015) “Ecological Interpretation of Stable Carbon and Nitrogen isotopes (δ13C and δ15N) of Bulk Organic Matter in Sediments of Lake Loktak, Manipur, India”. In: An abstract volume published at “International Conference on Contemporary Advances of Science and Technology” on August 7-9, 2015. pp. 40-41.

• 108th Indian Science Congress Association (ISCA), Nagpur, India during 3rd to 7th January, 2023 (oral presentation).
• “73rd Meeting and Symposium of International Committee for Coal and Organic Petrology (ICCP)” at New Delhi during 18th to 25th September, 2022 (oral presentation).
• Frontiers in Geoscience Research Conference. Physical Research Laboratory, Ahmedabad, during 27th to 28th September, 2021 (Oral Presentation).
• 107th Indian Science Congress Association (ISCA), Bengaluru, India during 3rd to 7th January, 2020.
• “71st Meeting and Symposium of International Committee for Coal and Organic Petrology (ICCP)” at The Hague, Netherlands during 14th to 21st September, 2019 (oral presentation).
• “International Conference and Exhibition on Energy and Environment: Challenges and Opportunities (ENCO)’ at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi, India during 20-22nd February, 2019 (Poster presentation).
• “XVII International Seminar on Mineral Processing Technology (2018)” at IIT (ISM) Dhanbad-826004, Jharkhand, India (Oral presentation)
• “Goldschmidt Conference (2017)”, Paris, France (Poster presentation).
• “International Conference on Contemporary Advances of Science and Technology” at Benaras Hindu University, Varanasi in 2015 (poster presentation).
• “National Conference on Quaternary Climate Change: New Approaches and Emerging Challenges” at Birbal Sahani Institute of Palaeobotany, Lucknow in 2014 (poster presentation).

• School Board Member of School of Earth Sciences & Natural Resources Management (SES&NRM), Mizoram University, Aizawl
• Organized International Conference on Climate Change and Natural Resource Management for Sustainable Development (ICNS-2024) at Mizoram University, Aizawl, India, Aizawl, from 13to 15th March 2024
• Reviewer of the Applied Geochemistry, Journal of Palaeogeography, Geochemistry, Arabian Journal of Geosciences, Journal of Asian Earth Sciences, Journal of Natural Gas Science & Engineering, Journal of Earth System Science, Journal of Petroleum Science and Technology, and Indian Journal of Sedimentologists.
• Regular Member of The Society for Organic Petrology (TSOP)
• Life Member of Earth System Science division of Indian Science Congress Association (ISCA; L30473)
• Life Member of Indian Association of Sedimentologists (IAS)

• Date of birth: 5th August, 1992
• Nationality: Indian
• Citizenship: Indian
• Passport No: L7762933
• Caste: General
• Gender: Male
• Driving license number: WB-2320130175199

• Writer of short Bengali stories
• Gardening
• Travelling