Prairie Research Institute

Yaghoob Lasemi was born in Kilan, Damavand, Iran. He received a BS degree in geology from Tehran Teachers Training College (now Kharazmi University) in 1973, a MS degree in geology (subsurface geology/stratigraphy) from Michigan State University, East Lansing in 1975, and a PhD degree in geology (microfacies and depositional environments) from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 1980. He is a research scientist on sedimentary petrology, facies analysis, and sequence stratigraphy of Phanerozoic carbonate and siliciclastic successions. He initiated the study of facies analysis and sequence stratigraphy in Iran and directed over 80 MS theses and PhD dissertations at Kharazmi and Azad Universities before joining, in September 2007, the Illinois State Geological Survey, a division of the Prairie Research Institute at the University of Illinois. He worked as research assistant at the Illinois State Geological Survey in late 70s, as exploration geologist in southern Illinois from 1981-87, worked and lectured short courses related to petroleum geology in the National Iranian Oil Company Exploration Office, Tehran in 1988 and 1990-1998, respectively, and was a faculty member in the Department of Geology at Kharazmi University in Tehran from 1989-2007. Currently, he is working on facies analysis and sequence stratigraphic framework of the Cambro-Ordovician and Siluro-Devonian deposits and on various aspects of petroleum geology and reservoir characterization in the Illinois Basin.

Illinois Experts Profile

• PhD Geology 1980, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
• MS Geology 1975, Michigan State University, East Lansing
• BS Geology 1973, Teachers Training College (now Kharazmi University), Tehran, Iran

• Petroleum geology/reservoir characterization
• Petrography of carbonates and siliciclastic deposits
• Facies and depositional history of carbonate and siliciclastic deposits
• Sequence stratigraphy and sea-level history of Phanerozoic successions

• 9/2007-present: Petroleum Geologist/Reservoir Geologist, Illinois State Geological Survey
• 10/2004-10/2005: Chairman, Department Geology, Kharazmi University, Tehran
• 1998-2007: Associate professor, Dept. of Geology, Kharazmi University, Tehran 
• 1989-1998: Assistant professor, Dept. of Geology, TKharazmi University, Tehran
• 1988-1989: Lecturer, Dept. of Geology, Kharazmi University, Tehran

• 10/1987-7/1988: Director of Sedimentology Section, National Iranian Oil Company Exploration Office, Division of Laboratories, Tehran
• 1983-1987: Consulting petroleum geologist, Lawrenceville and Champaign, Illinois
• 1981-1983: Petroleum geologist, Great Southwest Oil and Gas Corp., Lawrenceville, Illinois

• PhD level: Carbonate/siliciclastic facies, basin analysis, sequence stratigraphy
• MS level: Subsurface geology, carbonate sedimentology, depositional environments
• Undergraduate level: Petroleum geology, sedimentary petrology, subsurface geology

SELECTED RECENT PUBLICATIONS

Lasemi, Y., 2022. Stratigraphic framework and reservoir characterization of the Middle Devonian Lingle Formation in the southern flank of the Sangamon Arch, central Illinois (accepted for publication as ISGS Circular Series).

Lasemi, Y., Askari Z., 2021. Paleokarst Development and Controls in the Cambrian Potosi Dolomite and Eminence Formation, Illinois Basin. Kansas Geological Survey Technical Series 24, pp. 31-33.

Amin-Rasouli, H., Lasemi, Y., 2021. Facies changes and a major negative δ¹³C shift suggest the base of Mila Formation as the likely base of the Miaolingian Series, Alborz Mountains, northern Iran. SEPM, The Sedimentary Record (TSR) 19, pp. 11-14.

Lasmi, Y., Amin-Rasouli, H., 2016. The lower-middle Cambrian transition and the Sauk I-II unconformable boundary in Iran, a record of late early Cambrian global Hawke Bay regression. Geological Society of America Special Paper 525, Ahead of Print Online First, p. 1–24, doi:10.1130/2016.2525(10).

Lasemi, Y., 2014. Central Illinois shows Siluro-Devonian oil potential. Oil & Gas Journal, V. 112.3, pp. 49-60.

Lasemi, Y., Askari, Z., 2014. Stratigraphy of the Cambo-Ordovician Knox succession in Illinois. DOE Knox Project Final Contract Report, 40p.

Lasemi, Y., Jahani, D., Amin-Rasouli, H., Lasemi, Z., 2012. Ancient Carbonate Tidalites. In: Principles of Tidal Sedimentology, R. A. Davis and R. W. Dalrymple (eds.), Springer Science, pp. 567-607.

Lasemi, Y., Seyler, B., Lasemi, Z., Askari Khorasgani, Z. 2010. Sedimentology and Reservoir Characterization of the Silurian Deposits in the Mt. Auburn Trend of the Sangamon Arch, West-Central Illinois. Illinois State Geological Survey Circular 577, 33 p.

Lasemi, Y., Jalilian, A. H., 2010. The Middle Jurassic basinal deposits of the Surmeh Formation in the Central Zagros Mountains, southwest Iran: facies, sequence stratigraphy, and controls. Carbonates and Evaporites, V. 25: pp. 283-295.

Lasemi, Y., 2009. Oil potential seen in Silurian reef-related reservoirs in Illinois Sangamon Arch, Oil & Gas Journal, V. 107, pp. 36-40.

Lasemi, Y., 2008. Silurian carbonate reservoirs of the Mount Auburn Trend along the Sangamon Arch, west-central Illinois. DOE Lower Paleozoic Final Contract Report, 35p.

Lasemi, Y. Noorafkan Kondtoud, K., 2008. Sequence stratigraphic control on prolific HC reservoir development, southwest Iran. Oil & Gas Journal, V. 106, pp. 34-38.

Lasemi, Y., Ghomashi, M., Amin-Rasouli, H., Kheradmand, A., 2008. The Lower Triassic Sorkh Shale Formation of the Tabas Block: Succession of a failed-rift basin at the Paleotethys margin: Carbonates and Evaporites, V. 23. pp. 21-38.

Lasemi, Y., Amin-Rasouli, H., 2007. Archaeocyathan buildups within an entirely siliciclastic succession: New discovery in the Toyonian Lalun Formation of northern Iran, the Proto- Paleotethys passive margin of northern Gondwana. Sedimentary Geology V. 201, pp. 302-320.