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John William Gama

Lecturer

School of Mines and Geosciences

Petroleum Science and Engineering

Biography

I’m a petroleum geologist with extensive expertise in organic and isotope geochemistry of source rocks and liquid hydrocarbons. I hold a Ph.D. in Petroleum Geosciences (Magna Cum Laude) from the University of Kiel, Germany, an M.Sc. in Petroleum Geology from the French Institute of Petroleum (IFP School, France), and a B.Sc. in Geology (First Class Honors) from the University of Dar es Salaam (UDSM).

I currently serve as a Lecturer and Coordinator of Research, Innovation, and Knowledge Exchange at the School of Mines and Geosciences (SoMG), UDSM. From 2016 to 2019, I was the Coordinator of Practical Training in the Department of Geology, leading field programs and strengthening industry collaborations. I also served as a Visiting Researcher at the University of Aberdeen, Scotland (2016–2017), contributing to international research initiatives on petroleum systems and basin evolution.

Before joining academia, I worked as a Mine Geologist at Geita Gold Mine (2010–2011) and as an Exploration Geologist at African Barrick Gold Exploration (2011–2013), gaining diverse skills in exploration, mining, geological mapping, and resource estimation.

Over the past 15 years, I have been involved in multidisciplinary projects integrating environmental, geological, and socio-economic dimensions. I have led and participated in research and consultancy assignments funded by both local and international organizations, including the European Union, German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), the German Research Foundation (DFG), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the Tanzania Bureau of Standards (TBS), and the Tanzania National Roads Agency (TANROADS).

As an academic, I teach courses in petroleum geology, petroleum geochemistry, and sedimentary basin and petroleum systems. I have authored multiple peer-reviewed publications in leading international journals, focusing on petroleum system assessment and source rock evaluation in Tanzanian sedimentary basins. I am also an active member of the Tanzania Geological Society (TGS) and the European Association of Geoscientists and Engineers (EAGE).

 

Research Interest

  1. Petroleum Geochemistry: I am interested in the geochemical characterization of source rocks and hydrocarbons to understand petroleum generation, migration, and accumulation. My research focuses on organic and isotope geochemistry to evaluate hydrocarbon potential in various sedimentary basins.
  2. Basin Analysis: I investigate the evolution of sedimentary basins, integrating structural, stratigraphic, and geochemical data to reconstruct basin development and assess petroleum system dynamics. My work links tectonics, sedimentation, and thermal history to hydrocarbon prospectivity.
  3. Source Rock Petrophysics: I explore the physical and chemical properties of source rocks, including porosity, permeability, and organic matter distribution, to better understand their capacity to generate and expel hydrocarbons.
  4. Coal Geochemistry: I study the composition, rank, and geochemical signatures of coal deposits to assess their energy potential and implications for both conventional and unconventional hydrocarbon systems.

Contacts

Email:

Projects

  1. Source Rock Evaluation of the Rukwa Rift Basin, Southwestern Tanzania (2022–present) – Funded by UDSM Innovation Grants.

     Aim: To assess the hydrocarbon potential of the Rukwa Rift Basin through systematic source rock evaluation.

 

  1. Geochemical Characterization and Correlation of Oil Seeps in the Coastal Tanzania Basin – Funded by UDSM Innovation Grants.

     Aim: To characterize and correlate oil seeps to support exploration and identify prospective petroleum systems in the coastal basin.

 

  1. Geochemical Investigations of Lower Jurassic Source Rock Intervals in the Mandawa Basin, Southeastern Tanzania (2019–2023) – Funded by DAAD and DFG

    Aim: To evaluate the geochemical properties of Lower Jurassic source rocks and understand their role in petroleum generation in the Mandawa Basin.

 

  1. Geochemical Investigation of Oil Seeps in the Tanzania Coastal Sedimentary Basin (2016–2018). Funded by the European Union (EU) in collaboration with the University of Aberdeen, Scotland.

    Aim: To analyze oil seeps for geochemical signatures to aid the identification of petroleum source rocks and potential hydrocarbon accumulations.

Publications

  1. Gama, J.W., Kiswaka, E.B., Mboya, V.E. and Mohamed, H.L.M., 2025. Geochemical evaluation of the Cenozoic hydrocarbon source rocks in the Eyasi Wembere Basin, Northeast Tanzania. Journal of Sedimentary Environments, pp.1-18. https://doi.org/10.1007/s43217-025-00243-8.

     

  2. Kiswaka, E.B., Harishidayat, D., Mkinga, O.J. and Gama, J.W., 2025. Hybrid turbidite-contourite system on the upper-slope continental margin of the offshore southern Tanzania. Journal of African Earth Sciences, 222, p.105496. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jafrearsci.2024.105496.

     

  3. Kiswaka, E.B., Gama, J.W., Mkinga, O.J., Mvile, B.N. and Malinzi, M.J., 2025. Petrophysical assessment of the Miocene sandstone reservoirs in the Tanga Basin, Northern Coastal Tanzania. Journal of Sedimentary Environments, 10(1), pp.99-112. https://doi.org/10.1007/s43217-024-00208-3.

     

  4. Gama, J.W., Kiswaka, E.B., 2024. Source rock potential of the Bajocian-Bathonian succession (Mtumbei Formation) in the Mandawa Basin, SE Tanzania. Acta Geochim . https://doi.org/10.1007/s11631-024-00738-7.

     

  5. Gama, J.W., Kiswaka, E.B. & Mshiu, E.E.,  2024. Influence of igneous intrusions on maturation of the Cretaceous-Eocene source rocks of the offshore Tanzanian Basin. Acta Geochim. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11631-024-00730.

     

  6. Kiswaka, E.B., Mshiu, E.E. & Gama, J.W., 2024. Is the offshore southern Tanzanian Basin an atypical igneous-sedimentary petroleum system? Mar Geophys Res 45, 5. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11001-023-09540-1.

     

  7. Gama, J., Schwark, L., 2023. Assessment of kerogen types and source rock potential of Lower Jurassic successions in the Mandawa Basin, SE Tanzania. Marine and Petroleum Geology, 157, p.1065. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpetgeo.2023.106505.

     

  8. Gama, J., Schwark, L., 2023. Total Organic Carbon variability of Lower Jurassic successions in the Mandawa Basin, SE Tanzania. J. Pet. Sci. Eng. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.petrol.2022.111276.

     

  9. Gama, J., Schwark, L., 2023. A review of earliest Toarcian geological evolution in the East African Coastal Margin: paleogeography, stratigraphy, and facies implications. J. Afr. Earth Sci. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jafrearsci.2023.104885.

     

  10. Gama, J., Schwark, L., 2022. Lithofacies of early Jurassic successions derived from spectral gamma ray logging in the Mandawa Basin, SE Tanzania. Arab J Geosci 15, 1373. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12517-022-10622-4.