About Jeff Kelley
Jeff D. Kelley is the Founder and Principal of RockWise LLC, a boutique technical firm providing applied subsurface intelligence for the energy transition. His work focuses on carbon capture and storage (CCUS), geothermal development, and complex subsurface systems where geology, engineering, and infrastructure decisions intersect.
Jeff brings more than two decades of experience spanning geoscience, offshore operations, oceanography, RF and sensing systems, and engineering leadership. He has led and executed projects in remote and high-consequence environments, integrating petrophysical analysis, geomechanics, reservoir modeling, and field operations to reduce uncertainty in capital-intensive projects.
His background includes offshore research and instrumentation deployments with NOAA, subsea sensing programs, defense-related communications and monitoring systems, and leadership roles directing multidisciplinary engineering teams responsible for mission-critical infrastructure. Across these efforts, Jeff has been known for translating complex subsurface realities into decisions operators and investors can stand behind.
Jeff is also a published geoscientist, with technical work spanning planetary geophysics, unconventional reservoir development, drilling and completion technologies, and structural geology. He has taught and mentored engineers and geoscientists in both industry and academic settings, and continues to work at the boundary between field execution and long-horizon system design.
Through RockWise, Jeff advises developers, operators, and investors seeking to deploy Infrastructure, O&G, CCUS, and geothermal projects responsibly and at scale — with a focus on disciplined subsurface characterization, legacy well repurposing, and data-driven risk reduction. We partner with private equity and project developers to underwrite risk, redesign assets, and convert uncertainty into executable development plans.
Subsea Operations & Scientific Diving
Scientific diving and subsea instrumentation deployments with NOAA and partner institutions, including Aquarius, Guam, and Atlantic coastal programs.
Infrastructure-Scale RF & Sensing Systems
HF/VLF antenna installation and modernization for mission-critical communications infrastructure.
Seafloor Mapping & Remote Sensing
Multibeam and side-scan sonar products supporting navigation safety, seafloor characterization, and infrastructure planning.