Chronostratigraphic, molecular and isotopic approaches to age petroleum. The project aims to reduce the costs of drilling in deep-water offshore by better identifying potential drilling sites. The North-West shelf offshore Australia is the main supplier of liquefied natural gas. However, there is uncertainty about the age of petroleum (oil and gas) discovered in the region. It is not currently possible to constrain an age of fluids to a number of source rocks. The aims are to develop a high-leve ....Chronostratigraphic, molecular and isotopic approaches to age petroleum. The project aims to reduce the costs of drilling in deep-water offshore by better identifying potential drilling sites. The North-West shelf offshore Australia is the main supplier of liquefied natural gas. However, there is uncertainty about the age of petroleum (oil and gas) discovered in the region. It is not currently possible to constrain an age of fluids to a number of source rocks. The aims are to develop a high-level age discriminative tool for fluids. An interdisciplinary approach will be applied using state-of-the-art techniques including comprehensive two dimensional gas chromatography time-of-flight mass spectrometry, compound specific isotope analysis of hydrocarbons, clumped isotopes of methane and metagenomics.Read moreRead less
Advancing Mineral Exploration Models for Orogenic Gold Deposits. This interdisciplinary project links geochemistry with crustal-scale fluid migration, aiming to improve mineral exploration success for orogenic gold deposits. In doing so, it intends to provide a more holistic view of gold deposit genesis. This project plans to focus on the Victorian goldfields, which have world-class historic gold production, an existing seismic transect, and a geologic setting that will address key problems in g ....Advancing Mineral Exploration Models for Orogenic Gold Deposits. This interdisciplinary project links geochemistry with crustal-scale fluid migration, aiming to improve mineral exploration success for orogenic gold deposits. In doing so, it intends to provide a more holistic view of gold deposit genesis. This project plans to focus on the Victorian goldfields, which have world-class historic gold production, an existing seismic transect, and a geologic setting that will address key problems in gold deposit genesis. A series of modelling techniques will be used to marry structural and geochemical aspects of gold deposit formation at a scale that has not been previously attempted.Read moreRead less
Stable carbon isotope compositions and distributions of age-diagnostic molecular fossils in Indonesian oils and source rocks for oil-source correlations. The project aims to develop a novel organic geochemical tool for determining a reliable geological age of sedimentary organic matter. The method involves measuring stable carbon isotope signatures of age-specific molecular fossils derived from land plants. To obtain accurate signatures separation techniques focusing on the compounds of interest ....Stable carbon isotope compositions and distributions of age-diagnostic molecular fossils in Indonesian oils and source rocks for oil-source correlations. The project aims to develop a novel organic geochemical tool for determining a reliable geological age of sedimentary organic matter. The method involves measuring stable carbon isotope signatures of age-specific molecular fossils derived from land plants. To obtain accurate signatures separation techniques focusing on the compounds of interest will be developed. The application of this approach in oil to source rock correlations has promise in petroleum basin studies, especially exploration, as evidenced by the strong support from Unocal. It is antipicated that the outcomes of this research will be valuable to other petroleum provinces (especially within Australia).
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New molecular and isotopic biomarker approaches to establishing source, palaeoclimate, facies and thermal history of sedimentary organic matter. The ability to identify crude oil sources is a key issue in petroleum exploration, especially in Australia where vast gas deposits occur but very limited reserves of liquid hydrocarbons have been discovered. Discoveries of new petroleum reservoirs/provinces will benefit all Australians. Technological developments made will be extended to other Australia ....New molecular and isotopic biomarker approaches to establishing source, palaeoclimate, facies and thermal history of sedimentary organic matter. The ability to identify crude oil sources is a key issue in petroleum exploration, especially in Australia where vast gas deposits occur but very limited reserves of liquid hydrocarbons have been discovered. Discoveries of new petroleum reservoirs/provinces will benefit all Australians. Technological developments made will be extended to other Australian basins leading to more effective petroleum and mineral exploration strategies. The project described will also help our understanding of climate variability of past episodes and help predict what might happen in the future. The PhD scholars will foster high-calibre postgraduate research students suitable for employment in research or in industry.Read moreRead less
Evolution of the Proterozoic lithosphere and its bearing of sediment hosted base metal mineralisation. This project aims to determine the aspects of lithospheric evolution that led to a concentration of giant base metal mineral deposits in the Early to Middle Proterozoic (ca 1.9-1.5 billion years ago). We propose to test three related hypotheses that, if validated, will fundamentally change our view of Proterozoic metallogenesis and the way the mineral industry approaches exploration for these ....Evolution of the Proterozoic lithosphere and its bearing of sediment hosted base metal mineralisation. This project aims to determine the aspects of lithospheric evolution that led to a concentration of giant base metal mineral deposits in the Early to Middle Proterozoic (ca 1.9-1.5 billion years ago). We propose to test three related hypotheses that, if validated, will fundamentally change our view of Proterozoic metallogenesis and the way the mineral industry approaches exploration for these deposits.Read moreRead less
Tackling the resurgences of life, advanced dating tools of oils by sophisticated molecular and isotopic analyses from major geological events. Evidence of Earth’s biogeochemical evolution is uniquely recorded in sediments and petroleum, as are the mechanisms of life’s recovery from mass extinction caused by past catastrophes. Pioneering ageing techniques will be tested on ancient sediments, low temperature mineral fabrics and petroleum leading to the exploration of new energy sources.
Gold transport in aqueous versus organic fluids: Experimental data for describing ore-forming systems. In many hydrothermal ore-forming systems, the ore is associated with inclusions of both aqueous brine and organic liquid (petroleum). The conventional theory is that the metals are dissolved and transported to the deposit by the brine, but some researchers suggest that petroleum may fill this role. This project proposes to conduct an experimental and field-based study on the chemical behaviour ....Gold transport in aqueous versus organic fluids: Experimental data for describing ore-forming systems. In many hydrothermal ore-forming systems, the ore is associated with inclusions of both aqueous brine and organic liquid (petroleum). The conventional theory is that the metals are dissolved and transported to the deposit by the brine, but some researchers suggest that petroleum may fill this role. This project proposes to conduct an experimental and field-based study on the chemical behaviour of gold in aqueous-organic and organic fluid systems, to determine which type of liquid is more important for gold mobilisation in a competitive situation. This study will provide much-needed data for more accurate modelling of ore systems, furthering our understanding and facilitating mineral exploration. Read moreRead less
Chemical optimisation of geothermal heat extraction. Geothermal energy can contribute to our energy needs, but we must understand chemical interactions between geothermal fluids, the host aquifers and the engineered environment to use the energy safely and efficiently. This project will assess those interactions, provide guidelines for geothermal energy use and train future geothermal scientists.