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
Geochemistry of ore metals at very high temperatures. The world’s largest copper and gold mines occur in extinct volcanoes around the Pacific Rim. Understanding how these essential metals are mobilised from magmas in the roots of volcanoes to become ore deposits and how to recognize where this has occurred is crucial in exploration for new deposits.
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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Diamonds - a window into the ancient mantle: the origin of Earth's atmosphere and outgassing of the mantle. The project will provide a better understanding of the mantle source regions of diamonds and, in particular, homogeneity/heterogeneity of the source regions as a function of space and time - potentially of economic significance for diamond exploration. The project will investigate the noble gas compositions of a systematic selection of diamonds of different ages and from different parts of ....Diamonds - a window into the ancient mantle: the origin of Earth's atmosphere and outgassing of the mantle. The project will provide a better understanding of the mantle source regions of diamonds and, in particular, homogeneity/heterogeneity of the source regions as a function of space and time - potentially of economic significance for diamond exploration. The project will investigate the noble gas compositions of a systematic selection of diamonds of different ages and from different parts of the mantle. Together with carbon and nitrogen isotope systematics, this information will be used to better constrain models of Earth outgassing and the evolution of the Earth's atmosphere and mantle.Read moreRead less
Sedimentary phosphorites as geochemical sponges: trace element scavenging, the chemical evolution of seawater and an innovative method for dating sediments. Ancient sedimentary phosphorite is the major source of commercial phosphate in Australia and East Asia. This project will lead to economic and environmental benefits to Australia by providing the minerals industry with the tools to target purer phosphate, thus improving resource estimations and minimising the environmental impact of trace me ....Sedimentary phosphorites as geochemical sponges: trace element scavenging, the chemical evolution of seawater and an innovative method for dating sediments. Ancient sedimentary phosphorite is the major source of commercial phosphate in Australia and East Asia. This project will lead to economic and environmental benefits to Australia by providing the minerals industry with the tools to target purer phosphate, thus improving resource estimations and minimising the environmental impact of trace metal burdened fertiliser. The study will enhance our understanding of the nature and timing of key moments in Earth history and could serve as a launchpad for future studies on the use of phosphate for environmental remediation. We hope to provide exciting opportunities for Australian postgraduates through cutting edge research in partnership with both homespun and international academic collaborators.Read moreRead less
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
Aggregate structure of humic organic matter. Soil aquatic organic matter is important in plant growth, nutrient supply and water quality and in affecting pollutants and metal ions in the environment. Indeed the survival of life on the planet depends on the way geo-organic matter functions. We have recently developed a new host guest theory on the way this material binds important substances such as metal ions and pollutants. This project aims to use this theory to investigate the structure of th ....Aggregate structure of humic organic matter. Soil aquatic organic matter is important in plant growth, nutrient supply and water quality and in affecting pollutants and metal ions in the environment. Indeed the survival of life on the planet depends on the way geo-organic matter functions. We have recently developed a new host guest theory on the way this material binds important substances such as metal ions and pollutants. This project aims to use this theory to investigate the structure of these materials and how they work in Nature by understanding molecular composition at a level hitherto thought impossible.Read moreRead less