Basins Research Group (BRG)
BRG webpage: www.imperial.ac.uk/earthscienceandengineering/research/basins
Group Members
• Staff
–
–
–
–
–
Dr Christopher Jackson
Professor Alastair Fraser
Dr Gary Hampson
Professor Howard Johnson
Dr Alex Whittaker
• Research Associates (PDRA)
–
–
–
–
Dr Craig Magee (IC)
Dr Amandine Prélat (IC)
Dr Rebecca Bell (Statoil)
Dr Peter Fitch (ExxonMobil)
• PhD Students
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
Azli Abu Bakar (PETRONAS)
Abdulaziz Al-Balushi (PDO)
Hayley Allen (IC)
Donatella Astratti (Self)
Johan Claringbould (Statoil)
Elisabeth Evrard (Statoil)
Yvette Flood (IC)
Nicholas Holgate (Self)
Aruna Mannie (Commonwealth)
Benoît Massart (Shell)
Matthew Lewis (IC)
Stefano Patruno (IC)
Clara Rodriguez (Self)
Thilo Wrona (IC)
Previous group members: Dr Karla Kane (PDRA 2008; now at Statoil), Dr Gavin Elliott (PDRA 2012; now at LukOil), Rachel
Kieft (PhD 2009; now at BP), Andrew McAndrew (PhD 2010; now at ExxonMobil), Faisal Alqahtani (PhD 2010; now at King
Fahd University), Paul Whipp (PhD 2010; now at Statoil), Abdullah Adli Zakaria (PhD 2010; now at PETRONAS), Evelina
Dmitrieva (PhD 2012; now at Repsol)
BRG Research Overview
• This Basin Research Group (BRG) focuses on the geodynamic,
structural, and stratigraphic evolution of sedimentary basins
• We are a multidisciplinary group of Earth Scientists who are
committed to understanding the fundamental geological processes
operating in evolving sedimentary basins, and the application of this
understanding to determining the nature, origin and occurrence of
natural resources
• We are involved in integrated surface and subsurface investigations
worldwide, using a combination of traditional field-based methods
and state-of-the-art technologies for geophysical, geological and
geochemical data acquisition, processing, analysis and threedimensional visualisation
Sedimentology and Sequence Stratigraphy
Stratigraphic correlation through the Vestland and Boknfjord groups; from Mannie et al. (in review)
•
Sedimentology and sequence stratigraphy of non-marine-to-shallow-marine
clastic depositional systems:
–
–
–
–
–
Dip and strike sedimentological and stratigraphic variability
Impact on reservoir modelling and production performance
Combination of seismic reflection, core and wireline log analysis
Field studies in Borneo, Argentina, South Africa
Associated staff and research students: Dr Chris Jackson, Prof Howard Johnson, Dr Gary Hampson,
Dr Amandine Prélat (PDRA), Nicholas Holgate (PhD), Stefano Patruno (PhD), Aruna Mannie (PhD),
Ben Said (MSci)
Sedimentology and sequence stratigraphy
•
Deep-water sedimentology and
structurally-complex settings:
–
–
–
–
stratigraphy
in
Interaction between tectonics and sedimentary processes on
submarine slopes
Characterisation of hybrid event beds
Outcrop and subsurface-based studies from offshore Norway,
offshore UK, Argentina, South Africa
Associated staff and students: Dr Chris Jackson, Prof Howard
Johnson, Dr Gary Hampson, Dr Amandine Prélat (PDRA), Stefano
Patruno (PhD), Rob Duller (PDRA at Liverpool), Jord de Boer (PhD
at Bergen)
Structural Geology
•
The growth of normal faults and faultrelated folding in extensional settings:
–
–
–
–
Fault growth via segment linkage
Fault-related folding
Impact of pre-existing structures on the tectonostratigraphic evolution of rifts
Associated staff and students: Dr Chris Jackson, Dr
Rebecca Bell (PDRA), Matthew Lewis (PhD), Jord de
Boer (PhD at Bergen), Anette Tvedt (PhD at UiB),
Duarte Soares (PhD at Cardiff)
Structural Geology
•
Salt tectonics:
–
–
–
–
Impact of stratigraphic heterogeneity on saltrelated structural styles
Normal fault growth in salt-influenced
sedimentary basins
Geodynamic and thermal impact of salt
deposition
Associated staff and students: Dr Chris
Jackson, Professor Alastair Fraser, Dr
Rebecca Bell (PDRA), Matthew Lewis (PhD),
Hayley Allen (PhD), Abdulaziz Al-Balushi
(PhD), Clara Rodriguez (PhD), Donatella
Astratti (PhD)
Dynamic Subsurface Processes
•
Igneous processes and their
impacts
on
petroleum
system development:
–
–
–
Sill emplacement and implications
for reservoir quality and trap
development
Seismic reflection-based studies
from offshore Australia, offshore
UK and offshore Norway
Associated staff and students: Dr
Christopher Jackson, Dr Craig
Magee (PDRA), Esther HuntStewart (MSci)
Volcanic vents and associated radial and concentric fractures, Otway Basin,
offshore southern Australia (image courtesy of Nick Schofield)
Igneous sills and extrusive volcanic cones, Bight Basin, offshore southern Australia
Dynamic Subsurface Processes
•
Fluid flow and sediment
remobilisation in sedimentary
basins:
–
–
–
–
–
Remobilisation and injection of deepmarine sands
Mudstone
remobilisation
and
associated deformation
Seismic imaging and borehole
calibration of diagenetic boundaries
and implications for fluid flow and
petroleum system development
Seismic reflection- and borehole
based studies from offshore UK and
offshore Norway
Associated staff and students: Thilo
Wrona (PhD), Evelina Dmitrieva
(PhD), Oluwatobi Olobayo (UoM)
Funding, and software
Funding:
• Software:
– Petrel
(Schlumberger)
(seismic interpretation)
– Kingdom
Suite
(HIS)
(seismic interpretation)
– SViPro
(FFA)
(seismic
visualisation)
– TrapTester
(Badleys
Geoscience)
(quantitative
fault analysis)
– Flex/Stretch
(Badleys
Geoscience) (forward and
inverse modelling of basin
geodynamic processes
– Move
(Midland
Valley)
(structural modelling)
– Interactive Petrophysics
(petrophysical analysis)
PhD Training Opportunities
•
During the PhD program the students will gain technical skills in:
–
–
–
–
•
The interpretation and visualisation of 2D and 3D seismic reflection data
Modelling and interpretation of potential-field data (e.g. gravity, magnetics)
The quantitative and qualitative interpretation of electrical (wireline) log data
Core description of clastic sedimentary sequences
The student will also gain associated skills in:
–
–
Teaching via their involvement in lab- and field-based courses (e.g. MSc fieldtrips to Utah,
US and Derbyshire, UK, Seismic Interpretation Techniques)
The petroleum industry via visits to companies associated with their research projects
For more information please contact: Dr
Christopher
Jackson
(c.jackson@imperial.ac.uk
or
+44(0)2074947450) or visit the Basins
Research Group (BRG) webpage
(http://www3.imperial.ac.uk/earthscienc
eandengineering/research/basins)
List of current research projects
• Research Associates (PDRA)
–
–
–
–
Dr Craig Magee (IC) - Understanding the structural emplacement of igneous intrusions to assess their potential impacts on
sedimentary basin and petroleum system evolution
Dr Amandine Prélat (IC) - Interaction between sedimentology and tectonics in shallow marine environments
Dr Rebecca Bell (Statoil) - Investigating tectonic history and fault behaviours using offshore and onshore geological and
geophysical data
Dr Peter Fitch (ExxonMobil) - Reservoir characterisation and fluid flow in carbonate reservoirs
• PhD Students
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
Azli Abu Bakar (PETRONAS) – Structural and stratigraphic evolution of salt-related depocentres
Abdulaziz Al-Balushi (OPD) - Impact of the Messinian Salinity Crisis (MSC) on hydrocarbon maturation and migration
Hayley Allen (IC) – Facies distribution in a saline giant: a seismic reflection and borehole analysis of the Messinian Salinity
Crisis
Johan Claringbould (Statoil) – Structural and Stratigraphic Expression of Multiphase Extension in Rift Basins
Elisabeth Evrard (Statoil) - Facies distribution in the Zechstein Supergroup and influence on rift basin structural style in the
Greater South Viking Graben, Northern North Sea Rift
Yvette Flood (IC) - Controls on fluvial stratigraphic architecture in a large-scale outcrop dataset: Blackhawk Formation, Wasatch
Plateau, Utah, USA
Nicholas Holgate (Self) - A comparative study of controls on shoreline trajectories in rift-margin and rift-interior shallow marine
systems
Aruna Mannie (Commonwealth) - Structural controls on the stratigraphic architecture of net-transgressive shallow-marine strata,
Middle to Upper Jurassic, Norwegian Central Graben
Benoît Massart (Shell) - Improved characterization and modelling of low-permeability sandstone reservoirs
Matthew Lewis (IC) - Structural and stratigraphic evolution of extensional fault-propagation folds
Stefano Patruno (IC) - Linkage between shelf and slope depositional systems along the margins of an active rift basin: insights
from shoreline trajectories analysis
Clara Rodriguez (Self) - Regional structural evolution of a saline giant during passive margin development: The role of
stratigraphic heterogeneity
Thilo Wrona (IC) - Geometry and evolution of the silica diagenetic fronts on the Norwegian Margin: a combined seismic,
borehole and geochemical study
Completed projects
• Research Associates (PDRA)
–
–
Dr Gavin Elliott (Statoil) - Stratigraphic development of salt-influenced rift basins (completed 2012)
Dr Karla Kane (Statoil) - Salt-related normal fault growth in rift basins (completed 2008)
• PhD Students
–
–
–
–
–
–
Evelina Dmitrieva (IC) – Deposition and remobilisation of deep-water sandbodies in the Norwegian North Sea (completed
2012)
Paul Whipp (IC) – Fault propagation folding and the growth of normal faults (completed 2011)
Abdullah Adli Zakaria (PETRONAS) - Sedimentology of Tertiary deepwater sandstones in NW Sabah, Malaysia: an evaluation
of the Paleogene (Oligocene-Miocene) West Crocker Formation and the Neogene (Early Pliocene) Lingan submarine fan
systems (completed 2010)
Rachel Kieft (Statoil) – Sedimentology and sequence stratigraphy of shallow marine sediments in a syn-rift setting; the Hugin
Formation, South Viking Graben (completed 201
Andrew McAndrew (Statoil) – Occurrence and cause of syn-rift erosional unconformities in the northern North Sea (completed
2010)
Faisal Alqahtani (King Abdulaziz University) - 3D seismic geomorphology of fluvial systems (completed 2010)