Exploring the Energy Transition

This module provides a practical introduction into how we use borehole and seismic data in combination to explore sedimentary basins for industrial or academic purposes, in the context of the energy transition and the climate emergency. A transfer from hydrocarbon production to carbon sequestration is projected for the coming decade. The suite of techniques that were traditionally used to explore for oil and gas will still be needed for sequestering carbon and exploiting geothermal energy. The same exploration techniques are used when planning academic expeditions to recover cores for climate reconstruction studies.

Most of the course time is devoted to extended practical exercises that give you a grounding in industry-standard analysis techniques and software.

By the end of the module you will be able to:

• Demonstrate understanding of how sedimentary basin exploration exacerbates and mitigates the climate emergency and how industries are responding to the energy transition.
• Use palaeo-water depth reconstruction, burial and maturation analysis techniques in sedimentary basin exploration for industrial and academic purposes.
• Use seismic datasets, including within industry standard software, to explore a sedimentary basin for industrial and academic purposes.
• Correlate seismic and borehole data, including wireline logging data, and plan boreholes in industrial or academic contexts.

Assessment

• Multiple pieces of coursework