2020/21 Undergraduate Module Catalogue

SOEE2601 Sedimentary Basins and their Geo-Resources

10 creditsClass Size: 105

Module manager: Dr Nigel Mountney
Email: n.p.mountney@leeds.ac.uk

Taught: Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) View Timetable

Year running 2020/21

This module is mutually exclusive with

SOEE2511

Basin Evolution and Geo-Resources

Module replaces

SOEE2600

This module is not approved as a discovery module

Module summary

This module introduces the techniques required for the study of a) sedimentary basin development, b) the transition of sediments to sedimentary rocks and the diagenetic alteration of sedimentary rocks during burial, and c) explains how sedimentary basins act as major sources for hydrocarbon reserves and geothermal energy, as well as repositories for the underground storage of hydrogen, nuclear waste and sequestered carbon dioxide.

Objectives

To provide an introduction to the mechanisms which lead to the formation of sedimentary basins, the controls on the geometry of basins and their stratigraphic fills, the processes which effect sedimentary rocks during burial, and to establish how hydrocarbon reserves stored within sedimentary basins originate, accumulate and are trapped in the subsurface. The module also explains how sedimentary basins can act as sources for geothermal energy, and as repositories for the underground storage of hydrogen, nuclear waste and sequestered carbon dioxide.

Skills outcomes
On completion of this module, students should be able to:
1) Interpret and describe the mode of origin of a range of sedimentary basins
2) Characterize the structural style of sedimentary basins, including from seismic data
3) Recognize and explain lateral variations of sedimentary facies in a variety of basin settings
4) Understand how to derive tectonic subsidence/uplift histories from the history of base-level change and burial represented in the stratigraphic record
5) Assess the criteria required for the development of thermally mature hydrocarbon source rocks
6) Demonstrate the migration of fluids through carrier beds and into reservoirs
8) Appreciate how reservoir and seal rocks are juxtaposed
9) Outline the main types of stratigraphic and structural traps for subsurface geoenergy resource
10) Describe and explain the origin of a variety of diagenetic features in siliciclastic and carbonate sedimentary rocks, and integrate these with the burial history of the basin
11) Explain how sedimentary basins can act as sources for geothermal energy, and as repositories for the underground storage of hydrogen, nuclear waste and sequestered carbon dioxide.

Syllabus

Syllabus will typically cover:

1) Mechanisms of formation of sedimentary basins
2) Tectonic geomorphology; structural styles of basins and their expression in seismic data
3) Burial history analysis: Backstripping the tectonic subsidence history of a sedimentary basin
4) Tectonic and sea level controls upon variations of sedimentary facies in differing basin settings
5) An overview of the petroleum play system
6) The charge system
7) Reservoir, topseal and trap
8) Quantifying risk in subsurface exploration; petroleum geology of the North Sea
9) Clastic diagenesis
10) Carbonate diagenesis
11) Integrated diagenesis, seismic interpretation and burial history case study
12) Sedimentary basins as sources for geothermal energy, and as repositories for the underground storage of hydrogen, nuclear waste and sequestered carbon dioxide.

Teaching methods

Delivery type	Number	Length hours	Student hours
Lecture	14	1.00	14.00
Practical	10	2.00	20.00
Private study hours			66.00
Total Contact hours			34.00
Total hours (100hr per 10 credits)			100.00

Private study

Students are expected to undertake approximately 1 hour online study and 3 hours of additional reading as an accompaniment to each lecture in the course, plus 22 hours private study in support of the hydrocarbons workbook and 5 hours private study to complete the final integrated practical.

Opportunities for Formative Feedback

Week-by-week feedback to be given on progress in completion of workbook exercises for assessments 1 and 2. Formative assessment of progress will be via online consideration of answers to weekly exercises, else can alternatively be via in-person feedback.

Methods of assessment

Coursework

Assessment type	Notes	% of formal assessment
Practical	Basin Analysis Workbook	40.00
Practical	Subsurface Resources Workbook	60.00
Total percentage (Assessment Coursework)		100.00

The resit will be in the form of a single integrated essay on the topic of "basin analysis and subsurface geo-resources". Essay title and suggested reading to be issued at time when need for a resit becomes apparent.

Reading list

The reading list is available from the Library website

Last updated: 10/08/2020 08:46:33

Disclaimer

Browse Other Catalogues

• Undergraduate module catalogue
• Taught Postgraduate module catalogue
• Undergraduate programme catalogue
• Taught Postgraduate programme catalogue

Errors, omissions, failed links etc should be notified to the Catalogue Team.PROD