Modelling palaeoclimates to aid oil exploration - a GETECH-University of Bristol partnership
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Bristol
Department Name: Geographical Sciences
Abstract
Concern about ¿peak oil¿ has increased the need to explore for new oil reserves. Exploratory drilling is high risk and one way to improve efficiency is by using model predictions of past climates to identify key regions. This proposal is a joint collaboration between GETECH (a petroleum and minerals consultancy) and the University of Bristol. We are seeking proof-of-concept funding (a) for GETECH to prepare palaeogeographic reconstructions for three past time periods, and (b) for the University of Bristol to use these maps to perform state-of-the-art palaeoclimate model simulations. Both GETECH and the University of Bristol will use these results to investigate the accuracy and applicably of the climate models for exploration. If successful, this will lead to commercial products for the oil exploration industry.
Publications
Tabor C
(2016)
The cause of Late Cretaceous cooling: A multimodel-proxy comparison
in Geology
Robinson S
(2016)
Early Jurassic North Atlantic sea-surface temperatures from TEX 86 palaeothermometry
in Sedimentology
Lunt D
(2016)
Palaeogeographic controls on climate and proxy interpretation
in Climate of the Past
Kennedy AT
(2015)
Atmospheric and oceanic impacts of Antarctic glaciation across the Eocene-Oligocene transition.
in Philosophical transactions. Series A, Mathematical, physical, and engineering sciences
Joshi M
(2017)
Global warming and ocean stratification: A potential result of large extraterrestrial impacts
in Geophysical Research Letters
Fenton IS
(2016)
The impact of Cenozoic cooling on assemblage diversity in planktonic foraminifera.
in Philosophical transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological sciences
Description | The aim of this project was to explore possibilities of running palaeoclimate simulations using palaeogeographic maps provided by the geological consultancy GETECH. We were successful in running some short pilot simulations for three key time periods in the past. |
Exploitation Route | This project formed the basis for a very fruitful collaboration with Getech. |
Sectors | Energy,Environment |
Description | Cretaceous-Paleocene-Eocene: Exploring Climate and Climate Sensitivity - NE/K014757/1 |
Amount | £400,000 (GBP) |
Funding ID | NE/K014757/1 |
Organisation | Natural Environment Research Council |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 01/2014 |
End | 12/2016 |
Description | NERC IOF |
Amount | £40,000 (GBP) |
Organisation | Natural Environment Research Council |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 01/2016 |
Description | NERC Large Grant |
Amount | £2,318,987 (GBP) |
Funding ID | NE/P01903X/1 |
Organisation | Natural Environment Research Council |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 09/2017 |
End | 08/2022 |
Description | GETECH-Bristol agreement on palaeoclimate modelling project |
Organisation | Getech |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Private |
PI Contribution | Following the pilot study, we now have an agreement with GETECH to run an expanded set of simulations, covering the last 150 million years in the first instance. |
Start Year | 2012 |