Macquarie University

Marine Sediments and Energy Resources - GEOS309

This unit focuses on developing an advanced level of understanding of sedimentary rocks, oil and gas. The latter are major components of Australia's energy supply, but have significant negative impacts on our environment. To understand the balance between fossil fuel exploitation and negative environmental impacts, it is important to learn about how oil and gas are formed, how they are discovered and recovered, and how they can be utilised in less environmentally harmful ways. This unit combines geological and geochemical approaches to investigate the basinal formation of sediments, and exploration and production methods for crude oil, natural gas, coal bed methane and shale gas. The key components of conventional and unconventional petroleum systems are considered, from source rock formation through generation, expulsion, migration, accumulation and alteration in reservoirs, as are mechanisms for oil and gas production from conventional and unconventional reservoirs. Geothermal energy is also assessed. Similar technologies are also utilised for the geosequestration of CO2, and the opportunities for this in Australia are assessed. This unit prepares students for careers in the energy and geosequestration industries.