Energy geoscience and basin analysis

The North West Shelf is Australia’s premier energy-producing province, and Western Australia’s onshore basins host some of Australia’s newest energy discoveries, as well as providing prospective sites for carbon storage or energy storage. Our staff and students work on research projects focusing on the evolution of these Paleozoic–Cenozoic sedimentary basins, including the development of resources within these basins (energy, minerals and water).

Using a range of geoscientific data, our researchers seek to interpret changes in environments, climates and tectonic settings through time from analysis of sedimentary rocks ranging from three billion years old to modern day. Modern ocean basins are explored via shipboard work, gathering geophysical data and/or retrieving cored material from the ocean floor.

Integrating geological and geophysical data is a key element of both research and teaching in sedimentary basins at UWA. The latest digital technology is used to analyse and interpret datasets, working in collaboration with government agencies, energy companies and consultancies.

We work on subsurface projects and outcrop analogues in Western Australia and South East Asian regions, such as Malaysia, Sumatra, Sarawak and Thailand. Using a range of geoscientific data, our researchers seek to interpret changes in environments, climates and tectonic settings through time from analysis of sedimentary rocks ranging from three billion years old to modern day. Modern ocean basins are explored via shipboard work, gathering geophysical data and/or retrieving cored material from the ocean floor.