Understanding the thermal evolution of deep-water continental margins.
Areas of exploration for new hydrocarbons are changing as the hydrocarbon industry seeks new resources for economic and political reasons. Attention has turned from easily accessible onshore regions such as the Middle East to offshore continental shelves. Over the past ten years, there has been a marked shift towards deep-water continental margins (500-2,500 m below sea level). In these more hostile regions, the risk and cost of exploration is higher, but the prize is potentially enormous. The key to these endeavours is a quantitative understanding of the structure and evolution of the thinned crust and lithosphere that underlie these margins.
White
Nicky
N
Bullard Laboratories, Department of Earth Sciences, Madingley Rise, Madingley Road, Cambridge, CB3 0EZ, UK. nwhite@esc.cam.ac.uk
Thompson
Mark
M
Barwise
Tony
T
D005843:Geography; D019015:Geologic Sediments / Q000737:chemistry*; D006838:Hydrocarbons / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000600:supply & distribution*; D007221:Industry; D009792:Oceans and Seas; D013696:Temperature
D006838:Hydrocarbons