Molecular fossils, the evolution of Earth's early oceans and the origin of the oldest oil

分子化石、地球早期海洋的演化以及最古老石油的起源

• 批准号: DP1095247
• 负责人: Prof Jochen Brocks
• 金额: $ 46.7万
• 依托单位: The Australian National University
• 依托单位国家: 澳大利亚
• 项目类别: Discovery Projects
• 财政年份: 2010
• 资助国家: 澳大利亚
• 起止时间: 2010-03-11 至 2015-03-10
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://dataportal.arc.gov.au/RGS/Web/Grants/DP1095247
• 关键词: Molecular; fossils; evolution; Earth; early

Australia retains undiscovered oil reserves. We believe that a change in primitive marine life forms may have fundamentally changed the chemistry of the Earth's oceans and is responsible for the world's oldest oil reserves. While these reserves have been found, and successfully commercialised, overseas, similar reservoirs in Australia remain elusive. The project will develop and apply technologies based on hydrocarbon biomarkers to help determine the oil-producing rock types of Precambrian sedimentary rocks. This allows us to estimate the oil's age and predict where petroleum reservoirs may be hidden. PhD students involved in the project will gain valuable knowledge about the link between changes in ecology and the carbon cycle.

澳大利亚拥有未发现的石油储量。我们认为，原始海洋生命形式的变化可能从根本上改变了地球海洋的化学性质，并对世界上最古老的石油储量负责。虽然这些储量已经在海外被发现并成功商业化，但澳大利亚的类似储量仍然难以捉摸。该项目将开发和应用基于烃类生物标志物的技术，以帮助确定前寒武纪沉积岩的产油岩石类型。这使我们能够估计石油的年龄，并预测石油储藏可能隐藏的地方。参与该项目的博士生将获得有关生态变化与碳循环之间联系的宝贵知识。