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

澳大利亚保留着未发现的石油储量。我们认为，原始海洋生物形式的变化可能从根本上改变了地球海洋的化学成分，并对世界上最古老的石油储量负责。尽管这些储量已在海外发现并成功商业化，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碳氢生物标志物的技术，以帮助确定前寒武纪沉积岩的产油岩类型。这使我们能够估计石油的年龄，并预测哪里可能隐藏着石油储藏。参与该项目的博士生将获得有关生态变化和碳循环之间联系的宝贵知识。

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.