Supervisors
Main supervisor: Benjamin Bellwald, Prof II GEO-UIB, NGI
Co-supervisor: Berit Oline Hjelstuen, UiB-GEO
Project description
Trough mouth fans are products of repeated glacigenic sediment delivery from former fast-flowing outlets of ice sheets, and act as high-resolution paleoclimate and ice sheet monitors. The fans have highest sedimentation rates and maximum periods of growth during glacial maxima, whereas they become ice-distal glacimarine environments with low sedimentation rates during interglacials.
In this project, the sedimentary processes and deposits forming the Bear Island Fan, deposited along the SW Barents Sea margin, will be studied. Therefore, the Carlsen 3D seismic dataset will be interpreted to characterize down-slope and along-slope. The goal is to integrate high-resolution processed conventional 3D seismic data with exploration well data (TGS Facies Map Browser) to better understand Early, Middle and Late Pleistocene depositional environments and sedimentary processes that shape the glacial fan. The student will further tie the results into the neighboring southwestern Barents Sea, and also compare the Bear Island Fan with other trough mouth fans (e.g., North Sea Fan).
The Petrel software will be used to interpret the 3D seismic data, and the TGS Facies Map Browser for the integration of the exploration well datatypes. In addition, ArcGIS is to be used for compiltion of landforms and for showing sediment thickness in a spatio-temporal perspective.
This project will contribute to new knowledge on: 1) down-slope and along-slope processes active on the Bear Island Fan, 2) the character of slope deposits (volumes, distribution, age, grain size, velocities), 3) spatial and temporal variations in Early, Middle and Late Pleistocene sedimentation pattern, and 4) the relevance of Quaternary slope sediments for the offshore energy (oil and gas, CCS, floating wind, marine infrastructure).
Field-, lab- and analysis work
All seismic data and well information are available for the project, making it possible to start on the project from day one.
The project will include interpretation of 3D seismic data in the Petrel interpretation software, and integration of exploration well datatypes in TGS Facies Map Browser. ArcGIS will be used to compile and analyze information, and to generate maps.
The 3D seismic data will be provided by TGS (agreement in place). Access to the TGS Facies Map Browser is already given to UiB-GEO.
Proposed course plan during the master's degree (60 ECTS)
Some suggested courses are listed below – but will be decided upon after discussion between supervisor and student and the interest/background of the student. GEOV272 is, however, needed.
GEOV272 (10 stp) Seismic Interpretation
GEOV300 (5 stp) Scientific writing and communication in Earth Science
GEOV222 (10 stp) Palaeoclimatology
GEOV217 (10 stp) Geohazards
GEOV231 (10 stp) Marine Geological Field-and Laboratory Course
GEOV261 (10 stp) Basin analysis and subsurface interpretation