CAOG - PhD Student

Mrs Ercin Maslen

Factors determining the stable carbon and hydrogen isotopes ratios of saturate and aromatic and hydrocarbons in petroleum (oil and gas) source-rocks

This project involves using hydrogen compound specific isotope analysis for studying hydrogen exchange reactions which is particularly important to understand fundamental reactions (including maturity) occurring in the subsurface leading to petroleum formation. On the other hand the fundamental reactions that determine the stable carbon isotope ratios of individual aromatic hydrocarbons will be investigated in parallel. Crude oil and source-rock samples in use for this study are from the Perth Basin (Western Australia), Williston Basin (Western Canada) and the Carnarvon Basin (NW Shelf).

Supervisor

Professor K. Grice

Associate Supervisor

Dr Brian Horsfield

Funding

ARC (Discovery), Curtin Postgraduate Scholarship Award, TIGER top-up