Sedimentary Successions and Their Natural Resources for the Energy Transition
A.Y. 2023/2024
Learning objectives
Deepening the concepts of sedimentary basins, types of sediments and sedimentary rocks, where they form, and which are the factors controlling their origin and evolution.
Introducing concepts of stratigraphy and chronostratigraphy to correlate sedimentary successions.
Providing the knowledge about the variations of Earth climate in the geological record and the understanding of the sedimentary and geochemical proxies recording environmental, oceanographic and climate changes of the past.
Introducing the tools to investigate the sedimentary rock geometries and physical properties in sub-surface exploration.
Presenting the different types of fluid resources exploitable from (or storable in) sedimentary successions. Discussing their origin, occurrence, environmental impacts and possible remediations.
Introducing concepts of stratigraphy and chronostratigraphy to correlate sedimentary successions.
Providing the knowledge about the variations of Earth climate in the geological record and the understanding of the sedimentary and geochemical proxies recording environmental, oceanographic and climate changes of the past.
Introducing the tools to investigate the sedimentary rock geometries and physical properties in sub-surface exploration.
Presenting the different types of fluid resources exploitable from (or storable in) sedimentary successions. Discussing their origin, occurrence, environmental impacts and possible remediations.
Expected learning outcomes
At the end of the course the students will have acquired the background knowledge on sedimentary rock successions (sedimentology, stratigraphy, chronostratigraphy) needed to assess: 1) depositional environments and climates of the past; 2) physical properties of sedimentary rocks via direct and indirect methods; 3) their economically valuable resources and their storage potential to mitigate global warming.
Lesson period: Second semester
Assessment methods: Esame
Assessment result: voto verbalizzato in trentesimi
Single course
This course can be attended as a single course.
Course syllabus and organization
Single session
Responsible
Lesson period
Second semester
Course syllabus
A) Introduction to plate tectonics and rock types. Processes that lead to the origin of sediments and sedimentary rocks. Main types of sedimentary basins in different geodynamic settings.
B) Depositional environments (continental, transitional, marine) and corresponding sediments/rocks. Basic rules that control the nature and architecture of sedimentary successions. Introduction to stratigraphy and chronostratigraphy. How to construct age models of deposition by integrating biostratigraphy, radiometric dating and magnetostratigraphy.
C) Climate of the past: paleoclimate and paleoenvironmental proxies recorded in sedimentary rocks, analyses of the processes controlling climate changes in Earth history; how Earth climate varied in the geological record at short, medium and long term time scales.
D) Physical properties of sediments and sedimentary rocks: concepts of porosity and permeability, and identification of the major governing factors. Indirect methods of sub-surface geology investigation.
Resources exploration and exploitation in sedimentary successions: processes that control the distribution of socially and economically valuable fluids in sediments and sedimentary rocks. Water systems in the shallow subsurface. Hydrocarbon systems in the deep sub-surface. Shallow and deep and geothermal reservoirs.
Sustainability of resources exploitation in sedimentary basins and energy transition: CO2 and methane storage; H2 and Li resources.
B) Depositional environments (continental, transitional, marine) and corresponding sediments/rocks. Basic rules that control the nature and architecture of sedimentary successions. Introduction to stratigraphy and chronostratigraphy. How to construct age models of deposition by integrating biostratigraphy, radiometric dating and magnetostratigraphy.
C) Climate of the past: paleoclimate and paleoenvironmental proxies recorded in sedimentary rocks, analyses of the processes controlling climate changes in Earth history; how Earth climate varied in the geological record at short, medium and long term time scales.
D) Physical properties of sediments and sedimentary rocks: concepts of porosity and permeability, and identification of the major governing factors. Indirect methods of sub-surface geology investigation.
Resources exploration and exploitation in sedimentary successions: processes that control the distribution of socially and economically valuable fluids in sediments and sedimentary rocks. Water systems in the shallow subsurface. Hydrocarbon systems in the deep sub-surface. Shallow and deep and geothermal reservoirs.
Sustainability of resources exploitation in sedimentary basins and energy transition: CO2 and methane storage; H2 and Li resources.
Prerequisites for admission
See Programme description 23/24
Teaching methods
Frontal (teacher-student) lectures (8 CFU)
Teaching Resources
· Understanding Earth. Grotzinger J.P. and Jordan, H.J.. 7th Edition.
· Teaching material provided during the course (lecture slides, book chapters, scientific articles)
· Teaching material provided during the course (lecture slides, book chapters, scientific articles)
Assessment methods and Criteria
The final exam consists of a written test (2 hours)
GEO/02 - STRATIGRAPHY AND SEDIMENTOLOGY - University credits: 8
Lessons: 64 hours
Educational website(s)
Professor(s)