Higher Degree by Research Application Portal
| Title | Unravelling the evolution of a Cenozoic carbonate margin and associated shelf-to-basin sediment transfer mechanisms using quantitative 3D seismic stratigraphy and geomorphology |
|---|---|
| Supervisor | Dr Victorien Paumard |
| Dr John Shepherd | |
| Prof Simon Lang | |
| Prof Annette George | |
| Course | Doctor of Philosophy |
| Keywords | Basin analysis |
| Seismic stratigraphy | |
| Seismic geomorphology | |
| Carbonate | |
| Sediment transfer | |
| Research area | Earth Sciences |
| Project description | The project will focus on the Cenozoic carbonate margin of the North West Shelf (NWS) of Australia integrating regional 2D and 3D seismic data. The Quantitative Seismic Stratigraphy (QSS) workflow will be deployed to interpret all available 3D seismic data across the NWS to develop a comprehensive and high-resolution regional seismic stratigraphic framework integrating and linking past studies that were conducted more locally along the NWS. Principles of seismic stratigraphy and seismic geomorphology will also be applied to reconstruct and characterize past depositional environments from the shelf to the basin in order to better understand: (1) the role of past climate and sea-level variations on the evolution of a carbonate margin, which can ultimately help to predict future behaviour of modern reefs facing rising sea levels; and (2) the controls on the development of deep-water systems in ancient carbonate depositional settings. This project has economic implications for the energy industry by providing a more advanced understanding of the overburden along the NWS, as well as advancing knowledge on the role of allogenic and autogenic controls on the evolution of a carbonate margin and associated shelf-to-basin sediment transfer mechanisms. |
| Opportunity status | Closed |
| Open date | 27 Jul 2026 |
| Close date | 30 Sep 2026 |
| Funding source | Quantitative Reservoir Analogues (QRA) School of Earth and Oceans |
| School | Graduate Research School |
| Contact | This project is hosted by the School of Earth and Oceans. Principal supervisor is Dr. Victorien Paumard (UWA) and co-supervisors are Dr. John Shepherd, Prof. Simon Lang (UWA) and Prof. Annette George (UWA). Interested applicants are encouraged to contact Dr. Victorien Paumard at victorien.paumard@uwa.edu.au for more information. Please include a cover letter describing your interest in the field, CV, publications, academic transcripts, relevant supporting documents of prior research, and the names and contact details of two potential referees. |
| Specific project requirement | Prospective candidates should have Masters or Honours degree (first class or equivalent) in geoscience with advanced knowledge and skills in stratigraphy, sedimentology and basin analysis. Candidates must be able to work both independently and as part of a multidisciplinary team, and have very good written and oral communication skills. Previous experience with the interpretation of 3D seismic data (i.e., seismic stratigraphy and geomorphology) is useful. |
| Course type | Doctorates |
| Description | The Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) is a program of independent, supervised research that is assessed solely on the basis of a thesis, sometimes including a creative work component, that is examined externally. The work presented for a PhD must be a substantial and original contribution to scholarship, demonstrating mastery of the subject of interest as well as an advance in that field of knowledge. Visit the course webpage for full details of this course including admission requirements, course rules and the relevant CRICOS code/s. |
| Duration | 4 years |
Guidance
Students intending to undertake a dissertation or thesis as part of a Higher Degree by Research (HDR) course at The University of Western Australia, are required to have acquired adequate research preparation, prior to being admitted into a course.
The University's Adequate Research Preparation Policy (UP11/25) details this requirement.
The policy broadly states:
- An applicant is normally considered to have fulfilled the requirements for admission to a HDR course if they can demonstrate that they have undertaken supervised individual research in which they have designed and conducted a scholarly investigation in the context of an existing body of knowledge.
- In exceptional circumstances, consideration may be given to applicants whose qualifications do not meet the definitions of adequate research preparation outlined in the policy (clause 4.1), where the school/supervisor believes that the applicant is likely to succeed in the course. In these circumstances, admission may be granted to a Masters Degree by Research in the first instance.