Ethan Petrou

I am interested in the relationship between isotopic geochemistry and fluid flow migration with an emphasis of trace metal analysis. As a secondary goal I am to investigate into methane hydrate exploration and what can be gleaned from their expression in seismic data.

The primary aim of my DPhil project is to determine the impact of natural fluid migration of methane gas on the geochemistry of the top surface sediment on continental slope facies. The benefit of this research is that a contextual analysis for future geochemical sampling will be established. This will be achieved by trying to develop whether any relationship between lateral enrichments of trace metals and the presence of conditions supporting methane gas generation can be established.

I will initially use seismic interpretation software to characterise the subsurface and potential fluid flow migration pathways. This, coupled with initial core pore-water experiments will help quantify the greater geochemical implication for samples from the study area. From here I will investigate into trace metal enrichment of sediments on continteal slopes, in particular Barium. Trace metal enrichments in sedimentary deposits are of key interest because they are controlled by the same processes that also control organic matter preservation and production.