What is Lobe 3?

Lobe3 establishes a new collaboration between Hodgson, Kane and Jackson across three institutions, and continues a long-standing and successful collaboration with Flint. We will extract additional value from the existing Karoo core database collected during Lobe 2, and undertake further data collection in the Neuquén Basin (Argentina), the Central North Sea, the Jaca Basin (Spain), and the Basque Basin (Spain) in order to:

• Reduce uncertainties in the geometry and distribution of base-of-slope to basin-floor stratigraphic traps associated with lobes.
• Investigate impact of salt diapirism on submarine lobe deposit architecture.
• Improve our ability to interpret 3D stacking patterns of basin-floor systems from 1D well log data.
• Quantify the degree of confinement of lobe systems.
• Test exportability and applicability of outcrop-derived concepts to data-rich post-rift subsurface systems and salt-influenced systems.
• Construct geomodels and virtual outcrops to support cost-efficient, non-field-based and blended training programmes, and archive Lobe JIP data in 3D.

Lobe3 will comprise four integrated Work Packages that will run concurrently, with the investigators forming a co-supervisory team for three associated PhD studentships. The Lobe3 JIP will require a minimum of 5 sponsor companies (with 3 PhDs); additional sponsors will permit appointment of a postdoctoral researcher.