Research groups of the UB

The Sedimentary Geology Research Group (Consolidated Group by the Generalitat de Catalunya) aims to reconstruct the spatial and temporal evolution of sedimentary basins, integrating studies on sedimentary evolution, sedimentary processes, diagenesis, petrology, petrophysics, paleobiology and biostratigraphy. In addition to fundamental research, the results by this group have applications for the hydrocarbon and mining industries, as well as for other fields like civil engineering, water resources, geothermal energy and paleoclimate research.

WHAT WE DO

Services

CONSULTANCY SERVICES & ANALYTICAL FACILITIES:

• Petrological, petrophysical, geochemical and sedimentological studies of carbonate, clastic and evaporite rocks, hydrocarbon and geothermal reservoirs, and ornamental and building rocks.
• Characterization of complex reservoirs and geological modelling.
• Aqueous and petroleum fluid inclusion microthermometry and cathodoluminiscence.
• Biostratigraphic attribution of marine and non-marine Mesozoic and Cenozoic rocks, based on benthic foraminifera and charophytes.

FIELD SEMINARS:

• Fractured carbonate reservoir analogues. Normal faulting and their related deformation and diagenetic processes: karstification, dolomitization and brecciation. Leaders: V. Baqués & A. Travé.
• The Aptian carbonate platforms of the Maestrat Basin: sequence stratigraphy, geometries, architecture, facies heterogeneities and relative sea-level drops. Leaders: T. Bover-Arnal & R. Salas.
• Tertiary-Mesozoic unconformity, paleokarst and fluid circulation in the Penedès basin. Leaders: V. Baqués & A. Travé.
• Paleobotany of the Carboniferous-Permian, Upper Cretaceous, Paleogene and Neogene of Catalonia. Leader: C. Martín-Closas.
• Biostratigraphy of Cretaceous and Paleogene charophytes. Leader: C. Martín-Closas.
• Fault-controlled dolostones of the Maestrat Basin: depositional, diagenetic and structural controls on replacement processes. Leaders: J.D. Martín-Martín & E. Gomez-Rivas.

CONTINUING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT (CPD COURSES)

• Fractured carbonate reservoir analogues.
• Architecture, facies distributions, sequence stratigraphy and sea-level fluctuations in Mesozoic carbonate platforms.
• Paleokarsts and fluid flow.
• Depositional and structural controls on dolomitization.

FOR WHOM WE WORK

Industrial sectors

Chemistry, Energy and Resources

Clients

• REPSOL
• CEPSA
• EXXONMOBIL GLOBAL SERVICES COMPANY
• NORTH OIL COMPANY (NOC)
• Comisión Minera Boliviana (COMIBOL)
• Direcció General d’Energia, Mines i Seguretat Industrial (Generalitat de Catalunya)
• Institut Cartogràfic i Geològic de Catalunya

RESEARCH

Research lines

• Evolution of sedimentary basins
• Sedimentary models
• Petrology of carbonates, clastics & evaporites
• Continental and marine paleontology
• Geofluids and petrophysics

Research projects

• Study of the petrophysical properties of Empordà carbonate formations for the evaluation of their geothermal energy potential. P. I. Enrique Gómez Rivas & Anna Travé. 2019.
• Observation and size determination of aqueous fluid inclusions in cutting samples from hydrocarbon wells. P.I. Telm Bover-Arnal & Juan Diego Martín-Martín. 2019.
• Research on the potential of cuttings to determine salinity by means of aqueous fluid inclusion microthermometry. P. I. Telm Bover-Arnal & Juan Diego Martín-Martín. 2019.
• Unravelling fluid flow during the evolution of inverted basins and orogenic belts: application to CO₂ P.I. Anna Travé & Juan Diego Martín-Martín. 2018-2021.
• Evaporitic restriction in the Internal Betic Basins and its relation with the Messinian Salinity Crisis. P. I. Lluís Gibert. 2017-2019.
• The role of insularity and later paleogeographic isolation of Iberia in important biotic crises of the Cretaceous-Paleogene. Biostratigraphic and paleonvironmental applications. P.I. Carles Martín-Closas. 2016-2018.
• Understanding the interplay between dynamic fluid flow and structural diagenesis during the evolution of fold and thrust belts, using the Southern Pyrenees as a natural laboratory. P I. Enrique Gomez-Rivas. 2018-2019.
• Synthesis and Comparison of Phanerozoic Carbonate Depositional Systems and Impact of Diagenesis on Reservoir Preservation/Improvement. P. I. Irene Cantarero & Telm Bover-Arnal. 2016-2018.
• GEOSEDIM GRC – Grup de Recerca Consolidat Geologia Sedimentària. P. I. Anna Travé. 2017-2020.