Ocean Margins (LINK)
Aims and objectives
The multidisciplinary Ocean Margins (LINK) programme aimed to improve our geological understanding of ocean margins, focusing on three main themes:
- deep structure and rifting processes
- sediment movement, slope stability and other sedimentary processes
- fluid flow, particularly into and out of the seabed, including the effect of flows on deep-water faunas
The Ocean Margins LINK Programme was jointly funded by NERC, the UK Government and UK industry.
The Engineering & Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) also contributed funding to projects within a specific theme.
The Programme encouraged collaboration and partnership between the UK science base and industry, in particular, multidisciplinary science that helped tackle some of the following specific challenges:
- improving our efficiency in exploring, characterising & exploiting hydrocarbon reservoirs, on the UK margin and elsewhere
- investigating gas hydrates, both as a hazard and as a potential energy source
- predicting deep water geohazards
- managing hydrocarbon resources and the deep-water environment sustainably
The programme's main objectives were:
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To improve the scientific understanding of the physical & chemical processes controlling the dynamic evolution of sedimentary basins in deep water ocean settings. These processes include the above themes: Deep Structure, Sedimentary Processes & Fluid flow.
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To develop through a training component of the programme, a new generation of highly skilled young scientists, trained at the post-doctoral level in interdisciplinary geoscience.
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To contribute new knowledge to the challenges that face industry operating in deep-water ocean margin regions. An important factor will be the transfer of new knowledge & related scientific models to industry, both directly through industry project sponsors and through the wider dissemination of results from the Programme.