Contourite sands in the Gulf of Cadiz : characterisation, controls and wider implications for hydrocarbon exploration

This study uses an extensive data‐set from a sand‐rich contourite depositional system located in the Gulf of Cadiz. Newly acquired data, targeting a modern contourite sandy depositional system in the eastern Gulf of Cadiz, has been integrated with historical data, including a seismic survey over a Pliocene mixed system in the northern Gulf of Cadiz. Seismic, core and sediment analysis has been used to assess the controls on the system, and characterise the sediments. The presented study gives a new complete view of past circulation of the Mediterranean Outflow Water and contourite deposition in the eastern Gulf of Cadiz over the upper, mid and lower slope. It also identifies a mixed system in the Pliocene section of the northern Gulf of Cadiz. This allows us to make the following contributions to the field; 1. A new model from Quaternary evolution of the eastern sandy contourites, and Pliocene evolution of a sandy mixed system the northern Gulf of Cadiz. 2. A detailed examination of the sand facies and sediment of the Gulf of Cadiz and a new set of contourite sand facies models proposed. 3. A thorough examination of the controls on contourite formation, and their integration in a sequence stratigraphic framework. 4. A review of the hazards bottom currents pose to deep water exploration, and the reservoir potential of contourite sands and other facies. The Gulf of Cadiz provides a good modern day analogue for contourite sands. They show various facies and sedimentological characteristics that are tied to depositional processes. They are also highly cyclic in nature, on a variety of time scales. If they can be positively identified in the subsurface, they have the capacity to make potential hydrocarbon reservoirs. The facies and sedimentological models presented here, and their integration into a sequence stratigraphic model will aid the positive identification of these deposits in the future

An examination of the effects of stimulant medication on response inhibition: A comparison between children with and without attention deficit hyperactivity disorder

This study investigated whether methylphenidate is effective in improving response inhibition in children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Children with ADHD were compared with normally developing children on measures of response inhibition. Participants with ADHD were compared across two conditions--medicated and unmedicated. There was no significant difference between the inhibitory control of children with and without ADHD. Children with ADHD showed significant improvements in inhibitory control following methylphenidate. The findings of the present study contrast with previous studies which document reduced inhibitory control in ADHD, compared with normally developing children. Reports of methylphenidate improving functioning in children with ADHD are supported. Limitation and implications of the study are discussed

Structural and Stratigraphic Evolution of the Mid North Sea High Region of the UK Continental Shelf

This research was undertaken as part of a 2-year Post-Doctoral Research Associate (PDRA) project undertaken at the Applied Geoscience Unit in the Centre of Exploration Geoscience at Heriot Watt University. The project was funded by the UK Oil and Gas Authority (OGA) as part of their Frontier Basins Research program. We extend our gratitude Jo Bagguley, Malcolm Gall and Nick Richardson for their support of the work and technical discussions. All research outputs are available for download on the Oil and Gas Authority’s National Data Repository (NDR) website, and we thank the OGA’s data management and Arc GIS team for their work to make this publicly available. The work has benefitted from technical discussion with Matthew Booth, Ross Grant and Richard McKeen, who have undertaken complementary studies in neighbouring parts of the basin.Peer reviewedPostprin

The search for "Jenyon's channel" : The Missing link between the Permian basins in the North Sea

Open Access via the Elsevier Agreement. The work contained in this publication was conducted during a PhD study undertaken as part of the Centre for Doctoral Training (CDT) in Geoscience and the Low Carbon Energy Transition and is fully funded by NeoEnergy Upstream whose support is gratefully acknowledged. The interpretations and analyses were undertaken in the Centre for Energy Transition at the University of Aberdeen, the underpinning financial and computer support for which is gratefully acknowledged. We thank the British Geological Survey and the North Sea Transition Authority for access to and permission to publish examples from their proprietary data on which these interpretations and analyses are made and we are grateful to SLB for providing academic licences for their Petrel software which was used to visualise and interrogate the seismic and petrophysical data. Proof-reading assistance from Baylee Schütte and Heather Kennedy and excellent technical discussions with Rifky Wijanarko are gratefully acknowledged. Finally, the authors thank the reviewers and editor whose feedback and comments greatly improved the manuscript.Peer reviewedPostprin

Improving Subsurface Characterisation with ‘Big Data’ Mining and Machine Learning

Funding: This research was supported by Wood Mackenzie through funding of a Postdoctoral Research Associate position at Heriot Watt University, and through access to data from two basins. Acknowledgments: This work was supported by Wood Mackenzie through funding research collab- oration with Heriot-Watt University. All the data were anonymised and supplied by Wood Mackenzie and authors are thankful for the opportunity to publish the outcomes of this research. Authors also thank Mikhail Kanevski of University of Lausanne for the peer exchange on feature selection and the opportunities opened during his course on Machine Learning hands-on applications. Authors acknowledge the use of Orange Data Mining [27] and ML Office for SOM application [30]. We thank Susan Agar, who reviewed the paper most comprehensively and helped improve it along with two anonymous reviewers.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Late Permian Evaporite Facies Variation in the Forth Approaches Basin, North Sea : Implications for Hydrogen Storage

The authors would like to thank the North Sea Transition Authority (NSTA) for providing the datasets via the UK National Data Repository (NDR), and Schlumberger for access to their Petrel software. Our thanks also go to Geoff Page for consultation about the petrophysical responses of evaporitic minerals and latest industry developments. We thank the three reviewers and the editor for their comments that have improved the manuscript and prepared it for publication.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Contourite porosity, grain size and reservoir characteristics

Acknowledgements Many people are to thank for the collection and release of the data used in this study. In particular, we thank the captain, officers and crew, and the scientific and technical shipboard parties of the different IODP expeditions utilised. We each thank our respective institutes for their ongoing support. Xiaohang Yu acknowledges financial support from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 41976067).Peer reviewedPostprin

Using Both Hands : Tangibles for Stroke Rehabilitation in the Home

Stroke is one of the most common causes of long-term disability in the world, significantly reducing quality of life through impairing motor functions and cognitive abilities. Whilst rehabilitation exercises can help in the recovery of motor function impairments, stroke survivors rarely exercise enough, leading to far from optimal recovery. In this paper, we investigate how upper limb stroke rehabilitation can be supported using interactive tangible bimanual devices in the home. We customise the rehabilitation activities based on individual rehabilitation requirements and motivation of stroke survivors. Through evaluation with five stroke survivors, we uncovered insight into how tangible stroke rehabilitation systems for the home should be designed. These revealed the special importance of tailorable form factors as well as supporting self-awareness and grip exercises in order to increase the independence of stroke survivors to carry out activities of daily living.Peer reviewe

Contourites along the Iberian continental margins:conceptual and economic implications

34 pages, 14 figures, 3 tablesThis work uses seismic records to document and classify contourite features around the Iberian continental margin to determine their implications for depositional systems and petroleum exploration. Contourites include depositional features (separated, sheeted, plastered and confined drifts), erosional features (abraded surfaces, channels, furrows and moats) and mixed features (contourite terraces). Drifts generally show high- to moderate-amplitude reflectors, which are cyclically intercalated with transparent layers. Transparent layers may represent finer-grained deposits, which can serve as seal rocks. High-amplitude reflectors (HARs) are likely to represent sandier layers, which could form hydrocarbon reservoirs. HARs occur on erosive features (moats and channels), and are clearly developed on contourite terraces and overflow features. Most of the contourite features described here are influenced by Mediterranean water masses throughout their Pliocene and Quaternary history. They specifically record Mediterranean Outflow Water, following its exit through the Gibraltar Strait. This work gives a detailed report on the variation of modern contourite deposits, which can help inform ancient contourite reservoir interpretation. Further research correlating 2D and 3D seismic anomalies with core and well-logging data is needed to develop better diagnostic criteria for contourites. This can help to clarify the role of contourites in petroleum systemsThis contribution is a product of the IGCP-619 and INQUA-1204 projects, and is partially supported through the CTM 2008-06399-C04/MAR (CONTOURIBER), CGL2011-16057-E (MOW), CTM 2012-39599-C03 (MOWER), CGL2016-80445-R (SCORE), FCT-PTDC/GEO-GEO/4430/2012 (CONDRIBER), CTM2016-75129-C3-1-R and CGL2015-74216-JIN projectsPeer Reviewe