The University of Western Australia
Professor Myra Keep
Professor
Contact details
| Address | School of Earth and Environment The University of Western Australia (M004) 35 Stirling Highway CRAWLEY WA 6009 Australia |
|---|---|
| Phone | 6488 7198 |
| Fax | 6488 1037 |
| myra.keep@uwa.edu.au |
Key research
- I have always been interested in structural geology and tectonics, but have taken a circuitous path to my current research. Along the way I have studied rocks ranging in age from the Precambrian (Pinal Schist), through the Australian Gondwana Megasequence (East Timor) to the Neogene (North West Shelf), and the Plio-Pleistocene (East Timor). I've looked at structural geology and tectonics on Venus, and also dabbled in igneous petrology.
Major research interests
- Basin analysis
- Marine geology
- Petroleum geology
- Planetary geology
- Regional geophysics and tectonics
- Structural geology
- Tectonics and crustal evolution
Qualifications
BSc Lond., MSc Br.Col., PhD S.Methodist
Roles, responsibilities and expertise
Structural Geology
Basin Tectonics
Seismic interpretation
Seismo-tectonics
Structural and tectonic evolution of the North West Shelf of Australia
Seismo-tectonics of the Carnarvon Basin
Analogue modelling of structural systems
Tectonic evolution of the northern Australian margin
Planetary geology
Basin Tectonics
Seismic interpretation
Seismo-tectonics
Structural and tectonic evolution of the North West Shelf of Australia
Seismo-tectonics of the Carnarvon Basin
Analogue modelling of structural systems
Tectonic evolution of the northern Australian margin
Planetary geology
Future research
Seismo-tectonics of the northern Australian margin
Structural and tectonic evolution of East Timor
Neotectonics of northern WA
Structural and tectonic evolution of East Timor
Neotectonics of northern WA
Funding received
MAJOR GRANTS AWARDED
2008-2010
Keep and Haig
The petroleum prospectivity of East Timor
Eni Australia Ltd
$1,079,385
2005-2008: Australian Research Council Linkage Grant
Dr. Myra Keep, Prof. Brian Kennett, Dr. Phil Cummins
The neo-and seismo-tectonics of northwestern Australia
$586,943
Sponsored by Woodside Energy
2002-2003:Australian Research Council Linkage grant
Dr.Keep, Prof. Richard Hillis
Integrating stress and strain data from the North West Shelf: implications for
hydrocarbon seal integrity
$270,000
Sponsored by MERIWA (Woodside Energy, Santos and AGIP (now ENI))
2001-2004: Minerals and Energy Research Council of WA
Dr. Myra Keep
Cretaceous and Neogene reactivation and inversion history of the Northern
Carnarvon Basin and the role of basement highs in the distribution of Cretaceous and Neogene strain in the Carnarvon Basin and Browse Basin/Timor Sea
$257,000
Sponsored by Woodside Energy, Santos and AGIP (now ENI)
1999-2000: Australian Research Council SPIRT grant
Dr. M. Keep, Dr. M., Fischer, M., Mr. I. Longley, I. and Dentith, M
Neogene deformation styles and reactivation histories of basins along the NWS of Australia
$150,000
Sponsored by Woodside Energy and Shell
Minor Grants Awarded
Lots of much smaller grants of around $10,000 for various research projects from various sources.
2008-2010
Keep and Haig
The petroleum prospectivity of East Timor
Eni Australia Ltd
$1,079,385
2005-2008: Australian Research Council Linkage Grant
Dr. Myra Keep, Prof. Brian Kennett, Dr. Phil Cummins
The neo-and seismo-tectonics of northwestern Australia
$586,943
Sponsored by Woodside Energy
2002-2003:Australian Research Council Linkage grant
Dr.Keep, Prof. Richard Hillis
Integrating stress and strain data from the North West Shelf: implications for
hydrocarbon seal integrity
$270,000
Sponsored by MERIWA (Woodside Energy, Santos and AGIP (now ENI))
2001-2004: Minerals and Energy Research Council of WA
Dr. Myra Keep
Cretaceous and Neogene reactivation and inversion history of the Northern
Carnarvon Basin and the role of basement highs in the distribution of Cretaceous and Neogene strain in the Carnarvon Basin and Browse Basin/Timor Sea
$257,000
Sponsored by Woodside Energy, Santos and AGIP (now ENI)
1999-2000: Australian Research Council SPIRT grant
Dr. M. Keep, Dr. M., Fischer, M., Mr. I. Longley, I. and Dentith, M
Neogene deformation styles and reactivation histories of basins along the NWS of Australia
$150,000
Sponsored by Woodside Energy and Shell
Minor Grants Awarded
Lots of much smaller grants of around $10,000 for various research projects from various sources.
Industrial relevance
All research is sponsored by the petroleum industry. Past and present sponsors include Woodside Energy, Santos, AGIP, Shell Development Australia, Landmark Graphics Corporation, Petrosys Corporation, Apache Energy, TGS Nopec, Empire Oil and Gas, Robertson Research
Memberships
Fellow and Chartered Geologist, The Geological Society (London)
Member, Petroleum Exploration Society of Great Britian
Member, Petroleum Exploration Society of Australia
member, American Association of Petroleum Geologists
Member, Geological Society of Australia
Member, Petroleum Exploration Society of Great Britian
Member, Petroleum Exploration Society of Australia
member, American Association of Petroleum Geologists
Member, Geological Society of Australia
Honours and awards
Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering, Early Career Researcher Award, 2004
Teaching
Engineering Geology and Geomechanics
Structural and Metamorphic Geology
Structural Geology and Tectonics
Petroleum Geology
Mesozoic and Tertiary history of Australian margins
There are always opportunities for highly motivated postgraduate students in structural geology, tectonics, neotectonics, seismic interpretation, or anyone interested in the Alpine-type deformation in East Timor.
Prospective students who are Australian citizens or permanent residents should look at the UWA Prospective Postgraduate student webpages. APA scholarships are available on a competitive basis, and applications are usually due in around the end of October each year. Please contact me if you are interested in applying. Usually a 1st Class Honours degree is needed.
Prospective students from overseas should look at the UWA web pages for international postgraduate students. A limited number of scholarships are available on a highly competitive basis, and applications are usually due in around the end of August each year.
In addition, it may be possible to arrange for industry sponsorship for projects with a strong industry focus (this will usually be the seismic structural stuff).
Please contact me for more information.
Structural and Metamorphic Geology
Structural Geology and Tectonics
Petroleum Geology
Mesozoic and Tertiary history of Australian margins
There are always opportunities for highly motivated postgraduate students in structural geology, tectonics, neotectonics, seismic interpretation, or anyone interested in the Alpine-type deformation in East Timor.
Prospective students who are Australian citizens or permanent residents should look at the UWA Prospective Postgraduate student webpages. APA scholarships are available on a competitive basis, and applications are usually due in around the end of October each year. Please contact me if you are interested in applying. Usually a 1st Class Honours degree is needed.
Prospective students from overseas should look at the UWA web pages for international postgraduate students. A limited number of scholarships are available on a highly competitive basis, and applications are usually due in around the end of August each year.
In addition, it may be possible to arrange for industry sponsorship for projects with a strong industry focus (this will usually be the seismic structural stuff).
Please contact me for more information.
Current external positions
Far too many committees and jobs spread over too many areas!
The highlights include various "guest scientist' slots on ABC local and state radio, spreading the "geological word." Have also been involved in many activities regarding education at the school and university level in East Timor.
The highlights include various "guest scientist' slots on ABC local and state radio, spreading the "geological word." Have also been involved in many activities regarding education at the school and university level in East Timor.
Current projects
1. The geological and tectonic evolution of East Timor
We have been working in East Timor since 2003, looking closely at the structural relationships and re-mapping and re-dating the formations, with a view to constraining and formulating models for the tectonic evolution of this part of Timor Island. This work involves structural mapping, igneous petrology, stratigraphy, biostratigraphy, palaeontology and anything else we can think of! To date some of our exciting discoveries include that the type section of the Miocene is in fact largely Triassic to Jurassic, the type section of the Jurassic is Triassic, we've discovered a large section of ocean floor material, complete with MORBS and cumulates, the remnants of a collided oceanic plateau, complete with OIBs, preserved as thrust stacks along strike across the island, and we've also dated the timing of collision and uplift of the island. Phew! This work is being done in close collaboration with my colleague, Assoc. Prof. David Haig, and you should check out his web pages for more information. Copies of all of our new papers should be available somewhere on this page.
2. The neo- and seismo-tectonics of the northwestern Australia
Our extensive work on the Neogene deformation history of the North West Shelf of Australia led us to contemplate the onshore effects of the tectonism we were mapping offshore. Currently, in conjunction with the ANU, we have a network of 8 seismometers buried in various locations around northern WA, recording seismicity and micro-seismicity in the region. So far we've calculated a couple of dozen fault plane solutions from events we have recorded, and are in the process of correlating these with known faults to try and identify reactivation and recent deformation. We may also try some analogue models of potential reactivated faults.
3. The Neogene tectonic history of the North West Shelf of Australia
We've been doing this for most of the last 10 years, and the project has involved mainly seismic structural interpretation of offshore seismic data. We've interpreted an awful lot of regional 2D lines, and some 3D data sets along the way. In the end we've decided that there is very little strain across the margin, even during collision, and that the response of the Australian Plate in this area is largely elastic. Strain in the Carnarvon Basin is entirely different to that in the Timor Sea. You should be able to find pdfs of our papers somewhere on this page.
4. Analogue modelling
Over the years I've done quite a bit of modelling on lithospheric-scale processes of collision, using tanks of honey and layers of putty and sand. We're planning more models on the neotectonics stuff soon.
We have been working in East Timor since 2003, looking closely at the structural relationships and re-mapping and re-dating the formations, with a view to constraining and formulating models for the tectonic evolution of this part of Timor Island. This work involves structural mapping, igneous petrology, stratigraphy, biostratigraphy, palaeontology and anything else we can think of! To date some of our exciting discoveries include that the type section of the Miocene is in fact largely Triassic to Jurassic, the type section of the Jurassic is Triassic, we've discovered a large section of ocean floor material, complete with MORBS and cumulates, the remnants of a collided oceanic plateau, complete with OIBs, preserved as thrust stacks along strike across the island, and we've also dated the timing of collision and uplift of the island. Phew! This work is being done in close collaboration with my colleague, Assoc. Prof. David Haig, and you should check out his web pages for more information. Copies of all of our new papers should be available somewhere on this page.
2. The neo- and seismo-tectonics of the northwestern Australia
Our extensive work on the Neogene deformation history of the North West Shelf of Australia led us to contemplate the onshore effects of the tectonism we were mapping offshore. Currently, in conjunction with the ANU, we have a network of 8 seismometers buried in various locations around northern WA, recording seismicity and micro-seismicity in the region. So far we've calculated a couple of dozen fault plane solutions from events we have recorded, and are in the process of correlating these with known faults to try and identify reactivation and recent deformation. We may also try some analogue models of potential reactivated faults.
3. The Neogene tectonic history of the North West Shelf of Australia
We've been doing this for most of the last 10 years, and the project has involved mainly seismic structural interpretation of offshore seismic data. We've interpreted an awful lot of regional 2D lines, and some 3D data sets along the way. In the end we've decided that there is very little strain across the margin, even during collision, and that the response of the Australian Plate in this area is largely elastic. Strain in the Carnarvon Basin is entirely different to that in the Timor Sea. You should be able to find pdfs of our papers somewhere on this page.
4. Analogue modelling
Over the years I've done quite a bit of modelling on lithospheric-scale processes of collision, using tanks of honey and layers of putty and sand. We're planning more models on the neotectonics stuff soon.
Research profile
