EXPERTS from Aberdeen University are to investigate whether a new area in the seas off Scotland can be opened up for hydrocarbon exploration.

The probe into the potential of the Rockall area of the North Atlantic has been made possible by a £250,000 grant from the Oil and Gas Authority (OGA).

“Rockall remains a truly frontier area of hydrocarbon exploration in the UKCS,” said Dr Nick Schofield from the Department of Geology and Petroleum Geology.

“It is a geologically challenging area but decoding the geology and petroleum system is what makes it exciting to work on.”

The University’s School of Geosciences has a strong reputation for petroleum geology research along the Atlantic Margin.

And the funding will allow geoscientists to apply the knowledge they have developed to assess prospects for further exploration in the Rockall Basin.

Schofield added: “This collaborative effort brings together a collection of experienced, respected industry-facing academics with a passion for the future energy security of the UK.

“Importantly, the award is paired with a similar award to Professor John Underhill at Heriot-Watt University, working on the Mid North Sea High area of the Central North Sea.

“Both members of the Aberdeen and Heriot-Watt research groups will be working closely and sharing expertise across both areas to maximize the impact of both projects.

The funding is part of a package of measures announced by UK Prime Minister David Cameron aimed at supporting the UK oil and gas industry and boosting future exploration in the United Kingdom Continental Shelf (UKCS) as part of OGA’s Frontier Basins Research effort.

University of Aberdeen principal, Professor Sir Ian Diamond, said: “I am delighted that the university has been selected by the Oil and Gas Authority to receive this funding, which is testament to our position as a leading university in energy research.

“Our geoscientists already play a leading role in applied petroleum geology research in the new frontier areas of the UKCS, and it is their accumulated expertise and knowledge that has been key in attracting this funding.

“Through the Aberdeen City Deal, the University of Aberdeen is committed to playing a major role in the innovation landscape within the region and beyond, working with government, industry and the local community to aid exploration and production in the UKCS.”

Dr Nick Richardson, OGA’s head of exploration and new ventures said: “I am extremely pleased that the OGA has been able to support these awards.

“The post-doctoral research projects will be run and overseen by globally-recognised technical experts.

“And the University of Aberdeen team, led by Dr Nick Schofield, is ideally-placed to improve the fundamental geological understanding of the Rockall Basin Area and help stimulate vital exploration activity.”