Prof Discusses Continental Shelf Formation

Dr. Robert Stern, a professor and researcher in the Center for Lithospheric Studies and Department of Geosciences, delivered a keynote address at a recent conference on continental shelf formation.

Stern’s talk, given in collaboration with geoscientists from University of Arizona and Missouri State University, discussed the early evolution of the Texas-Louisiana margin and continental shelf.

The conference, titled “Rift Renaissance: Stretching the Crust and Extending Exploration Frontiers,” was held in Houston.

The conference explored aspects of how continents break apart to form new oceans and continental margins in terms of new geodynamic models. The agenda included presentations from leading geoscientists, as well as reports from major energy companies.

Offshore continental shelves hold much of
Earth’s untapped oil deposits. Much remains to be understand about how such margins have formed and evolved over hundreds of millions of years of Earth history.