Detachments in evaporites and shales: their controls on fold-thrust belt style and wedge geometry. Deepwater fold-thrust belts comprise large structural traps, currently a major focus of Australian petroleum exploration. The structural style of a fold-thrust belt is controlled by its detachment and new field analogues will demonstrate the fundamental role of detachments.
Subsurface fluid flow through fractures in sedimentary basins. This project aims to improve understanding of subsurface fluid transport through fractures. Fractures in rock provide interconnected, hydraulically conductive networks enabling large-volume fluid transport through sedimentary basins. The ability of a fracture to transmit fluid is primarily controlled by the in situ stress field, but also by rock strength, fracture plane orientation and roughness and pore-fluid pressure. We have a goo ....Subsurface fluid flow through fractures in sedimentary basins. This project aims to improve understanding of subsurface fluid transport through fractures. Fractures in rock provide interconnected, hydraulically conductive networks enabling large-volume fluid transport through sedimentary basins. The ability of a fracture to transmit fluid is primarily controlled by the in situ stress field, but also by rock strength, fracture plane orientation and roughness and pore-fluid pressure. We have a good understanding of in situ stress within many sedimentary basins, but know very little about the nature and origin of natural fractures. This project aims to provide a detailed, quantitative understanding of the nature and origin of natural fractures in the subsurface, which is critical for predicting fluid migration within aquifers, carbon dioxide storage sites, and geothermal and hydrocarbon reservoirs.Read moreRead less
The micro-mechanics of faulting and fluid flow in porous reservoir rocks. The project will improve the understanding of the mechanics and physics of reservoir rocks under various loading conditions. This will have impact on the recovery of hydrocarbon energy resources, storage of carbon dioxide in depleted oil reservoirs, and extraction of energy from geothermal reservoirs in Australia.
Fluid-induced creation and decay of porosity and permeability in minerals. This project aims to investigate the role of hydrothermal fluids in the creation and decay of porosity and permeability in minerals. By developing new experimental techniques and undertaking experimental studies mimicking natural conditions, this project expects to generate knowledge of the fundamental relationships between fluid-mineral reactions, pore creation and decay, pore geometry and connectivity, and the mechanism ....Fluid-induced creation and decay of porosity and permeability in minerals. This project aims to investigate the role of hydrothermal fluids in the creation and decay of porosity and permeability in minerals. By developing new experimental techniques and undertaking experimental studies mimicking natural conditions, this project expects to generate knowledge of the fundamental relationships between fluid-mineral reactions, pore creation and decay, pore geometry and connectivity, and the mechanism for the formation of fluid inclusions. This should provide significant benefits such as a deeper understanding of the hydrothermal fluids flowing through tight rocks in the Earth’s crust to form orebodies, and provide a scientific basis to underpin the development of greener technologies for recovering natural resources.Read moreRead less
Contemporary stress and tectonics of Australia. This project will conduct a detailed examination of the state and controls on present-day tectonic stress in Australia. Tectonic stresses are a primary control on deformation in the Earth and this project has direct applications for earthquake hazard assessment, mine stability, production of petroleum and geothermal energy, and carbon dioxide sequestration.
Predicting the foundation performance of offshore jack-up drilling rigs in intermediate soils. The research outcomes will be a major step forward in creating safer operations of mobile platforms in our challenging seabed conditions. The new models and guidelines will assist engineers in the efficient expansion of our offshore oil and gas industry, with significant increased investment projected over the next five years.
Synthetic phenazines for enhanced biogas production from renewable and non-renewable resources. Methane (biogas) has a large role to play in meeting the energy needs of the human race globally whilst reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Microbial communities are responsible for biogas production from non-renewable (coal) and renewable (food waste) resources. This project seeks to: increase biogas yields by redirecting electron flow towards biogas producing microbes using electrochemically active p ....Synthetic phenazines for enhanced biogas production from renewable and non-renewable resources. Methane (biogas) has a large role to play in meeting the energy needs of the human race globally whilst reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Microbial communities are responsible for biogas production from non-renewable (coal) and renewable (food waste) resources. This project seeks to: increase biogas yields by redirecting electron flow towards biogas producing microbes using electrochemically active phenazines; understand the molecular mechanism by which phenazines increase biogas yields; and, assess the environmental consequence of phenazine application to coal seam gas production and anaerobic digestion of food waste. Phenazines are likely to emerge as a safe and cost-effective technology for improved biogas generation.Read moreRead less
Compressional Deformation and Uplift of Australia's Passive Southern Margin. The key project benefit will be to advance our understanding of the processes which cause active deformation of continental margins that are predicted by plate tectonic theory to be passive. We will analyse Australia's 'passive' southern margin because it is an ideal natural laboratory in which to investigate the causes of the deformation of 'passive' continental margins. Hydrocarbon exploration interest and investment ....Compressional Deformation and Uplift of Australia's Passive Southern Margin. The key project benefit will be to advance our understanding of the processes which cause active deformation of continental margins that are predicted by plate tectonic theory to be passive. We will analyse Australia's 'passive' southern margin because it is an ideal natural laboratory in which to investigate the causes of the deformation of 'passive' continental margins. Hydrocarbon exploration interest and investment has waned along much of Australia's southern margin because of lack of understanding of the relative age of the formation of potentially hydrocarbon-bearing structures and the timing of hydrocarbon charge. This project will clarify their relative ages.Read moreRead less
Present-Day Stress and Tectonics of Deltas and Deepwater Fold-Thrust Belts. The key benefit of the project will be to advance our understanding of the geological processes that control the development of deltas, and of the fold-thrust belts located in deepwater adjacent to deltas, by analysis of five examples worldwide. Global hydrocarbon exploration is successfully moving to deepwater fold-thrust belts. One of Australia's key under-explored frontier petroleum provinces is the Australian Bight B ....Present-Day Stress and Tectonics of Deltas and Deepwater Fold-Thrust Belts. The key benefit of the project will be to advance our understanding of the geological processes that control the development of deltas, and of the fold-thrust belts located in deepwater adjacent to deltas, by analysis of five examples worldwide. Global hydrocarbon exploration is successfully moving to deepwater fold-thrust belts. One of Australia's key under-explored frontier petroleum provinces is the Australian Bight Basin. The prospective parts of this basin comprise delta/deepwater fold-thrust belt systems and analysis of more data-rich systems worldwide will help provide the geological knowledge required to help re-invigorate exploration in the Bight Basin.Read moreRead less
The use of outcrop analogues to characterise large-scale deepwater sedimentary architecture. Deepwater turbidite sedimentary systems are one of the modern frontiers in petroleum exploration, with many major discoveries expected from around the world in the next 25 years. Technological advances in the drilling and production of the deepwater hydrocarbons now enable the exploration and exploitation in this realm. However, the geometry, internal architecture and spatial variations of deepwater sand ....The use of outcrop analogues to characterise large-scale deepwater sedimentary architecture. Deepwater turbidite sedimentary systems are one of the modern frontiers in petroleum exploration, with many major discoveries expected from around the world in the next 25 years. Technological advances in the drilling and production of the deepwater hydrocarbons now enable the exploration and exploitation in this realm. However, the geometry, internal architecture and spatial variations of deepwater sandbodies are still poorly understood. By using state-of-the-art outcrop, modern submarine fan and petroleum exploration data, this research project will improve the understanding of the reservoir geometry and internal architecture of deepwater sandbodies. The results will aid in the exploration and development of hydrocarbons in deepwater sedimentary systems.Read moreRead less