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AusGeo News March 2012 Issue No. 105
Welcome to AusGeo News 105
This issue of AusGeo News features several articles on Geoscience Australia's research to assist energy resource explorers and reduce exploration risk in frontier areas. Other articles highlight some significant recent contributions to natural resource management.
The main feature article reports on the development of a basement architecture framework for a section of the continental margin off Australia's western coast referred to as the Southwest Margin. This area includes the Southern Carnarvon, Perth and Mentelle basins, as well as the Naturaliste and Wallaby plateaus. The methodologies used for this study may be applied to other regional geological and exploration activities in different geographic and tectonic settings.
Trap breach is a major exploration risk in the offshore northern Perth Basin. Our article outlines the trap integrity study which evaluated the potential of fault reactivation as a critical exploration risk for hydrocarbon preservation in the Abrolhos Sub-basin. The results from this work are a step towards the development of a regional predictive approach for assessing trap integrity in this area.
The Joseph Bonaparte Gulf and Timor Sea region, off northern Australia, is a focus for a range of stakeholders in both the energy industry and marine management agencies. Our article describes a recent environmental review, describing the physical characteristics of the seabed and associated biological communities, which drew on results from two recent mapping and sampling surveys in the area led by Geoscience Australia.
In 2010 the United Nations General Assembly appointed 25 experts representing all nations to carry out the first cycle of the Regular Process to review the ocean's condition every five years. The process and approaches to be used for the first global integrated marine assessment between 2010 and 2014 is summarised in our feature article. Dr Peter Harris of Geoscience Australia has been appointed to be Australia's member of the Group of Experts for the current phase of drafting the assessment.
This issue also includes reports on:
- The National Dynamic Land Cover Dataset which will assist sustainable farming practices as well as management of our water resources, soil and forests.
- The Gnangara geomagnetic observatory in the southwest of Western Australia which was recently commissioned.
- Preparations for the 34th International Geological Congress, to be held in Brisbane between 5 and 10 August 2012.
In the last issue of AusGeo News I outlined the new structure for Geoscience Australia to better reflect the government's major strategic foci. This issue includes brief profiles of the recently appointed Chiefs of our new scientific Divisions as well as our new General Manager Corporate Services.
As always we welcome your feedback and encourage you to use the email address at the end of each article.
Dr Chris Pigram
CEO Geoscience Australia