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Onshore Energy Security Program National projects
Regional projects
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Updated:
13 March 2008
Onshore Energy Security ProgramThe programThe Onshore Energy Security Program (OESP), implemented by the Australian Government as part of a broader package of energy initiatives in 2006, is a five-year program designed to deliver reliable, precompetitive geoscience data and scientifically based assessments of the potential for onshore energy resources, including oil, gas, hot rocks (geothermal energy), uranium and thorium. The OESP's mission is to significantly boost investment in exploration for onshore energy resources, particularly oil and gas, to assist in securing a sustainable energy supply for Australia's future. The OESP complements Geoscience Australia's program to encourage offshore exploration for hydrocarbons in frontier regions. The OESP is being implemented by the Onshore Energy and Minerals Division in consultation with the State and Northern Territory geological surveys and peak minerals and petroleum industry bodies, including the Australian Petroleum Production and Exploration Association and the Association of Mining and Exploration Companies. Drivers
Results for 2007Figure 1 Final Flight Path for the Australia-wide airborne geophysical tie-line survey (AWAGS2) - Flying completed on 14 December 2007. (Click on image for larger version) Australian Wide Airborne Geophysical Survey - Magnetics and Radiometrics - Flying of the Australia-wide airborne geophysical tie-line survey (AWAGS2) was completed in December 2007 (see figure 1). The survey across the entire Australian continental landmass and Tasmania ranked as one of the world's largest airborne geophysical surveys. The processed radiometric data from AWAGS2 are to become the Australian Radioelement Datum and will be used to adjust existing Commonwealth, State and Territory public-domain data in the National Radiometric Database. The survey also will serve as the base for radiometric data acquired in future decades. The processed magnetic data will be used to improve the frequency content of the Australian Magnetic Anomaly Map and be incorporated into continental-scale data sets. The data will fill the gap between wavelengths of about 100 kilometres from airborne surveys and wavelengths greater than 400 kilometres from satellites. The results from AWAGS2 are scheduled to be released in late 2008. The data will assist with the assessment of uranium and thorium potential across the continent and with projects to conduct regional heat flow studies aimed at identifying geothermal energy resources. Figure 2 Map - AEM Survey Areas, Paterson Region, Western Australia. Gravity, airborne electromagnetic and seismic acquisition - New gravity data acquired over parts of the Cooper Basin in south west Queensland were released through the Geophysical Archive Data Delivery System in October. The data is an important product from the OESP and will assist with the assessment of hydrocarbon potential in the region as well as with the identification of granites beneath the basin which have the potential for geothermal energy. The first airborne electromagnetic (AEM) survey to be conducted under the OESP began in the Paterson Province of Western Australia in September 2007 (see figure 2). Because flying is not possible during summer, the survey is scheduled to be completed in mid 2008 with results released early in 2008/09. The results of this work will help to assess the region's potential for uranium resources. The next AEM survey is planned for the Pine Creek Province in the Northern Territory and is scheduled to start in mid 2008. The province is prospective for a number of different types of uranium deposits. AEM data should make it possible to construct a 3D model of the basin architecture, map graphitic conductors in the basement and regolith thickness as well as locate major structures and possible mineralising fluid pathways. Other AEM surveys are being scoped to target uranium systems elsewhere across the continent. In some areas, AEM data also may assist with land and water management. Figure 3 Location of OESP funded 2007 North Queensland seismic survey lines. A major program of deep seismic data acquisition in Queensland was completed in September along lines transecting northeast from the Mt Isa/Cloncurry region towards Georgetown and southeast to approximately 100 kilometres south of Charters Towers (see figure 3). The results of the survey will be released progressively from early 2008, contributing significantly to the assessment of uranium, geothermal energy and hydrocarbon resource potential in north west Queensland. The next seismic survey under the OESP is scheduled to commence in the first quarter of 2008 in the Rankin Springs and Yathong Troughs of the Darling Basin in central western New South Wales. A key objective of the survey is to ascertain the petroleum potential of the area through the identification of sediment accumulation thickness within the troughs along with the structures and stratigraphy of significance to hydrocarbon migration and entrapment. After New South Wales, the forward planning schedule for seismic data acquisition is South Australia in 2008/09 and northern Western Australia in 2010. Figure 4 Summary of existing seismic surveys, recently acquired or in-progress surveys and regions of possible seismic reflection data acquisition in future years of the OESP. National projectsPlanning and initial activities under the national-scale projects for petroleum, geothermal energy and uranium started in mid-2007. Petroleum Project is a staged-program of data acquisition involving the collection of airborne magnetics and radiometrics, magneto-tellurics and, where appropriate, gravity, followed by high-quality deep seismic reflection data. The Petroleum Project is focussing on selected areas in the Warburton and Pedirka Basins (South Australia, Northern Territory), Lander Trough (Northern Territory) and Kidson Sub-basin (Western Australia). Geothermal Energy Project aims to increase the understanding of the type and location of geothermal energy resources on a national scale and to encourage exploration for, and investment in, this renewable energy sector. The project's multi-faceted work program is broadly aimed at compiling a single dataset using existing diverse data to identify high heat producing granites and acquiring new data to better understand the distribution of temperature in the continent's upper crust. Results from the project are scheduled to be released towards the end of the Onshore Energy Security Program in 2011. Uranium Systems Project aims to: -
Figure 5 Distribution of catchments sampled for the NGSA, as at 31 December 2007. The National Geochemical Survey of Australia (NGSA) Project - National Geoscience Agreements under the NGSA Project are now in place with all States and the Northern Territory. The training of field teams has been completed in most jurisdictions and sample collection is under way with more than 130 (10%) catchments sampled so far (see figure 5). Links and presentations
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