PIECING TOGETHER THE ‘SKELETON’ OF THE GIPPSLAND BASIN
From the Minister for Energy & Resources
Wednesday, 21 October 2009

A Melbourne company has been awarded the tender to create a geological ‘skeleton’ of the Gippsland Basin that can be fleshed out to become a sophisticated 3D model and used by companies to explore for valuable resources. Energy and Resources Minister Peter Batchelor said 3D-GEO was one of nine companies vying for the contract to interpret existing seismic data – acquired by reflecting sound waves off underground structures – to create a framework showing the geology of the basin.

”We are standing up for Victorian jobs by investing in job-creating projects like the 3D modelling of the Gippsland Basin that will give exploration companies better information about what resources are available below the state’s surface,” Mr Batchelor said.

“Part of a $5.2 million four-year Brumby Labor Government initiative to undertake geological modelling of the Gippsland Basin, this data will be used by 3D-GEO to map underground structures in a similar way to how doctors use ultrasound to look inside the human body.

“3D-GEO’s staff have participated in seismic projects in the majority of basins between the Middle East and New Zealand and the company has extensive experience in the Gippsland Basin.”

Mr Batchelor said the companies that submitted tenders ranged from big corporations to smaller suppliers from across Australia, some of which are world leaders in energy services.

“GeoScience Victoria geologists will use the skeleton created by 3D-GEO to build a 3D model of the region,” he said.  

“The model will then be used to understand how carbon dioxide, water, oil and gas move through the porous rocks with time.

“It will be a powerful and cutting-edge tool that allows geologists and exploration managers to visualise different layers of rock and faults, and will assist exploration companies in their search for valuable resource.

“It will provide a good understanding of how petroleum, groundwater, geothermal and geological carbon storage projects may potentially operate side-by-side in the region.”

SEISMIC STUDY TO TEST CARBON STORAGE POTENTIAL
From The ABC
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/01/13/2791268.htm
Wednesday, 13th January 2010

The State Government says a major seismic study into the Gippsland Basin's storage potential will begin next month.
The Federal Government has named the basin the most important carbon storage site in Australia.

The Victorian Minister for Energy and Resources, Peter Batchelor, says the basin has the capacity to also store carbon from other states, including New South Wales.
He is assuring oil and gas companies carbon storage will not disrupt commercial operations and says they will also benefit from the study.

"The Federal Government, in trying to encourage the exploration, not for oil and gas, but for potential carbon dioxide storage sites, have decided to move away [from] the existing operating oil and gas fields and this is a sensible interim basis," he said.