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Australian Energy Producers Journal Australian Energy Producers Journal Society
Journal of Australian Energy Producers
RESEARCH ARTICLE (Non peer reviewed)

Geoscience skills supplement emissions reduction through carbon solutions

Jeffrey Ball A * , Melinda Reynolds A and Nick Kennedy A
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A Woodside Energy, Perth, WA, Australia.




Jeff Ball is a Geospatial Analyst in Woodside’s Carbon Origination team. He graduated with a BSc hons in GIS from Curtin University in 2017. He joined Woodside in 2018 on the graduate program spending 3 years in the geospatial team. For the past 2 years he has worked in the Carbon Origination team, focusing on land acquisition and management as well as developing geospatial systems.



Mel Reynolds is a Geospatial Analyst in Woodside’s Carbon Origination team. She graduated with a BSc hons in Geology from Curtin University in 2015. She joined Woodside in 2016 on the graduate program and worked as an exploration and development geologist for 6 years. For the past 2 years she has worked in the Carbon Origination team, focusing on planting project design and implementation.



Nick Kennedy is a Carbon Advisor in Woodside’s Carbon Policy, Portfolio and Markets team. He has a Masters in Petroleum Geoscience, and has worked previously as a development geoscientist at Woodside. Nick joined Woodside’s carbon business during it’s inception in 2019, and has since worked across almost all aspects of the business – from land acquisition, to geospatial analysis, market purchasing and strategy.

* Correspondence to: Jeffrey.ball@woodside.com

Australian Energy Producers Journal 64 S95-S99 https://doi.org/10.1071/EP23261
Accepted: 20 February 2024  Published: 16 May 2024

© 2024 The Author(s) (or their employer(s)). Published by CSIRO Publishing on behalf of Australian Energy Producers.

Abstract

As the energy sector transitions, traditional geoscience occupations have been impacted by the decrease in upstream oil and gas activity. However, these roles are highly technical and innovative, and could benefit many sectors if re-deployed. Carbon offsetting is available now to support meeting emission reduction targets and is expected to be deployed in the long term for hard-to-abate areas. In 2018, Woodside started a carbon business that includes the origination of offsets through carbon farming. Millions of seedlings have been planted on less productive farmland in WA. The program has been enhanced through the transferable skills that geoscientists provide, including uncertainty analysis, software technology and data acquisition. Much like the petroleum geoscience discipline, carbon offset investment requires an assessment of a natural resource. There is uncertainty in the total volume, the future state, and the policy conditions impacting the resource. Geoscientists at Woodside have led initiatives to assess carbon yield, quantify and forecast uncertainty, and develop decision-making frameworks for project investment. These initiatives have informed the business as a market participant and project developer in the nascent carbon market. Geospatial analytics is critical throughout the value chain of a planting project, including site selection, project design, site execution, monitoring and reporting. Remote sensing and imagery analysis are used for monitoring growth and quantifying carbon sequestration. Further, geospatial projects have aided efficiency, providing accurate, real-time data to and from the field and re-deploying geoscientists from in-house has contributed towards Woodside’s success.

Keywords: carbon, carbon origination, career progression, energy transition, farming, geoscience, geospatial analysis, offsets, personal development, planting, redeployment, reforestation.

Biographies

EP23261_B1.gif

Jeff Ball is a Geospatial Analyst in Woodside’s Carbon Origination team. He graduated with a BSc hons in GIS from Curtin University in 2017. He joined Woodside in 2018 on the graduate program spending 3 years in the geospatial team. For the past 2 years he has worked in the Carbon Origination team, focusing on land acquisition and management as well as developing geospatial systems.

EP23261_B2.gif

Mel Reynolds is a Geospatial Analyst in Woodside’s Carbon Origination team. She graduated with a BSc hons in Geology from Curtin University in 2015. She joined Woodside in 2016 on the graduate program and worked as an exploration and development geologist for 6 years. For the past 2 years she has worked in the Carbon Origination team, focusing on planting project design and implementation.

EP23261_B3.gif

Nick Kennedy is a Carbon Advisor in Woodside’s Carbon Policy, Portfolio and Markets team. He has a Masters in Petroleum Geoscience, and has worked previously as a development geoscientist at Woodside. Nick joined Woodside’s carbon business during it’s inception in 2019, and has since worked across almost all aspects of the business – from land acquisition, to geospatial analysis, market purchasing and strategy.

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