Concurrent 15. Presentation for: Trusted environmental and geological information to support Australian energy resource development in a changing world
Sarlae R. B. McAlpine A *A Geoscience Australia, Canberra, ACT, Australia.
The APPEA Journal 62 - https://doi.org/10.1071/AJ21352
Published: 3 June 2022
Abstract
Presented on Wednesday 18 May: Session 15
The Australian Government’s Trusted Environmental and Geological Information (TEGI) program is a scientific program led by Geoscience Australia. The program is part of the Government’s Strategic Basin Initiative under its Gas-fired Recovery agenda, implemented as a post-COVID19 response to stimulate the economy. This program will deliver regional geological and environmental assessments underpinned by transparent, trusted baseline geological and environmental data, commencing in the north Bowen and Galilee and the Cooper and Adavale Basins. This repository of information is to be used in support of bringing forward energy and mineral developments in basins identified by the Government as strategic. This paper discusses how coupling resource assessments with baseline information such as groundwater, geology, energy and mineral resources, surface water and protected environmental matters, can be used to support exploration and development decisions by industry, regulators and other stakeholders. For example, by establishing a regional baseline resource assessment, through prospectivity play mapping, environmental assessments can be prioritised to match resource prospectivity. In anticipating future development scenarios, potential impacts on environmental assets, including groundwater, can be assessed in advance and with key knowledge gaps identified for redress. This approach aims to optimise the regulatory pathway to resource development and increase regulatory efficiency as future development opportunities arise across the scope of petroleum, minerals, carbon capture and storage, and hydrogen storage and production. An example of Geoscience Australia’s work on the Adavale Basin is presented in this paper describing the first steps in linking energy resources and environmental assessments in a changing world.
To access the presentation click the link on the right. To read the full paper click here
Keywords: Adavale Basin, carbon capture and storage, Cooper Basin, Galilee Basin, gas, groundwater, hydrogen, minerals, north Bowen Basin, resource assessments.
Dr Sarlae McAlpine is the Director of the Strategic Basins Section in the Advice, Investment Attraction and Analysis Branch in the Minerals, Energy and Groundwater Division at Geoscience Australia. Sarlae has 10 years of experience leading and contributing to pre-competitive geoscience research programs within the Australian Government, and has significant international science engagement experience. Sarlae has held a number of roles at Geoscience Australia, including leading integration and prospectivity in the Mineral Systems Branch, as the inaugural Executive Officer to the CEO, and Director of Digital Earth Africa. Sarlae has a Bachelor of Science (Hons), and PhD in Igneous and Mantle Petrology from the Research School of Earth Sciences, the Australian National University. |
