Geoscience Visual Presentation G6: The complexity of identifying and quantifying natural and anthropogenic influences on surface movement in coal seam gas producing regions within the Surat Basin, Queensland
Sarah Brennand A *A School of Mechanical and Mining Engineering, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Qld, Australia.
The APPEA Journal 63 - https://doi.org/10.1071/AJ22419
Published: 2 June 2023
Abstract
Visual Presentation G6
Coal seam gas (CSG) production can cause surface movement through the compaction of coal seams and adjacent geological units and may cause subtle changes in the topographic gradients that have been alleged to cause impacts on agriculture. Since surface movement can result from both natural and anthropogenic processes, the determination of which processes, and the magnitudes of their contributions, are important challenges in the management of impacts. Differential interferometric synthetic aperture radar (D-InSAR) is a proven remote sensing technique used to monitor large-scale surface movement via radar satellite imagery. It is currently used by major CSG producers to conduct monitoring over their tenements. As D-InSAR can only deduce total observed movement, integration with other datasets is required to deconvolve the influences within observations. This paper provides an overview of the range of processes that influence surface movement. A case study using a D-InSAR time-series dataset (2016–2022) reveals the surface movement in the Surat Basin. Velocity measurements show that surface movement in the vicinity of CSG wells ranges between −18 and +9 mm/year. Analysis of any correlations between landscape characteristics and surface movement is provided, along with preliminary findings on some key observations. This work aids in refining calculations on what proportion of surface movement may be attributable to gas extraction.
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Keywords: coal bed methane, coal seam gas, differential interferometric synthetic aperture radar (D-InSAR), gas extraction, interferometry, subsidence, Surat Basin, surface movement.
Sarah Brennand is a PhD Candidate at The University of Queensland (UQ). She is currently focussed on quantifying and attributing surface movement in the Surat Basin, south-east Queensland. She has a Bachelor of Science in Geology with Class 1 Honours from the Australian National University and received several awards throughout her undergraduate studies. She has over 20 years’ experience in the Australian Government, including several years as a Repeat-Pass Interferometry Scientist. Her research interests include using remotely sensed data to identify changes in the Earth’s surface through time, integrating different datasets to identify the causes of surface movement, leverage the latest technologies, high-performance computing and big data to deliver innovative solutions to meet new/emerging challenges in geoscience. |
