Geoscience Australia, Offshore Energy Security Initiative and Core Petroleum Program: an update of future surveys and new directions

Peter Southgate completed his PhD at the Research School of Earth Sciences at the Australian National University in 1983. In 1983 he joined Geoscience Australia (formerly BMR) to undertake facies-based outcrop and drill core studies of Neoproterozoic and Cambrian successions in the Georgina, Amadeus and Officer basins (1983–88) prior to undertaking subsurface studies in the onshore Canning Basin (1989–94). In 1995 Peter moved to the Minerals Division to lead a major basin analysis project with the aim of identifying and reconstructing basin geometry, sedimentary architecture and fluid evolutionary pathways in the Palaeoproterozoic Carpentaria Zinc Belt of northern Australia. Between 2002 and 2006 Peter lead the regional studies and geochronology group in Geoscience Australia and was responsible for the outputs of 60 scientists and technicians in a number of project teams investigating the base-metal and uranium endowment of Proterozoic successions across Australia. In 2007 Peter moved to the Petroleum and Marine Division as a group leader responsible for petroleum prospectivity and promotion.

peter.southgate@ga.gov.au

Edward Bowen is the leader of the basement and geodynamics project at Geoscience Australia. After graduating from Macquarie University in 1970, he worked throughout Australia and south-east Asia on mineral and petroleum exploration projects. In his current role, he utilises his extensive experience in the application of potential field methods in defining basement fabric and structure to better understand the development of the overlying sedimentary basins and their petroleum potential. Past President: ASEG. Member: PESA.

Barry Bradshaw works as a senior research scientists within the Petroleum and Marine Division at Geoscience Australia. Since 2002, he has been studying frontier basins along the southern and southwestern Australian margins. Barry specialises in applying integrated basin analysis to assess petroleum prospectivity in offshore basins, and is leading a study of frontier basins along Australia’s southwest margin. Previously, Barry has undertaken research at Geoscience Australia into the geological sequestration potential of Australia’s sedimentary basins, and sediment-hosted mineral systems in Northern Australia. Before joining Geoscience Australia in 1995, he worked in the Gulf of Mexico Structural and Stratigraphic Synthesis Project at Texas A&M University between 1992 and 1994, undertaking research into salt and shale tectonics in offshore Texas. Barry graduated from the University of Sydney in 1988, and completed a PhD at the University of Waikato, New Zealand, in 1991.

Marita Bradshaw is Head of Petroleum Promotion at Geoscience Australia. She has been responsible for the program of new data acquisition in frontier basins and the geotechnical component of the annual offshore acreage release. Marita’s previous roles at Geoscience Australia and its predecessors, have been focussed on the petroleum prospectivity of Australia and the region, and its promotion to exploration companies in Australia and overseas. During 1996–97 she was on staff exchange with WMC Resources working with the International New Ventures team in Argentina and Indonesia. Marita began her career in petroleum geology with ESSO Australia in 1981. She has a BSc (Hons) degree in geomorphology from the University of Sydney and a PhD in evaporite and carbonate geology from the University of WA.

Dianne Edwards is the project leader for producing regions at Geoscience Australia. She has been involved in the acreage release process for the past three years. Her research interests have focussed on the organic geochemical studies of gases, crude oils and source rocks of the Northwest Shelf. She received her BSc Hons degree in geology and MSc in organic petrology and organic geochemistry from the University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, UK. She was awarded her PhD from the University of Adelaide. Member: PESA, AAPG and EAOG.

Robert Langford is a senior basin analyst with Geoscience Australia. He is now working in carbon capture and storage projects, having previously been the project leader of the Remote Eastern Frontiers Project. Robert is a graduate of the Australian National University. After working for the Bureau of Mineral Resources, now Geoscience Australia, in the 1980s, he spent more than 10 years working with BHP World Minerals in coal and industrial minerals research and exploration. Prior to joining Geoscience Australia, he spent several years working in environmental management. Member:PESA and IAH.

Nadege Rollet is a research scientist at Geoscience Australia. She obtained a MSc and a PhD in geology and geophysics from the University of Paris—Pierre et Marie Curie, France, in 1995 and 1999, respectively. Her studies are focussed on geodynamic reconstructions and structural framework of the south and southeast Australian margins, on detection and characterisation of natural hydrocarbon seepage on the north and northwest Australian margin. She is now project leader of Remote Eastern Frontiers project within Petroleum and Marine Division at Geoscience Australia. Member: ASEG.

Jennie Totterdell is project leader of Geoscience Australia’s Southern Frontiers Project. She has worked on a range of regional, thematic and basin studies at Geoscience Australia, including petroleum prospectivity studies of the Browse, Bight and Arafura Basins. In her current role Jennie is responsible for leading a tectonostratigraphic, palaeogeographic and petroleum system synthesis of the Australian southern margin, and directing research and acquisition program designed to enhance our understanding of the prospectivity of the southern margin basins.