Towards the development of a baseline for surface movement in the Surat Cumulative Management Area
Mohsen S. Masoudian A , Christopher Leonardi A C , Zhongwei Chen A and Jim Underschultz BA School of Mechanical and Mining Engineering, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia 4072 Queensland, Australia.
B Chair in Petroleum Hydrodynamics, UQ Centre for Coal Seam Gas, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia 4072 Queensland, Australia.
C Corresponding author. Email: c.leonardi@uq.edu.au
The APPEA Journal 59(1) 95-114 https://doi.org/10.1071/AJ18181
Submitted: 7 December 2018 Accepted: 23 January 2019 Published: 17 June 2019
Abstract
Ground surface movement can result from several natural and anthropogenic processes. Understanding the mechanisms that drive ground surface movement and their contribution to the net movement is crucial in assessing the impact of resource development projects and other human activities. Consequently, there is an interest in understanding ground surface movement in the Surat Cumulative Management Area (CMA), Queensland, and how it is influenced by coal seam gas (CSG) production, if at all. This paper presents the analysis of a large InSAR (interferometric synthetic aperture radar) dataset covering the CMA regions featuring no active CSG wells. These non-production areas were specifically examined in order to develop an understanding of background surface movement and its contributing processes. Of the regional dataset, four focus areas showing measurable changes over time were selected for more detailed investigation. All the focus areas exhibited an overall downward surface movement (subsidence), with three showing cycles of subsidence and uplift that appeared to be very well correlated with rainfall events. The soil types in these three areas were consistent with the hypothesis that the observed surface movement is due to rainfall infiltration-induced consolidation of the shallow soil layers and subsequent moisture-induced shrinkage and swelling. The fourth focus area, however, did not exhibit a strong seasonal fluctuation, and unravelling the mechanisms driving surface movement in this area was more difficult. This investigation resulted in a foundation for further research into the complex problem of surface movement, and in particular, deconvolution of the various contributions that occur at different depths, lengths, and time scales.
Keywords: coal seam gas, coalbed methane, data visualisation, geomechanics, groundwater, InSAR, remote sensing, subsidence, surface movement baseline, Surat CMA, uplift.
Dr Mohsen Masoudian Saadabad is a Research Fellow at the University of Queensland, with expertise in coupled processes in geomechanics, having worked on experimental and theoretical studies in geomechanical aspects of energy and mining projects. Prior to his current position, he was a Research Fellow at the University of Nottingham, UK. Mohsen holds a PhD in Geomechanics from the University of Sydney, a Master of Petroleum Engineering from Curtin University, and a Bachelor of Mining Engineering and Rock Mechanics from Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman. |
Dr Christopher Leonardi is a faculty member in the School of Mechanical and Mining Engineering at the University of Queensland. He holds a B.E. in Mechanical Engineering with Class I Honours from James Cook University, a PhD in Civil and Computational Engineering from Swansea University (UK), and a Research Affiliate appointment in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (USA). Dr Leonardi's research is currently targeted at the development of large-scale numerical models, which can be used to provide insight into the complex characteristics of fluid -solid interaction in oil and gas reservoirs. Much of this work is undertaken in close collaboration with industry via the University of Queensland Centre for Coal Seam Gas. In addition to his academic pursuits, Christopher has over five years of consulting experience, applying both computational and analytical techniques to solve problems in the mining and mechanical engineering disciplines. |
Dr Zhongwei Chen’s research interests are in computational geomechanics, coal mine strata control, and unconventional gas recovery and carbon sequestration, including coal seam, shale, and other tight gas reservoirs. |
With over 25 years of experience and more than 50 publications on the subject, Jim Underschultz has an international reputation in petroleum hydrogeology and carbon capture and storage projects. He currently holds the Professorial Chair of Petroleum Hydrodynamics at the Centre for Coal Seam Gas at the University of Queensland. Prior to this, Jim managed the research program for ANLEC RandD with an annual research budget of ~AUS$18 million applied to more than 50 active research projects supporting Australia’s CCS demonstration. He sat on the Sustainable Energy for the Square Kilometre Array geothermal project control group and the Australian Standards mirror committee for international standards on carbon capture and storage. Previously, Jim was the CSIRO Lead for the Unconventional Petroleum and Geothermal Energy R&D program, with more 50 full time equivalents and an annual budget of ~AUS$16 million and he concurrently managed the hydrodynamics and geochemistry discipline group within the Australian Cooperative Research Centre on CO2. |
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