Membership renewals open for 2024 - Click here

Industry

ASEG WA Tech night: A Thread of Time - A history of IP

Friday, November 25, 2022
1700
1830

Nov Tech Night – Ken Witherley (Condor Consulting)

“A Thread of Time- A history of IP”

25th Nov, Celtic Club, 5:00pm

 

More details to follow

WA ASEG - DRONE MAG DEMO

Tuesday, October 18, 2022
1730
1900

WA ASEG - DRONE MAG DEMO OCT 18, 2022

Date: 18/10/2022

Time: 5:30 pm to 7:00pm

Registration: https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/aseg-wa-october-18-2022-drone-mag-demonstration-event-tickets-438539462337

The WA Branch of the Australian Society of Exploration Geophysicists invites you to quickly register for our upcoming events:

See a live demonstration and learn about all of the facets of a drone magnetic survey. Adam Kroll will discuss two different drones, how they operate, the magnetometer bird and their specifications, we will fly a drone on a short magnetic survey and process the data live.

Adam Kroll graduated with BSc Hons Geophysics from Curtin University in 2002. Adam has worked as a geophysicist for mining companies, geophysics consultancies and government in the minerals and oil and gas sector. Adam founded Shift Geophysics in 2011, developed a magnetic gradient sensor on unmanned airship and later founded AirGeoX which have four crews operating drone magnetic surveys around Australia.

Please email wasecretary@aseg.com with any queries. Drone and refreshments are provided by AirGeoX, so kindly RSVP and we looking forward to seeing you there.

 

 

 

Quiacito™ Multiphysics: A case study in seismic and potential fields integration

Tuesday, October 25, 2022
1800
1930

You are invited to join us for a talk by Mr Tom McNamara (post-graduate Earth Science student, University of Melbourne) on Tuesday 25 October from 6pm at The Kelvin Club.

Quiacito™ Multiphysics: A case study in seismic and potential fields integration

Tom McNamara*, Jarrod Dunne and James Parsons

Integration is often discussed in loose terms, more as an idea than a practice – but as exploration turns to more deeply buried resources, exploration strategies have become more complex and more complete data is needed. Model confidence has become more important and harder to achieve than ever. In simple systems, one form of data may be enough, but with complexity and noise, the non-uniqueness of geophysical modelling becomes a liability. Integrated modelling is becoming a necessity to manage exploration risks. It’s standard that where multiple forms of data are available, they should be cross-checked to see if they agree. Multiphysical modelling takes the next step and facilitates truth-checking across multiple forms of data for the same model, in the same workspace.

Integrated modelling for geophysical data operates on the principal that there is only one ground truth. Whatever property is surveyed, if the rock properties are properly measured and the geology is properly modelled, the data will agree across forms of data, and if it doesn’t, the whole story isn’t being told. Where one form of data is limited, another can complement its ambiguities. The lateral ambiguity inherent to seismic methods can be constrained by the lateral resolution of potential fields data, and likewise seismic can resolve the vertical ambiguity of potential fields. By modelling geophysical datasets simultaneously, the probability space for models that fit the data is reduced to only the intersection of solutions for each dataset.

Modelling in Quiacito is constrained by rock physics, leveraging knowledge from the mature science of seismic amplitude interpretation (AvO) in petroleum exploration. Lithological, petrophysics-driven compaction models inform velocity and density, which inform seismic and gravitational response. The software acts as a real time profile ‘whiteboarding’ tool to quickly create geological models and simulate their geophysical responses. Seismic data can be modelled to calculate a gravity profile, or a gravity-based model can be adjusted to match the seismic response using synthetic seismograms. As well as geological modelling, Quiacito has applications in generating geomechanical models that simulate overburden stress, and in iteratively improving velocity models for seismic imaging. Further multiphysics integrations are in development including magnetic and resistivity methods.

The talk explores the rationale behind data integration, from the operational level to the data modelling and interpretation, as well as the process of developing Quiacito and its place as a home-grown tool. Lessons from its development and consideration of its benefits and limitations give a view to the current state of data integration in exploration, and the role that integration needs to fill in the changing exploration landscape.

*Speaker bio: Tom McNamara is a Master of Earth Science student at the University of Melbourne, specialising in exploration geophysics. Tom’s research uses gravity and magnetic data to model profiles of the basalt megaclasts protruding from the basement of the Stawell Corridor. The research project is supported by a 2021 ASEG Foundation Grant, and Tom was awarded the ASEG’s 2022 Richard Lane Scholarship. Tom joined QIntegral in late 2021 to assist in the research and development for adding multiphysics functionality to Quiacito.

Co-author bio: Dr Jarrod Dunne is a geophysicist with 25 years of experience in petroleum exploration and production, and is also the company director of QIntegral, which is geophysical service startup company based in Melbourne. Jarrod is an expert in seismic amplitude (AvO) interpretation, depth conversion, reservoir characterization, seismic processing, seismic acquisition, and geophysical integration, with full lifecycle E&P experience in Australia, Brazil, and many other countries where oil and gas are found.

Co-author bio: Dr James Parsons is a geophysicist and software engineer with 28 years’ experience in both the petroleum and mineral sectors. James is the lead developer of Quiacito™ and also the technical director of Quantiseal™, a leading provider of fault seal evaluation services.

Note: light refreshments will be served at this event. Admission to this event is generously free for all members.

Please register your interest in attending this event by using the link below:

Registration: here

EM techniques in uncovering Porphyry's

Monday, November 21, 2022
1700
1900

On the 21st of November Ken Witherly from Condor Consulting is coming through from the US. The QLD branch of ASEG will be partnering up with AIG to bring you his presentation on EM techniques in uncovering Porphy's.

Title: What Lies Beneath? A Reflection on the Porphyry Copper Exploration Model - expanded talk

Presenter: Ken Witherly

Date: 21st November 2022

Time: 1700

Finger food from 1715

Technical Talk from 1815

Location: Transcontinental Hotel 482 George Street Brisbane City, QLD 4000

Registration: Here

This will be our last technical talk of the year and this joint event should be a large one not to be missed.

QLD Tech talk: Using real-time seismic nodes to explore the Earth, Moon & Mars

Tuesday, November 8, 2022
1700
1900

On the 8th of November we'll be welcoming Dr Gerrit Olivier the Director of Planetary Geophysics at Fleet Space Technologies and this will be held from 5pm at "Hello Gorgeous", in Newstead. Bookings here.

Finger food from 17.15

AGM from 18.00

Technical Talk from 18.15

Virtual (Zoom) registration: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_e1ujI7WXSbahCW2Uowuc3g

Gerrit's talk will be: 

Using real-time seismic nodes to explore the Earth, Moon & Mars

As most of the outcropping and shallow mineral deposits have been found, new technology is imperative to finding the hidden critical mineral deposits required to transition to renewable energy. In this talk I will show Fleet’s progress in developing seismic technology to image the subsurface in real-time to address this challenge in an environmentally-friendly manner. I’ll also discuss our ambitions to deploy compact geophysical rovers on the Moon and Mars to image the subsurface to find resources for future colonisation missions.

ASEG NSW - talk by Berta Vilacís

Wednesday, September 21, 2022
1800
1900

Topic: ASEG NSW - talk by Berta Vilacís

Presenter: Berta Vilacís

Date and time: Sep 21, 2022 06:00 PM

Registration: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_p_jGJ9-ESQaR2j_c9XroWQ

 

Overview:

Mantle convection is an essential driving force of plate tectonics. It affects the horizontal and vertical motion of the Earth’s surface. The horizontal motion of the lithosphere is observed in the spreading rates, while its vertical motion leaves an imprint the geological record. In particular, positive surface deflections driven by mantle convection create erosional/non-depositional environments, which induce gaps in the stratigraphic record (i.e., hiatus). Modern digital geological maps allow us to map no-/hiatus surfaces at continental scale systematically and use them as a proxy for mantle flow induced dynamic topography. We find that hiatus surfaces change in timescales of geological series. This is consistent with the presence of a weak upper mantle. Also, we find significant differences in the spatial scale of inter-regional hiatus, on the order of 2000-3000 km in diameter, which can be linked by fluid dynamic analysis to active upper mantle flow regions. Our results highlight the importance of geological datasets to further understand geodynamic processes in the deep Earth. Also, they indicate that studies of horizontal and vertical motion of the lithosphere to track past mantle flow would provide powerful constraints for adjoint based geodynamic inverse models of past mantle convection.

Bio:

Berta Vilacís is a PhD student in geodynamics at the Ludwig-Maximillians-Universität München (LMU Munich). She did her bachelor in Physics in the University of Barcelona focusing in applied seismology during her final year. At the same time she got a one-year fellowship in the Catalonia seismic network. After working in maintaining and processing data from the IEC seismic network in 2017, she moved to Munich where she got her MSc in Geophysics by TUM and LMU Munich. In 2019, she started her PhD in Hans-Peter Bunge’s group. Her research focuses in using geological information, such as geological maps, as a way to observe, map and track past mantle convection.

 

MAG22

Wednesday, November 9, 2022
0800
1800

Modern Applications of Geophysics: Mineral Case Studies

MAG22

Date: November 9, 2022

Location: Fraser's Kings Park - Perth

Registration: MAG22 - Modern Applications of Geophysics: Mineral Case Studies Tickets, Wed 09/11/2022 at 8:00 am | Eventbrite

Program: Available here

PESA QLD 2022 Symposium

Friday, September 9, 2022
0800
1800

PESA Queensland are delighted to announce the return of our annual Symposium on Friday, 9th September 2022.

Information and registration: https://pesa.com.au/events/pesa-qld-2022-symposium/

The PESA QLD Symposium is a full day event focused on bringing together members of the Petroleum exploration and production industry here in Queensland. Local and International specialist speakers are invited to present a series of papers which address the industry activity within the state from a technical, economic and social perspective.

Hear from The Queensland Department of Resources, University of Queensland Centre for Natural Gas, Geoscience Australia, Bridgeport, State Gas, Blue Energy, Comet Ridge and others!

Ice Breaker Event
PESA QLD are hosting an Ice-Breaker networking event on the evening before the Symposium on Thursday the 8th of September.
The venue for this event is the Arbour Bar & Veranda – The Plough Inn, Southbank, only a short walk from the Convention Centre.
This excellent social event kicks off the Symposium proceedings, giving all delegates time to network with their fellow attendees and speakers in a more relaxed setting.
To book tickets for the Ice Break Event click here.

Industry Exhibition
Our exhibition gives the opportunity for local companies to introduce their technologies and interact with clients, and potential clients, face to face. Please see the Sponsorship Package Document for more information about Exhibitor Booths.

Student Poster Session
We are also delighted to offer resource focused Queensland-based students the chance to present and discuss their research with industry representatives.

WA Branch talk: Geomechanical and petrophysical properties of rock salt for energy/gas storage

Thursday, September 29, 2022
1730
2000

WA Branch's upcoming event where Mustafa Sari will talk on Geomechanical and petrophysical properties of rock salt for energy/gas storage.

Title: Geomechanical and petrophysical properties of rock salt for energy/gas storage

Presenter: Mustafa Sari, CSIRO Energy

Registration: https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/aseg-wa-branch-event-sept-2022-tech-night-tickets-401605391537

Date: 29/09/22

Time: 1730 - 2000 AWST

Location: The Shoe Bar and Cafe, 376 - 420 Wellington Street, Perth, WA 6050

About this event:

We evaluate of the suitability of the Frome Rocks salt dome for waste disposal or energy storage in deep boreholes, i.e., depth > 600m in the Canning basin, Western Australia(McNee et al., 2021). This evaluation involves the characterization and testing of the petrophysical, mineralogical, microstructural and geomechanical properties of rock salt samples from two contrasting facies in this formation: a shallower (800m) heterogeneous facies with 40% halite and 38% of dolomite inclusions (mm to cm in size, see figure); and a deeper (1100m) homogeneous, halite-rich facies. The petrophysical testing involves porosity, and gas permeability estimation as a function of effective confining pressure; and the geomechanical testing involves multi-stage triaxial testing at four distinct effective confining pressures (see figure), one of which corresponds to the estimated in-situ effective pressure prevailing at the depth of recovery of each sample (purple curves, see figure). The other stages simulate possible stress perturbation associated with drilling/excavation operations in the native formation.

During each stage of the multi-stage triaxial test, additional gas permeability tests are conducted under hydrostatic and deviatoric stress conditions; and creep tests are conducted under deviatoric stress corresponding to 75% of the yield stress at that depth. The laboratory data show that the homogeneous (heterogeneous) salt facies exhibit a porosity in the range 0.8-1.1% (0.2-0.3%), and a gas permeability in the range 50-500 mD (1-20 mD) in the confining pressure interval 0-16 MPa. Subsequent triaxial testing of the samples lasted about 80 days for each facies sample, essentially due to the time-consuming nature of the multiple gas permeability and creep tests conducted during each test.

 

Sub 22 Conference

Monday, November 28, 2022
0900
1700

Sub 22 Conference at the National Wine Centre, Adelaide, November 28th-30th

The symposium will deliver a diverse program of workshops, presentations, panel discussions, informal roundtables and networking opportunities, providing attendees with the chance to contribute and gain interdisciplinary insights into a wide range of scientific concepts, among them:

•   Extracting additional information from data so that complex models of subsurface processes can be better constrained.
•   Obtaining information about the processes governing the formation, evolution and properties of resources of all types.
•   Objectively accounting for petrophysical information in the inversion of geophysical data.

Register at http://sub22.w.tas.currinda.com/

Pages