Ben Royal

Phd student - Geo

Biography

Including dot points of Education and Work Experience.

PhD Research Project

Geological Sequestration in Depleted Gas Fields and Dry Structures - Examples from South East Queensland

Supervisors: Dr Simon Lang, Dr Tobi Payenberg

Funding Support: CO2CRC

Scholarship support: Australian Postgraduate Award and CO2CRC

Project Description

The Cooperative Research Centre for Greenhouse Gas Technologies (CO2CRC) is currently investigating sites within South East Queensland for their suitability to sequester carbon dioxide (CO2). CO2 sequestration is the removal of CO2, either directly from anthropogenic sources, or from the atmosphere, and disposing of it either permanently or for geologically significant periods of time (Bachu, 2000). A geological storage site for CO2 is being sought in Queensland that would notionally sequester at least five years of output of a commercially operating 65 MW coal or gas fired power plant. Regions determined as having the potential to sequester CO2 within South East Queensland include the Bowen, Surat, Clarence-Moreton, Ipswich-Nambour, Maryborough, and Yarrol-Callide Basins.

For this PhD project a sedimentological and sequence stratigraphic analysis of the Aldebaran and Freitag Formations in the Bowen Basin, more specifically the Denison Trough will be undertaken. Utilizing the principles of sequence stratigraphy and reservoir characterization a detailed three dimensional geological model will be developed investigating the suitability of possible sites for geological sequestration of CO2. Construction of a geological model will involve the integration of core, outcrop, wireline log, seismic, palynology and mercury injection capillary pressure data. A key component of the study will be the examination of outcrop in the Denison Trough due to the low density of borehole data.

The project will help ascertain the viability of subsurface CO2 storage for petroleum and coal resources in the Aldebaran Formation of the Dension Trough.

The project will also help provide new insights into reservoir quality of the Aldebaran and Freitag Formations, providing valuable information for both petroleum exploration and carbon dioxide sequestration within the area.

Permian shoreline sandstones, outcrop east of Springsure, Bowen Basin Queensland