Archives for November 2024

November 2024

Field Trip: From a Carbonate Ramp to Siliciclastic Fluvio-Deltaics in a Tectonically Active Delamerian Cambrian rift. Seismic-Scale Depositional Systems in Outcrop Field Trip

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On a glorious spring weekend members and friends of the SA/NT Branch were able to participate in a self-drive field trip led by Rhodri Johns and Elinor Alexander.  This was a joint field trip with PESA SA/NT, GSA and the Field Geology Club of Adelaide.  It was an opportunity to investigate the Cambrian evolution of South Australia through spectacular seismic scale coastal exposures along the west coast of the Fleurieu peninsula.  

Although a two-day field trip participants had the option of participating in either or both days.

The first day was spent examining the carbonate ramp deposits of the Sellick Hill Formation and the clastic turbidites of the Carrickalinga Head Formation at Myponga and Carrickalinga.

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Critical Minerals Shortages Threaten International Energy Tansition Goals, Reveals GlobalData

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The global transition to clean energy is gaining momentum, heavily relying on renewable technologies such as solar PV cells and wind turbines, alongside energy transition solutions like hydrogen, energy storage, and carbon capture. This shift has triggered an unprecedented surge in demand for critical minerals, posing significant challenges in achieving international energy transition goals, says GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company.

GlobalData’s latest Strategic Intelligence report, Critical Minerals (2024), identifies several main challenges to scaling clean energy technologies: mineral depletion, resource monopolization, geopolitical tensions, and water scarcity.

Martina Raveni, Strategic Intelligence Analyst  at GlobalData, comments: “The near-term depletion of critical minerals raises concerns, especially as instability in the green technologies market causes price volatility.

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‘Attacks on Seismic Surveys Threaten Australia’s Future Energy Supply’

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Australia’s energy security will be put at risk if decision-makers ignore the science of seismic surveys – a safe and proven technology that is critical for finding and developing new gas supply.

That is the view of Australia Energy Producers (AEP) Chief Executive Samantha McCulloch, who said: “Seismic surveying is a strictly regulated technology that has unlocked Australia’s vast offshore gas resources and delivered reliable energy for millions of Australian homes and businesses for decades.”

“The facts are that Australia’s future energy security will depend on continued exploration for new gas supply to 2050 and beyond,"she added.

“The legislation introduced in the Parliament(recently)is aimed at stopping new gas projects, with no regard for the devastating impact on Australia’s economy and energy security. 

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DUG and Petrovision Sign Collaborative Agreement

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DUG Technology (DUG) has announced a new partnership with PetroVision aimed at promoting and delivering specialised seismic data processing solutions in Nigeria.

DUG is a global technology company providing high-end geoscience services, advanced analytical software and reliable cloud-based high-performance computing (HPC). PetroVision is an integrated energy consultancy advising on geoscience, engineering and economic aspects in the upstream, midstream and downstream sectors whilst also embracing the energy transition with project work including carbon capture and storage (CCS) and field exploration geochemical sampling for critical minerals such as lithium. 

PetroVision will facilitate operations within Nigeria, while DUG will supply technology and support.

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Geoscience Australia Signs and Seals new Seabed Mapping Initiative

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Geoscience Australia is contributing to global action on seabed mapping by signing a Memorandum of Understanding with The Nippon Foundation-GEBCO Seabed 2030;  in the process becoming the first Australian Government organisation to do so.

Dr James Johnson, Chief Executive Officer of Geoscience Australia, joined Jamie McMichael-Phillips, the Director of Seabed 2030 at Geoscience Australia’s Symonston headquarters for the signing.

“We are thrilled to formalise our partnership with Seabed 2030 and cement our place in the global effort to map the world’s seabed by 2030,” Dr Johnson said.

“Seabed 2030 is an important part of the global effort to...

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QCLNG Gladstone

Uncharted energy frontiers for the east coast gas markets

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The sixth and latest annual East Coast Gas Outlook 2024 from EnergyQuest, finds that the outlook for east coast gas is now entering ‘uncharted energy frontiers’.The new 315-page report is the leading energy consultancy’s annual in-depth analysis of the long-term outlook for the east coast gas market.Gas supply shortfalls are expected for the east coast and Northern Territory (NT) market as soon as 2026, and with increasing certainty and impact from 2028. That much is already well known.

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Viridian Expands its Industrial Cloud to the US Market

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Viridien has announced the US launch of its industrial Viridien Cloud for AI and HPC production at SuperComputing 2024. This move expands on Viridien Cloud’s established success in Europe, by now offering tailored cloud solutions and end-to-end expertise to optimize compute-intensive production workloads for US industries. 

Building on decades of established HPC operations in the US that have supported its subsurface imaging business, Viridien is now introducing its innovative cloud solutions to meet the evolving and specific needs of key sectors, including AI, life sciences, engineering, digital media and energy.

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Are Electric Vehicles Really Disruptors in the Australian Petroleum Markets?

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By Max Williamson

Potential buyers and users of EV’s need to be extremely wary and questioning of the claims, counter claims and promo materials being put out by the vested interests.

If UBER is getting completely out of hybrids for its fleet, there must be economic support for EV’s versus hybrids for higher use operators and commercial fleets.

The second-hand market for older model EV’s, including Teslas is dramatically negatively impacted by the age of the batteries therein, the warranties periods remaining on the batteries and the then version of the EV technologies in those vehicles.

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COP29: TotalEnergies to deploy continuous, real-time methane emissions detection equipment on all its operated upstream assets

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As part of its ambition to aim for near-zero methane emissions by 2030, TotalEnergies has announced it will monitor and reduce methane emissions with the deployment of continuous, real-time detection equipment at all of its operated Upstream sites.

Since 2022, TotalEnergies said it has been pursuing its ambition to aim for near-zero methane operated emissions in 2030: the Company will meet as soon as this year and target to reduce emissions by 50% compared to 2020, a year ahead of plan.

TotalEnergies said it was thus "well on track to achieve the targeted 80% reduction by 2030.

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Shell Prelude

Shell wins appeal against 2021 ruling that ordered the supermajor to reduce carbon footprint by 45%.

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Shell has won an appeal against a 2021 ruling that ordered the supermajor to reduce its carbon footprint by 45%.

The appeals court, which was heard in The Hague, Netherlands, found that Shell did have a responsibility to cut emissions, but not by a stipulated amount.

The 2021 ruling had found that Shell should slash emissions by 45% by 2030, compared to 2019 levels.

The court said Shell was already on track to meet its own emission reduction targets and it was uncertain if demands that it further reduce emissions caused by the use of its products would help the battle against climate change.

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