Guest Speaker(s): Jeff Goodall

After migrating from the UK with Santos in 1997, joining the stratigraphy group, Jeff spent 13 years moving through various roles in Santos, from exploration geologist in the Carnarvon Basin, drilling Mutineer/Exeter and several other Barrow exploration discoveries, through to a more international focus to his role, primarily Indonesian exploration, whilst also enjoying a role with the Santos prospect peer review group aiding the chief geologist in prospect evaluations.

After 13 years with Santos, Jeff was invited to take over Morgan Palaeo, run and owned by Roger Morgan from a small shed on a farm in Maitland, South Australia. After a year in Adelaide, Jeff relocated Morgan Palaeo to Perth, renaming the company Morgan Goodall Palaeo, building a stratigraphy laboratory in Malaga, building an offshore laboratory for wellsite operations and hiring and migrating new staff. At this time Morgan Goodall Palaeo (MGP) was also awarded a wellsite biostratigraphy contract by Exxon, for the Hides development in PNG, this required 8 palynologists, 365 days a year, for three years, plus he was also handling 100% of the ongoing Australian stratigraphy work with staff. The total staff / contractors grew to 24 people during this period.

Following this phase of MGP growth in Malaga, he was approached by CNOOC/Husky (HCML) in Indonesia to be their contract chief geologist in Jakarta and drill 7 wells in the Madura Straits, whilst still running and growing MGP in Perth. In two years, there were six biogenic gas discoveries for HCML. A short period with AWE in Jakarta also followed.

Jeff returned to Perth in 2013 to diversify the MGP business, including early thoughts on the current Australis geological database. In 2014 Jeff was approached by Carnarvon Energy to work (on contract) on their Carnarvon Basin and Bedout Basin acreage. After a year he was offered a permanent role as their chief geologist drilling the successful series of Bedout wells (Phoenix South, Dorado etc.), whilst thoughts on the handing over of the running of MGP crystalized. In circa 2015, he handed over the day to day running of MGP, finally selling his share of the company 2 years ago to the current directors.

In mid 2021/22 Jeff was in semi-retirement following the Carnarvon Energy decision to focus on development of its existing Bedout assets and the growth of an alternate biofuels business. During this period he focused on his garden and his other hobby horse, Hydrogen and Helium exploration.

In mid 2022 Jeff was approached by Avon McIntyre to join HyTerra as principal geologist, exploring and testing an existing hydrogen discovery in the Mid-West, USA and aid building a larger portfolio of acreage in the Mid-West. HyTerra (ASX: HYT) successfully listed in December 2022. He continues to enjoy his role with HyTerra and the exciting hydrogen exploration journey.