Queensland branch kicked off their 2025 technical lunch season on 20th March at the Hilton, with Dr Julie Pearce from University of Queensland talking about CO2 storage.
Internationally experienced Julie is currently an ARC Mid-career Industry Fellow in the UQ Gas and Energy Transition Research Centre and School of the Environment, putting her expertise on gas-water-rock interactions to good use with a focus on CO2 geological storage. The talk was focussed on the detailed analysis and modelling that went into the assessment of the Precipice Sandstone in QLD in support of CO2 storage, prior to the change in legislation limiting CO2 storage activities within the Great Artesian Basin.
The reservoir that was being assessed was in a deep (~2300 m), brackish, unpotable part of the Precipice Sandstone. However, the broader formation is an aquifer of the GAB, therefore stakeholders were sensitive to potential environmental impacts. The previous demonstration site that underwent assessment was further north in the shallower part of the Precipice Sandstone (~1200 m). In that Glenhaven site the West Wandoan 1 well was drilled for the feasibility study, and the reservoir had fresh groundwater. This presentation details part of the experimental and field sampling components of the underlying research, including CO2-water-rock geochemical reactions, metal mobilisation, and creation of a reactive transport model.
The talk triggered some healthy debate about the approach to legislation and the future of the industry in Queensland, along with the implications of the rock reactions at a pore scale to the overall effectiveness of CO2 storage.
PESA Qld also marked the end of an era as the Hilton Hotel, venue for PESA lunch meetings for the last few years, will soon be closing its doors and the site redeveloped. The PESA Qld team is working hard to secure a new regular venue that offers a comparable value-member experience but until then will be trying some alternate locations so please be sure to double check future events for location and timing.
