Research partnership hopes to unlock Victoria basin potential

Offshore staff

CLAYTON SOUTH, Australia -- CSIRO and the Victorian Department of Primary Industries (VicDPI) have formed a three-year research partnership that hopes to "delve deep into Victoria's basins to unearth new oil and gas reserves." According to the companies, the research will help energy companies more effectively explore for new oil and gas reserves and reduce exploration risk.

CSIRO will provide research expertise and laboratory facilities to evaluate all aspects of petroleum systems, from source rock to reservoir. This includes modeling basin histories, including the generation, migration, and trapping of oil and gas.

The project is expected to be completed in 2011. Information will be released to the public through the VicDPI website as the research program progresses.

"This will improve the characterization of Victoria's sedimentary basins and the mechanisms that drive the petroleum systems, which could contribute to an increase in resource estimates, attracting industry to invest into the state," says Dr. James Underschultz, CSIRO project leader.

05/14/2009