WA

Title: Shake, rattle and roll on. Seismology at GSWA

Speaker: Ruth Murdie

Time and Date: 09 Nov 2023, 5:30 pm

Venue: Shoe Bar & Café

Registration: https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/aseg-wa-special-tech-night-by-ruth-murdie-tickets-709238249697

Abstract: 

Seismological projects have part of the operational research at GSWA for the past 10 years. Up to now, they have been quite low-key concentrating on imaging specific geological targets such as the Capricorn Orogen which investigated the collision between the Pilbara and the Yilgarn Cratons, the Albany-Fraser Orogen and the SE margin of the Yilgarn Craton, The Canning Basin and the area between the Western Australian Craton and the North Australia Craton. These studies have been in conjunction with geological mapping, active seismic and MT. 

Now we are conducting longer-term projects in conjunction with GA, such as baseline monitoring in the Canning Basin, seismicity of the Goldfields Region and more detailed monitoring of the SW Seismic Zone. 

However, the current big project, which we are in the first year of is the complete 40 km coverage of Western Australia with passive seismic stations, known as WA Array. This continues the work started in other parts of the country under the EFTF as AusArray. This is a 10-year project with a specific list of products, a tight timeframe and big ambitions. 

Bio: 

Ruth Murdie is the Manager of the Earth Imaging and Observation Group at GSWA. She started there 10 years ago as the 3D modeller and has been involved in most of the seismology projects at GSWA. Before joining GSWA she spent some time at St Ives gold mine in the Eastern Goldfields as the exploration geophysicist. She has also worked at the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organisation in Vienna and was a lecturer in Geophysics at Keele University, UK. 

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Title: High Density 3D seismic acquisition – An Illustrated Example from Onshore India

Presenter: Mick Micenko

Date and time: 26 Oct 2023, 1730

Venue: Shoe Bar and Cafe

Registration: https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/aseg-wa-special-tech-night-by-mick-micenko-tickets-692140700467

Abstract: 

The world class Mangala oil field was discovered in Rajasthan in 2005. Even though the field had 3D seismic coverage the crest of the structure was poorly imaged and an experimental 2D seismic line was recorded across the crest later in 2004. This test line confirmed the benefits of using closer spaced source and receiver points and led to a high-density 3D survey being recorded across the field commencing in August 2006. Severe flooding in Rajasthan delayed recording for several months and the 120 square km survey was eventually completed in May 2007. Development drilling began in 2008 The HD3D was acquired with short station intervals with source and receiver spacing of 10m, increased vibrator frequency range using a single vibrator and effectively point receivers. This resulted in a 20Hz gain in bandwidth and improved signal- noise. The resulting seismic data had improved imaging of the shallow section which led to better depth migration and enhanced resolution of the structural complexities within the reservoir allowing more optimal positioning of the development wells. The Field began production in 2008 with oil initially being trucked until a heated pipeline was built to transport the oil 600km to the coast This talk will be illustrated with colourful pictures of life in India.

Bio:

Mick Micenko is an Honorary Member of the ASEG and is well known for his regular Seismic Windows articles published in the Preview magazine. He started his working career acquiring gravity, magnetic and IP data across Australia for mining companies before moving into the oil industry working the Eromanga Basin with Delhi Petroleum. He has a wealth of experience in a variety of basins in Australia, NZ, India, SE Asia, Africa and the USA and became a well-respected seismic interpretation consultant. He has worked for numerous companies and taught the Seismic Interpretation course at Curtin University for many years.

Title: Digital Rock Under Stress

Speaker: Professor Maxim Lebedev

Date and Time: 28 September 2023, 5:30 pm

Registration: https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/aseg-wa-special-tech-night-by-prof-maxim-lebedev-tickets-692145885977

Abstract:

Modelling the physical properties of rocks based on microstructure derived from X-ray microtomographic images (known as digital rock physics) is an important technology in geophysical rock characterisation. However, these images are most commonly obtained at room pressure and temperature conditions. Consequently, most digital rock physics models are not representative of the rocks at depth.

Reservoir rocks are at such depth that they experience high stresses and temperatures. The thermodynamic properties of the fluids inside the reservoir are pressure and temperature-dependent; therefore, transport properties are also temperature and pressure dependent. Moreover, it is well established that elastic rock properties of rocks are strongly affected by stress and/or fluid distribution. Thus, to acquire realistic pore network structures and fluid distributions (including, but not limited to, residual saturation) and reliably estimate transport and elastic properties from micro images, rocks with fluids inside have to be imaged at reservoir pressure and temperature conditions.

In this lecture, we will discuss how to obtain 3D images under elevated temperature and stress conditions and the challenges with imaging and further image processing. Finally, we will provide some results to demonstrate how the microstructure of the rocks can be linked to the transport and elastic properties of rocks measured on bigger samples.

The lecture is useful to rock physicists, petrophysicists, and reservoir engineers.

Bio:

Maxim is a Professor at Edith Cowan University, Australia. Maxim was awarded BS, MS and PhD degrees from the Moscow Institute (State University) of Physics and Technology in Russia. He has over 30 years of research experience in physics, material science and rock physics, working at leading research organizations in Russia, Japan, New Zealand, and Australia. In 2007 he joined Curtin University, and during 16 years at this University, he built a rock physics laboratory from scratch and  became the head of the experimental rock physics program. Recently he moved to Edith Cowan University. He has published over 180 peer-reviewed journal papers and is the inventor of 11 international patents. His current research is focused on the properties of subsurface reservoir rocks and minerals, including elastic and unelastic properties of rocks at teleseismic, seismic and ultrasonic frequencies; digital rock physic; mechanical properties of rocks at microlevel (nanoindentation); direct observation of multiphase fluid distribution inside rocks at reservoir conditions (microCT).

We are delighted to share with you the details for an upcoming SEG Distinguished Instructor Short Course (DISC) being hosted by the ASEG. 

This course will be run virtually over two days. 

Who: Dr Mark E Willis, Chief Scientific Advisor of Borehole Seismics at Halliburton

What: Distributed acoustic sensing for seismic measurements – what geophysicists and engineers need to know - DISC course

Where: Virtually. There will be a streaming of the virtual course in Brisbane at Anglo-American office, Brisbane, QLD. Please contact Tim.Dean.Geo@gmail.com if you would like to join the streaming (ensuring that you also register for the virtual DISC)

When: September 12th and 13th 2023, 9am - 1pm ACST each day. 

Cost: $250 USD for SEG and ASEG members which includes access to software and a copy of the accompanying e-book. ASEG members need to use the code emailed to them, or contact secretary@aseg.org.au. Registration cost for non-members is $375 USD.

Register: Please register here by September 12th.

Course description: Geoscientists and engineers are very comfortable using seismic data sets acquired with geophones, hydrophones, and accelerometers because we have a long, well-defined set of standards for acquiring, processing, and interpreting them. However, distributed acoustic sensing (DAS) seismic measurements are rapidly augmenting, and in some cases replacing, the data from these conventional tools. Technologists are frequently unaccustomed to using DAS seismic data sets since it directly acquires relative strain or strain rate measurements and not the more familiar pressure, displacement, velocity, and acceleration data. There are also acquisition parameter selections that must be made to optimize the acquired data to accomplish the purpose of the seismic survey. This course is designed to build an intuition and understanding of the value, limitations, and applications of DAS seismic technology. In addition to the lecture and accompanying book, software will be provided, which will allow the student to interactively explore DAS seismic technology.

For more details visit Current DISC - SEG.

Title: Geophysics and Graphite - from Foe to Friend

Presenter: Barry Bourne

Date and time: 22/08/2023 at 1730

Location: The Shoe Bar and Cafe 376 - 420 Wellington Street Perth, WA 6050

Registration: https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/aseg-wa-special-tech-night-by-barry-bourne-tickets-694459455927

The WA Branch of the Australian Society of Exploration Geophysicist invites members and non-members to quickly rsvp for the special talk scheduled as:

Date:      Thursday, July 27, 2023
Time:      5:30pm (AWST)
Location: The Shoe Bar and Cafe 
               376 - 420 Wellington Street Perth, WA 6050
Parking: CPP parking is close by for those of you who will be driving to the city. 

Registration: Here

Bio:

James (Jim) Dirstein studied Geology and Geophysics at the University of Toronto. For more than 40 years he has enjoyed working as a geophysicist on many resource projects in Australia and overseas. In addition to his project work, Jim has played a role in the commercialization of several transformative technologies. During his career, these efforts   have involved working as an early adopter, angel investor or collaborator, in the fields of time series analysis, digital surface analysis along with a patented airborne acquisition system and a fully trained and patented Artificial Intelligence (AI). Outside of the realm of geophysics Jim has presented papers at metallurgy conferences on the role of microbes for in-situ mining, minesite remediation, Carbon capture and using microbes for permeability enhancement and the production of Hydrogen.

Abstract: 

The art of data interpretation is about finding patterns in data. Finding patterns requires careful observations. Human beings are very much visual creatures with our perception of the world based upon what we can see. Unfortunately, traditional interpretation methods are often biased by our senses as well as pre-existing ideas. Therefore, the combination of confirmation bias, along with things we “don’t see” distorts our perception of reality. Often data we are tasked with interpreting is presented to us a surface. This surface could be a digital elevation map or more likely data from remote sensing methods such as Potential Fields, Radiometrics or Seismic attributes, etc. As geoscientists we are always looking for ways that help us to organise information into more meaningful formats, enabling both accurate and time efficient reviews of data. Moreover, since most of interpretation of the geophysical data we acquire is non-unique in nature, we need to consider workflows to help minimise this non-uniqueness.
 

Since a fundamental property of any surface is its geometric characteristics, the identification and extraction of these properties can reveal features and objects not easily identifiable by visual analysis alone. In 2013, a new method for digital surface analysis was introduced to address some of the limitations of traditional surface analysis methods. This mathematical solution applies a completely different approach without the use of existing techniques or algorithms. With this method, the analysis of a digital surface involves the calculation of a complete set of morphometric properties as it is defined by differential geometry (e.g. Dupin Indicatrix). The resulting database of geometric elements is queryable using a GIS style interface providing an attractive means to simplify and accelerate the data mining process.
 

This analysis technique was introduced to the ASEG at the 23rd International Conference and Exhibition, 11-14 August 2013 Melbourne, Australia. The presentation and extended abstract was entitled “Digital surface Analysis: -A new approach using differential geometry”.

While the 2013 publication provided background and several examples, our evening presentation will discuss several new examples and workflows from our use of this technology over the last decade.

Drinks and nibbles will be available from 5:30pm - 6:15pm. The talk will commence promptly at 6:15pm. The ASEG WA thanks our sponsors for their continued support.

Please contact wapresident@aseg.org.au with any queries.

We are delighted to announce that CAGE is back for 2023!

The Australian Society of Exploration Geophysics is hosting a one-week Camp for Applied Geophysics Excellence in Western Australia from Sunday 24th of September, returning on Sunday October 1st, 2023. This field camp will involve seven days of real-world application of major geophysical techniques.

The camp kicks off with an introduction to the approaches, goals and challenges of geophysics for mineral exploration. The necessary field training, theory and methodologies of major geophysical techniques will be provided by industry-recognized experts. Potential field, electrical, electromagnetic and seismic methods will be explained, together with their applications for mineral exploration, natural resource management and geotechnical work. The deployment of geophysical equipment, work health and safety considerations and survey design will also be covered.

Participants will learn how to process geophysical data and utilise various commercial and open-source software packages. They will complete practical sessions on basic data importation and reduction, filtering, modelling, inversion, data display and importantly, interpretation. The camp also covers how to integrate diverse geophysical datasets to map/image the sub-surface in the vicinity of a sulfide target in Forrestania, Western Australia.

Attendance cost is fully covered by our sponsors and there are limited spaces available. Applicant selection will be based on the answers provided in these forms. 

Please fill out the expression of interest form below BEFORE June 26th for a chance to be selected for this amazing opportunity! 

https://shorturl.at/cnAGT.

Successful applicants will be notified by July 8th.

If your company is interested in sponsoring or providing in-kind support for CAGE 2023, please get in touch to find out more or for a copy of our sponsorship packages.

For any queries please contact continuingeducation@aseg.org.au

Key contacts are:

Kate Brand - ASEG Professional Development Chair 

Kate Selway - CAGE coordinator

Sasha Aivazpourporgou - CAGE logistics coordinator

Please join the Perth Young Professional Geoscientists and Engineers from the petroleum and mining industries for a light-hearted night of in-person networking and great conversation

Event Details:

Date: Friday, 26th May 2023 5:30-8:00pm.
Venue: The Shoe Bar, Yagan Square

There will be a Panel of 3 industry professionals to talk about their careers and answer some of your questions.

Kirsten Rose, CSIRO

Katarina Van Der Haar, RISC

Patricia Durance, Sensore

Ticket Prices:

Free: Please register here for catering purposes by Thursday 25th 5pm

This event is exclusively for Young Professionals and early career professionals (people who have been working in the Oil and Gas or mining industry for less than 10 years). Please come along if you’re a student, graduate or working professional. Meeting your industry peers is a good chance to talk about your different backgrounds, experiences, projects and companies with like-minded people in a very laid back and friendly setting.