Authors / CoAuthors
Budd, A.R. | Holgate, F.L. | Ayling, B.F.
Abstract
The Federal Government has recently committed $58.9M in the Energy Security Initiative between mid 2006 to mid 2011 to identify potential on-shore energy sources such as petroleum and geothermal energy. Using the latest geophysical imaging and mapping techniques, this information will help attract companies to explore in new areas by enhancing the chances of discovery and reducing the risks to investors. The Onshore Energy Security Program includes the acquisition of new seismic, radiometric, magneto-telluric, gravity, magnetic, geochemical and drillhole data in support of exploration for onshore petroleum, uranium and thorium energy sources, in addition to an emphasis on geothermal. Maps of crustal temperature (e.g. Chopra & Holgate, 2005, Proceeding of the World Geothermal Congress, Turkey. www.wgc2005.org) show that the geothermal energy resource in Australia is vast. Electricity is expected to be generated from hydrothermal and hot fractured rock plays, while lower-temperature hydrothermal resources close to population or industry centres may be useable by direct means. The new Geothermal Energy Project in the Onshore Energy and Minerals Division at Geoscience Australia will provide precompetitive geoscience information for geothermal explorers. The two major activities directly in support of geothermal energy exploration are enhanced maps of heat distribution across Australia, and a geothermal information system. Heat distribution throughout Australia will be mapped in three ways: (1) new heat flow measurements in existing and new drillholes; (2) a granite source-sediment heat trap map to identify hot fractured rock systems; and (3) enhancements to the 5km temperature map method of Chopra and Holgate (op cit.). The geothermal information system will include thermal conductivity, thermal gradient, density, and heat production amongst other data types.
Product Type
nonGeographicDataset
eCat Id
65211
Contact for the resource
Custodian
Point of contact
Cnr Jerrabomberra Ave and Hindmarsh Dr GPO Box 378
Canberra
ACT
2601
Australia
Keywords
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- External PublicationArticle
- ( Theme )
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- Hot Rocks
- ( Theme )
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- geothermal
- Australian and New Zealand Standard Research Classification (ANZSRC)
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- Earth Sciences
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- Published_Internal
Publication Date
2007-01-01T00:00:00
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unknown
Topic Category
geoscientificInformation
Series Information
June 2007
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Unknown
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