This web map service provides visualisations of datasets used as inputs into the analysis of prospective hydrogen production regions of Australia. The service has been developed using datasets sourced from the Department of Environment and Energy, PSMA Australia, Garrad Hassan Pacific Pty. Ltd., Australian Bureau of Meteorology, Department of Resources Energy and Tourism, Queensland Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation, NSW Department of Planning, Industry and Environment, and Geoscience Australia

Underground halite, or salt, deposits can potentially be used for large scale storage of hydrogen. This dataset maps the spatial distribution of known, thick underground halite deposits across Australia. Halite sequences included in this map are at least 100 metres thick (to ensure sufficient storage capacity) and are located onshore. Known, thick halite deposits are located in the Carnarvon, Amadeus and Adavale basins. Underground halite deposits have not been extensively explored for across Australia and additional halite deposits suitable for large scale hydrogen storage may exist. Geoscience Australia, through the Exploring for the Future (EFTF) program, is therefore exploring for underground halite deposits to further our understanding of sub-surface halite distribution for potential hydrogen storage. This map may be updated periodically to reflect new halite discoveries found during the EFTF program. This dataset is published with the permission of the CEO, Geoscience Australia.

This web map service provides visualisations of datasets used as inputs into the analysis of prospective hydrogen production regions of Australia. The service has been developed using datasets sourced from the Department of Environment and Energy, PSMA Australia, Garrad Hassan Pacific Pty. Ltd., Australian Bureau of Meteorology, Department of Resources Energy and Tourism, Queensland Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation, NSW Department of Planning, Industry and Environment, and Geoscience Australia

Depleted gas fields can potentially be used for large scale storage of gases such as carbon dioxide, natural gas and hydrogen. Onshore Depleted Gas Fields This dataset maps the spatial distribution of depleted gas fields across onshore Australia. Underground Gas Storage Facilities This dataset maps the spatial distribution of underground gas storage facilities across Australia. Underground gas storage facilities utilise depleted gas fields for the seasonal storage of natural gas in Australia. The injection, withdrawal and storage capacities of each underground gas storage facility is included within this dataset. This dataset is published with the permission of the CEO, Geoscience Australia.

Hydrogen can be used for a variety of domestic and industrial purposes such as heating and cooking (as a replacement for natural gas), transportation (replacing petrol and diesel), and energy storage (by converting intermittent renewable energy into hydrogen). The key benefit of using hydrogen is that it is a clean fuel that emits only water vapour and heat when combusted. To support implementation of the National Hydrogen Strategy, Geoscience Australia in collaboration with Monash University are releasing the Hydrogen Economic Fairways Tool (HEFT). HEFT is a free online tool designed to support decision making by policymakers and investors on the location of new infrastructure and development of hydrogen hubs in Australia. It considers both hydrogen produced from renewable energy and from fossil fuels with carbon capture and storage. Tune in to this seminar to discover HEFT’s capabilities, its potential to attract worldwide investment into Australia’s hydrogen industry, and what’s up next for hydrogen at Geoscience Australia.

From the beginning of petroleum exploration in the Perth Basin, the importance of the Early Triassic marine Kockatea Shale was recognised as the principal source for liquid petroleum in the onshore northern Perth Basin (Powell and McKirdy, 1976). Thomas and Barber (2004) constrained the effective source rock to a Early Triassic, middle Sapropelic Interval in the Hovea Member of the lower Kockatea Shale. In addition, Jurassic and Permian sourced-oils (Summons et al., 1995) demonstrate local effective non-Kockatea source rocks. However, evidence for multiple effective gas source rocks is limited. This study utilizes the molecular composition and carbon and hydrogen isotopic compositions of 34 natural gases from the Perth Basin, extending the previous study (Boreham et al., 2001) to the offshore and includes hydrogen isotopes and gases. It shows the existence of Jurassic to Permain gas systems in the Perth Basin.

There is significant interest in Australia, both federally and at the state level, to develop a hydrogen production industry. Australia’s Chief Scientist, Alan Finkel, recently prepared a briefing paper for the COAG Energy Council outlining a road map for hydrogen. It identifies hydrogen has the potential to be a significant source of export revenue for Australia in future years, assist with decarbonising Australia’s economy and could establish Australia as a leader in low emission fuel production. As part of the ongoing investigations into the hydrogen production potential of Australia, Geoscience Australia has been commissioned by the Department of Industry, Innovation and Science to develop heat maps that show areas with high potential for future hydrogen production. The study is technology agnostic, in that it considers hydrogen production via electrolysis using renewable energy sources and also fossil fuel hydrogen coupled with carbon capture and storage (CCS). The heat maps presented in this work are synthesized from the key individual national-scale datasets that are relevant for hydrogen production. In the case of hydrogen from electrolysis, renewable energy potential and the availability of water are the most important factors, with various infrastructural considerations playing a secondary role. In the case of fossil fuel hydrogen, proximity to gas and coal resources, water and availability of carbon storage sites are the important parameters that control the heat maps. In this report we present 5 different heat map scenarios, reflecting different assumptions in the geospatial analysis and also reflecting to some degree the different projected timeframes for hydrogen production. The first three scenarios pertain to renewable energy and hydrogen produced by electrolysis. Differences between the three scenarios depend on whether hydrogen is produced near the coastal areas, where infrastructure and water are not issues or whether hydrogen can be produced in inland areas provided water does become a constraining factor. Assumptions regarding the proximity of a currently connected electrical grid to transport renewable energy also play a large role in the different scenarios. The final two scenarios focus on the potential for fossil fuel hydrogen, coupled with CCS, with the difference between the two scenarios being related to the timeframes for readiness for both fossil fuel production and availability of CO2 storage resources.

This dataset features Australian hydrogen projects and research centres that are active in the development, construction, or operating phase, and meet renewable hydrogen or carbon capture and storage (CCS) hydrogen production methods outlined in Australia's National Hydrogen Strategy. This dataset aims is to provide a detailed snapshot of hydrogen activity across Australia. It includes location data, proponent details, and descriptions for all hydrogen projects and research centres listed. Additional data is included for hydrogen projects, such as the energy source for hydrogen production, the method of hydrogen production, and the amount of hydrogen to be produced per year. This dataset is the basis of the point-location map of active Australian hydrogen projects and research centres featured on the Australia Hydrogen Opportunities Tool (AusH2.ga.gov.au). AusH2 aims to attract investment in Australia’s hydrogen industry, providing high quality, free, online geospatial analysis tools and data for mapping and understanding Australia’s hydrogen potential. It hosts key national-scale datasets, such as locations of wind and solar resources and distribution of infrastructure, as well as the Hydrogen Economic Fairways Tool (HEFT) that maps the economic viability of hydrogen production in Australia. The user can examine both hydrogen production by electrolysis using renewable energy sources and fossil fuel produced hydrogen coupled with CCS. AusH2 was produced by Geoscience Australia for the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) Energy Council’s Hydrogen Working Group in 2019. Updates to this dataset since September 2020 are coordinated with research.csiro.au/HyResource

Six gas samples were collected from the possum belly (PB) of the shaker assembly during the drilling of NDI Carrara 1. The sample depths ranged from 1187 m to 1360 m and were from organic-rich Proterozoic rock units. The molecular composition and carbon and hydrogen isotope compositions of the individual PB gas components (methane, ethane, propane and carbon dioxide) suggest that the gases were sourced from local, thermally mature, organic-rich shales and siltstones. After taking into account the air and excess nitrogen content in the PB gases, the helium content of the PB gases is low while the molecular hydrogen contents is up to over a 100 times higher than the helium content. Both molecular hydrogen and helium likely have a major radiogenic origin. Based on the results, there is potential for a yet-to-be quantified unconventional hydrocarbon resource in the vicinity of the NDI Carrara 1 well.

This web map service provides visualisations of the outputs from the five scenarios assessed in the analysis of prospective hydrogen production regions of Australia. Datasets used as inputs into the hydrogen production prospectivity analysis have been sourced from the Department of Environment and Energy, PSMA Australia, Garrad Hassan Pacific Pty. Ltd., Australian Bureau of Meteorology, Department of Resources Energy and Tourism, Queensland Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation, NSW Department of Planning, Industry and Environment, and Geoscience Australia.