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E-News September 2011 |
Welcome to the September edition of WA:ERA E-news. This newsletter provides updates on related acitivites of WA:ERA's alliance partners.
Your feedback is welcome and story suggestions can be submitted to rochelle.campbell@waera.com.au . |
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WA:ERA Welcomes New CEO |
The Chairman of WA:ERA, David Agostini, has welcomed Mr Kym Bills as CEO. Kym comes to this role with considerable leadership credentials. He held Government positions in the 1980’s and 1990’s, including those of Foreign Affairs Officer; Director of Population and Research; Chief of Staff to the leader of the National Party; and First Assistant Secretary in the Department of Transport. In 1999 Kym set up and over the succeeding 10 years, led the Australian Transport Safety Bureau.
Kym was the Project Director of the National Mine Safety Framework and is currently a member of the NOPSA Advisory Board.
WA:ERA is pleased to have secured the services of an experienced and accomplished leader to take forward the research program of the joint venture. |
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CEO's Report |
I am absolutely delighted to have joined WA:ERA. In my first month I have met many dedicated scientists and administrators within CSIRO, Curtin University and UWA who share a vision of supporting industry through world class collaborative sub-surface energy and geosequestration research. So much of the science is exciting in its own right and to be able to work with industry partners like Chevron, Woodside and CGG Veritas to enhance real world applicability is an additional privilege. I look forward to building on these initial stakeholder contacts and assisting with the identification and funding of future collaborative research.
Large thanks are due to my predecessor, Mark Stickells and also to Konrad Drogemuller who, in addition to his day job at CSIRO, ably led WA:ERA after Mark left until I started. Both Mark and Konrad have been very generous in the hand-over process.
WA:ERA’s role in carbon sequestration is poised to grow strongly in 2012 and I expect to be able to say more over the next couple of months. The WA:ERA Board has a strategic planning day on 14 October and this should help clarify how we best build on the strong foundations already set.
I am enjoying meeting as many WA:ERA stakeholders as possible but if you are reading this and I haven’t yet met you, please feel free to call or email and set up a time.
Kym Bills |
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WA:ERA Hosts The Australia-China Natural Gas Technology Partnership Fund Awards Ceremony |
 The Australia-China Natural Gas Technology Partnership Fund
(the Fund) was established in 2002 as part of an historic agreement for Australia to supply LNG to China. The Fund supports activities aimed at establishing genuine, long-term partnerships within the energy sector that create positive economic and environmental outcomes, increase knowledge and skills, particularly in the LNG industry, and enhance the relationship between Australia and China.
The Fund provides opportunities for training, scholarships, research and technology transfer between China and Australia in the natural gas and LNG industry. Its focus is on increasing knowledge about the natural gas production-to-consumption chain including liquefaction, transport, re-gasification, distribution, engineering and procurement.
In 2009 top-up scholarships were awarded to 3 students studying in WA; in 2010, awards were given to 18 students studying in WA, the Eastern States and in China. In 2011 top-up scholarships were awarded to 11 students from 8 Universities across Australia and China.
On 14th September 2011, the Funders held an Award Ceremony at WA:ERA for the successful top-up scholarship applicants. Accepting their awards from Ms Tracey Lim, Secretariat Director of the Fund, Mr Steve Morris of the Department of State Development and Mr Kym Bills of WA:ERA are the 3 WA based students, Mr Thomas Saleman and Mr Mehran Rahmanian of The University of Western Australia; and Mr Mohammad Reza Akhondi of Curtin University. Due to their geographical location, the other 8 students based in the Eastern States or China were unable to attend the Award Ceremony. |
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CSIRO's Oil Detection Techniques Used in Offshore Northern Perth Basin |
 CSIRO’s fluid inclusion and quantitative fluorescence techniques have helped local exploration companies find evidence of former oil accumulations in the underexplored offshore northern Perth Basin.
The extremely sensitive oil detection techniques greatly contributed to the analysis of petroleum systems and the risking of potential exploration zones and drilling targets. These findings will greatly assist companies in their bids for recently released acreage and improving future success rates for oil discoveries in the basin.
For more information on CSIRO’s research technologies that can help provide industry with clues for where to explore oil and potential drilling target, see http://www.csiro.au/services/specialisedfluidinclusion.html |
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Curtin University Leads Shale Gas Consortium |
Assessing the viability of local shale gas production is the foremost research activity at Curtin’s new Centre for Research in Energy and Minerals Economics. “Shale and tight gas are known as unconventional gas sources – they’re usually locked within sedimentary rock and can’t be easily recovered,” explains Professor Ronald Ripple, Director of the Centre for Research in Energy and Minerals Economics (CREME).
Curtin’s Department of Petroleum Engineering has established a group that will assess the potential for natural gas recovery from shale formations in Western Australia. Led by Associate Professor Reza Rezaee, the Shale Gas Consortium brings together Curtin researchers in petroleum engineering and resources economics with industry and WA Government representatives. Their research will identify areas in the Canning and Perth basins that have the greatest potential, and map intervals in shale formations for possible drilling.
“CREME’s role is to then determine the economic implications of shale gas development in WA,” Ripple says. “We’ll analyse the economics of shale gas production – engineering costs, jobs, tax, and the implications for the price of gas.”
For further information, please visit Curtin University's Department of Petroleum Engineering Unconventional Gas Research Group and Centre for Research in Energy and Minerals Economics. |
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UWA Showcases Energy Research |
The University of Western Australia recently hosted a delegation of Ambassadors to the United Nations and the visit of more than 30 senior Government officials from across Africa to showcase its energy and minerals research, including geothermal energy.
Six permanent representatives to the United Nations - from Botswana, Congo, Chile, the Gambia, Lesotho and Tanzania - were briefed on geothermal energy by Professor Klaus Regenaur-Lieb, Director of the WA Geothermal Centre of Excellence. They were seeking information about renewable energy including geothermal energy, derived from geothermal heat which is concentrated in volcanic areas where magma nears the Earth's surface.
Earlier in the year, UWA hosted a visit by the influential Chinese leader, His Excellency Mr Jia Qinglin, Chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative.
Mr Jia, one of China's most prominent dignitaries, toured the University's Centre for Energy with its Director, Winthrop Professor Dongke Zhang. |
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