This project will detect and measure methane seeping from underground in the Surat Basin, and identify sources of methane to provide a baseline of methane emissions on a regional scale. This will result in a methane emissions data set that can be used to compare changes in methane concentrations as coal seam gas production in […]
This project will detect and measure methane seeping from underground in the Surat Basin, and identify sources of methane to provide a baseline of methane emissions on a regional scale.
This will result in a methane emissions data set that can be used to compare changes in methane concentrations as coal seam gas production in the Surat Basin increases.
This project was expanded from the original scope in November 2015. The atmospheric monitoring, originally proposed to be one baseline station, was extended to a network of two CSIRO stations and at least one industry station, all linked to the same concentration scales.
This enhancement analyses and prepares additional data from the new and emerging monitoring stations in a network across the Surat Basin for a more definitive source estimation. It will quantify contributions from sources through forward modelling using existing and new information on inventories and that from infrastructure based monitoring and will develop an inverse modelling framework to better constrain the main source areas and emissions using data from the new and emerging monitoring stations and information from forward modelling.
September 2014
Show transcriptReports and papers
Quantifying methane emissions from Queensland's coal seam gas producing Surat Basin using inventory data and a regional Bayesian inversion
This peer reviewed paper was published in Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics, the interactive open access journal of the European Geosciences Union. Extending research developed in the GISERA project “Characterisation of Regional Fluxes of Methane in the Surat Basin, Queensland” this paper describes how CSIRO researchers developed and applied an efficient regional Bayesian inverse model, that uses hourly in-situ methane concentrations from two sites and modelled dispersion to quantify the magnitude and distribution of emissions.
Published paper, December 2020
Characterisation of Regional Fluxes of Methane in the Surat Basin, Queensland PDF 2 MB
The project aimed to quantify methane emissions across the Surat Basin using a “top-down” analysis, where methane concentration measurements are combined with atmospheric dispersion modelling to infer net emissions. This final report for the GISERA project “Characterisation of Regional Fluxes of Methane in the Surat Basin, Queensland” provides detailed description of research activities, methodology and results.
Final report, October 2018.
Characterisation of Regional Fluxes of Methane in the Surat Basin, Phase 3.2 PDF 3 MB
This report describes interim results of the measurements and modelling activities of Phase 3 of the project. The results presented in this interim report demonstrate the potential to infer net regional emissions of methane across the Surat Basin with an inverse modelling approach, using a combination of methane concentration measurements and plume transport modelling. To the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first to infer regional emissions of methane in this way.
Phase 3.2 report, August 2017.
Characterisation of Regional Fluxes of Methane in the Surat Basin, Phase 3.1: monitoring results PDF 2 MB
The continuous monitoring results – installation, commissioning and operation of two field stations and preliminary data.
Interim report, April 2017.
Characterisation of Regional Fluxes of Methane in the Surat Basin, Phase 2: A pilot study of methodology to detect and quantify methane sources PDF 6 MB
Findings of Phase 2 where several methods for detecting methane emission sources and estimating the emission rates were examined during field trials conducted within the Surat Basin.
Phase 2 report, May 2015.
Characterisation of Regional Fluxes of Methane in the Surat Basin, Phase 1: A Review and Analysis of Literature on Methane Detection and Flux Determination PDF 4 MB
Phase 1 of the project was a ‘Survey, Review and Analysis of Literature’ with the aim of tailoring a set of methods to the specific problem of locating and quantifying methane seeps.
Literature review, December 2013.
Extras
Characterisation of regional fluxes of methane in the Surat Basin, Queensland PDF 2 MB
Presentation to the Queensland Knowledge Transfer Session in Brisbane, June 2019
Presentation, June 2019
Characteristics of methane seeps PDF 399 KB
It is important to distinguish between methane sources that occur naturally and those that are referred to as anthropogenic, or occur after some kind of human involvement.
Factsheet, April 2017.
CSIRO conducting world’s best practice methane emissions research PDF 70 KB
For the first time in Australia, CSIRO is developing a dedicated methane research program in the Surat Basin to identify and locate sources of naturally occurring methane emissions, and in some cases, estimate how fast methane flows from these sources.
Media release, May 2015.
Project Progress
This project is now complete.
Project proposal PDF 390 KB
A detailed description of the project, budget and research milestones.
Project order, August 2013.
Progress report PDF 646 KB
The project outline, any variations and research progress.
Progress report, October 2018.