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CooperBasin_notillustrator_with3D_reduced.pdf (5.32 MB)

AuScope Geothermal Demonstrators - Cooper Basin, South Australia / Queensland, Australia

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posted on 2020-09-01, 05:12 authored by Steve QuenetteSteve Quenette, Alison Kirkby
AuScope aims to establish world-class research infrastructure to enable the characterisation of structure and evolution for the Australian continent. AuScope's Simulation, Analysis and Modelling capability makes it possible to draw together geological data-products and analysis software, for the purpose of developing quality scenario models. This allows researchers to test geological hypotheses and to answer large-scale “what-if ” questions relevant to Australia’s geological resources.

This 2010 demonstrator an example "what-if" scenario.The model below shows forward temperature modelling in the Cooper Basin area, located on the border between South Australia and Queensland. The region is intruded by large volumes of high heat producing Big Lake Suite Granodiorite, the locations of which are coincident with a prominent geothermal anomaly. A 3D geological map of a 300 x 450 x 20 km volume in this region has been produced and was built using seismic reflection data and well intersections, together with 3D property inversions of Bouguer gravity data.The gravity inversions delineate low density bodies that are inferred to be granite within the basement, some of which coincide with known granite intersections. The 3D map which delineates the 3D distribution of potential heat sources and thermally insulating sediments forms the basis of the scenario modelling used in the example below. The demonstrator embeds a 3D model into the pdf, to enable interaction.

Funding

This work was enabled by AuScope and the Australian Government via the National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Strategy (NCRIS): auscope.org.au

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