Hill, M., Bull, S., Funnell, R., Jones, C., Field, B
03 Sep 2012 to 03 Sep 2012
The better we understand what is beneath us, the better we can manage our geological resources responsibly. Three-dimensional models of geology allow us to make informed management decisions. They tell us how best we can extract resources such as hydrocarbons, geothermal energy and groundwater, and how we can use the rocks to support environmentally clean energy by mitigating greenhouse gas emissions and banking surplus renewable energy.
We present two 3D digital models for parts of Taranaki Basin, and discuss their uses in order to illustrate how such models can help New Zealand assess its energy security, boost revenues from hydrocarbons, and mitigate climate change through the storage of CO2, or compressed air for the generation of electricity. The digital model for the Maui gas field will help assess its potential for carbon storage to reduce New Zealand’s greenhouse gas emissions. Maui’s storage capacity is currently estimated as hundreds of millions of tonnes of CO2, equivalent to several decades of our current major point source emissions. The digital model for the Kupe field area is based on 16 layers and includes 120 faults, many of which have been assessed for their ability to seal or leak fluids. These models can be used as the framework for developing even more detailed, cellular 3D models.
Digital models also allow the prediction of potential interactions between resource uses, for example, how hydrocarbon extraction and carbon dioxide, gas or air injection might overlap or affect groundwater resources. Models can be regional, broad-brush models, or be highly detailed and specific to one local structure, where they can be used to engineer maximum efficiency of extraction or storage. The development of 3D digital models of our sedimentary rocks will therefore allow better husbandry of existing resources, better prioritisation of resource usage where interactions might occur, and offer more opportunities for climate change mitigation.
Download Brad Field's Presentation [PowerPoint 2007 Presentation - 7.78 MB]