Capabilities

CSIRO Oil & Gas research programs utilises a variety of capabilities in an integrated and multidisclipinary approach to tackle today’s big challenges.

Science into Society

The Science into Society group draws on a range of innovative social research capabilities and processes to facilitate dialogue between a range of stakeholders to enable them to share knowledge and information to address social license to operate issues. It assesses vulnerability and processes in climate adaptation as well as the social implications of deep sea floor exploration and mining.

It is active in researching social impacts of unconventional resources at a regional scale and develops tools and processes to assist regional transitions.

Petroleum Engineering

The Petroleum Engineering Program delivers capability to research in oil and gas exploration and production to maximise our petroleum resources and secure Australia’s energy future.The capabilities are also applied in research and development of geothermal energy and the geological storage of carbon dioxide.The program comprises four capability groups.

– Reservoir engineering

The Reservoir Engineering Group uses site characterisation, simulation technologies, and mathematical and numerical modelling to understand gas storage and migration processes in conventional petroleum reservoirs. The research is applied to petroleum exploration and recovery as well as the geological storage of carbon dioxide.

The group also uses novel numerical modelling to improve the management of gas production from coal seam reservoirs.SIMEDWin simulates enhanced coal seam methane production. Learn more about our reservoir simulation tools: SIMEDWin Factsheet

– Geomechanics

The Geomechanics Group is conducting research in drilling mechanics and hydraulic fracturing. The hydraulic fracture mechanics research involves work ranging from theoretical developments to laboratory and field experimentation. The results produced are applied to hydraulic fracturing in mining, geothermal, carbon dioxide storage, conventional petroleum and unconventional gas areas.

The drilling mechanics work develops mathematical models that are verified by detailed scaled laboratory measurements to ultimately improve drilling performance at the well site. Wellbore stability and sand production problems are also being studied.

Read more about our hydraulic fracturing capability in: Hydraulic Fracturing.

– Wells and Subsea technologies

The Wells and Subsea Technologies Group uses oil and gas thermodynamics, simulation and modelling in fluid dynamics to improve well completions design, hydrates management and water control. It directs research to develop and implement high impact technology in the form of processes, tools and services for completions, production, subsea systems and flow assurance to maximise oil and gas recovery.

Gas processing and conversion

The Gas Processing and Conversion Group undertakes chemical and process engineering research directed at conversion of gas to liquid transport fuels and to other useful chemicals. There is also a focus on increasing the economically feasibility of both converting natural gas to synthetic fuels and the purification of gas from natural gas reserves.

Learn more about research into

Read more about Gas processing and conversion

Petroleum Geoscience

Our research capabilities in the Petroleum Geoscience Research Program are directed towards refining integrated petroleum systems analysis and reservoir characterisation in order to reduce exploration, development and production risks.

The program comprises five capability groups. Read more about CSIRO’s Petroleum exploration

– Organic Petrology and Geochemistry

Fluorescence mode photomicrograph showing laser ablation crater formed during micropyrolysis experiments to derive molecular information from individual organic entities. The Organic Petrology and Geochemistry Group apply its capability to evaluating the generation potential of petroleum source rocks, coal seam gas exploration and production, and carbon capture and storage applications. This research is underpinned by their expertise in organic petrology, and molecular and isotopic analyses of petroleum.

Read more about CSIRO’s Organic Petrology Team: Organic Petrology

– Basin Timeframes

The Organic Petrology and Geochemistry Group apply its capability to evaluating the generation potential of petroleum source rocks, coal seam gas exploration and production, and carbon capture and storage applications. This research is underpinned by their expertise in organic petrology, and molecular and isotopic analyses of petroleum.

Learn more about Diagenesis characterisation

– Geofluid Sciences

The Geofluid Sciences Group employs expertise in fluid history analysis and hydrodynamics to investigate the hydrodynamic processes in petroleum reservoirs and sedimentary basins.The group is also involved in sensor development to create new hydrocarbon sensing systems for petroleum exploration and carbon dioxude storage as well as environmental and marine pollution.

Find about the CSIRO achievements aiding oil migration and accumulation research in Fluid History Analysis.

– Rock Properties

The Rock Properties Group combines its capability in rock mechanics, geophysics, structural geology and petrophysics to undertake research and testing for exploration, development and production scenarios in the petroleum industry. This capability is also applied to research programs in unconventional gas, geothermal energy and geological storage of carbon dioxide.