The Australian Resources Research Centre, WA.

The Australian Resources Research Centre, Kensington, Perth, WA.

Australian Resources Research Centre: Perth, Western Australia

ARRC is a petroleum and minerals centre of expertise for the South-East Asian region.

  • 18 December 2009

Participating institutions

Located in Western Australia's Technology Park in the Perth suburb of Kensington, the Australian Resources Research Centre (ARRC) is a major initiative of:

  • the Western Australian State Government
  • CSIRO
  • Curtin University of Technology.

The ARRC brings together leading researchers from:

  • CSIRO
  • Curtin University of Technology
  • The University of Western Australia.

Specifically ARRC houses:

  • CSIRO Earth Science and Resource Engineering
  • Curtin University of Technology departments of:
    • Exploration geophysics
    • Petroleum engineering
  • The National Measurement Institute
  • iVEC - the hub of advanced computing in Western Australia
  • WA Energy Research Alliance (WA:ERA)
  • Cooperative Research Centres for:
    • Greenhouse Gas Technologies (CO2CRC)
    • Sustainable Resource Processing (CSRP)
  • Other research alliances:
    • Centre of Excellence for High Definition Geophysics
    • Curtin Reservoir Geophysics Consortium
    • WA Geothermal Centre of Excellence
    • WA Centre of Excellence for 3D Mineral Mapping.

Capabilities

With over 300 scientists, ARRC is enhancing the capability of Cooperative Research Centres, universities, industry and suppliers. This delivers to the resources sector, world-class:

  • solutions
  • services
  • technologies
  • people.

Location factors

Given that Western Australia produces two-thirds of Australia's non-fuel minerals and about half of its petroleum, the centre's location is important. 

"The State’s resources sector faces strong international competitive pressure and depends heavily on its leading edge technology to meet the challenge."
Mr David Agostini, Chairman, ARRC Advisory Committee

With access to a vast global research network, ARRC represents a new environment in which scientists can interact, exchange information and explore new ideas in partnership with industry to ensure the ongoing sustainability of:

  • our resources industries
  • our environment
  • our way of life.

Research

Much of Australia is buried beneath a layer of weathered rock and cover sequences called the regolith which makes minerals exploration difficult. Exploration and mining research at ARRC involves improving or developing new processes and technologies for finding and unlocking Australia’s hidden mineral wealth.

Oil and gas research concentrates on improving petroleum exploration performance and preparing Australia for the transition to new energy sources for the future.

Of tremendous importance at ARRC are research strategies to minimising the resource industry's impact on our marine and land environment and limiting greenhouse gas emissions.


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Learn more about CSIRO's work in Energy from Oil & Gas.