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About CSIRO

The Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation is Australia's national science agency and one of the largest and most diverse research agencies in the world.

CSIRO's core areas of impact

Contact Enquiries: Phone - 1300 363 400 | Email - Enquiries@csiro.au | Contact Us

Earth Science and Resource Engineering

Providing science and engineering solutions for the continuing growth of Australia's resources industry whilst delivering benefits to the economy, society and the environment.

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/org/geothermal.html Two people infront of a drill CSIRO is researching and developing geothermal energy capabilities to provide sustainable energy for the future.
/resources/earthmatters.html Cover of earthMatters magazine CSIRO's Earthmatters magazine is a free magazine focusing on current issues in exploration and mining.
/science/CO2-geosequestration.html Single tree in the middle of a green field. CSIRO is researching and developing technologies for the safe and secure geological storage of carbon dioxide.
/science/LandmarkLongwallAutomation.html A Landmark Longwall Automation 3D visualisation CSIRO has developed a world-first system with inertial navigation, moving us closer to a human-free mine.
Two people infront of a drill
CSIRO is researching and developing geothermal energy capabilities to provide sustainable energy for the future.

Research Programs

Mining geoscience in the Pilbara.

Mineral System Sciences
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SMART*CUT, developing revolutionary cutting tools

Mining Science and Engineering
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Mineral System Sciences - Developing new concepts and techniques to reduce exploration and production risks. Learn more>
Mining Science and Engineering - Providing solutions that keep Australia’s minerals industry on the world stage. Learn more>
An offshore oil rig.

Petroleum Engineering
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Three people looking at a model.

Petroleum Geoscience
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Petroleum Engineering - Providing technologies and capabilities to solve exploration and production issues. Learn more>
Petroleum Geoscience - Integrating petroleum systems analysis and reservoir characterisation to maximise Australia’s oil and gas self-sufficiency and secure a sustainable energy future. Learn more>

Our Expertise

People

Dr Mike McWilliams, Chief of CSIRO Exploration & Mining

Dr Mike McWilliams leads the Division’s staff at the Australian Resources Research Centre in Perth, the Queensland Centre for Advanced Technologies in Brisbane, and at North Ryde in Sydney and Clayton in Victoria.

Portrait of David Whitford, Gas Theme Leader at CSIRO Petroleum.

Dr Dave Whitford as Gas Theme Leader at CSIRO Petroleum is focussed on helping Australia capitalise on its large natural gas reserves.

Edson Nakagawa

Dr Edson Nakagawa is a highly skilled engineer with worldwide experience in areas such as drilling and completions performance, production performance and subsea processing.

Photo of Lincoln Paterson

Dr Lincoln Paterson is researching fluid flow in sedimentary rocks and leads research spanning carbon dioxide storage, hydrocarbon recovery and geothermal energy.

Portrait image of Ms Peta Ashworth.

Peta Ashworth's work coordinates a range of social research projects for a number of CSIRO flagships as she and her team continually trial new and old ways to integrate social sciences into the scientific research programs of CSIRO.

Dr Chris Yeats

Dr Chris Yeats is the Program Leader for CSIRO Exploration and Mining's Exploration Geoscience Research Program.

Portrait photograph of Dr Jonathon Ralston

Dr Jonathon Ralston's research aims to deliver the 'Future Mine' through advanced sensing, mapping, navigation, automation, communications and visualisation technologies.

Facilities

A picture of shale from the front page of the SHARC Consortium PDF

The Shale Research Centre facilities are equipped with state-of-the-art equipment and technologies to conduct experimental and theoretical research on shale properties and problems.

A picture of an experimentally produced borehole breakout.

CSIRO Petroleum’s Rock Mechanics Laboratory undertakes research and testing for exploration, development and production scenarios in the oil industry as well as for geological storage of CO2.

Hydraulic fracturing experiments in transparent materials.

CSIRO has extensive expertise in hydraulic fracturing techniques and analyses.

Man loading a sample (white) between the inner and outer conductors prior to analysis.

CSIRO's Petrophysics Laboratory offers a range of dielectric measurement options in a broad frequency range for solid and drill cutting samples.

Man using a machine to cut rock in the Rock Cutting & Drilling Laboratory.

With our detailed knowledge of rock mechanics and our well-equipped facilities, we can provide services for measuring rock properties, and designing and testing new rock-cutting equipment.

Services and Capabilities

electron microscope image of illite a clay mineral found in sedimentary rock

Successful exploration relies on knowledge of basin formation and thermal history of sedimentary rock and hydrocarbon migration. CSIRO’s argon dating services can help petroleum companies better determine potential locations for drilling petroleum wells.

Photograph of VG 354 Thermal ionization mass spectrometer at the CSIRO Radiogenic Isotope Facility at North Ryde.

Our Strontium Isotope Stratigraphy (SIS) provides greater chronostratigraphic control of basin evolution, which is important for petroleum exploration.

Image of a schematic cross-section and pressure-elevation plot for a reservoir affected by capillarity and hydrodynamic flow.

CSIRO has developed a team of hydrogeologists that have adapted special techniques for understanding hydrodynamic processes of the deep subsurface where oil and gas is generated and trapped and where CO2 can be safely stored for thousands of years.

Scientist looking down a microscope.

Our fluid inclusion and geochemical technologies help industry define subsurface petroleum migration and accumulation processes.

Dr Erick Ramanaidou standing next to the HyChips™ machine, located inside a container box.

HyChips™ is a robotic spectrometer system designed for the very rapid collection of high quality reflectance spectra from drill chips and blast-hole samples in their original trays. HyChips™ services are available from service providers throughout Australia as part of CSIRO's structured market testing and product development strategy.

A VNIR-SWIR Hylogger™.

CSIRO’s is developing tools that improve the efficiency, productivity and objectivity of logging the mineralogy of samples.

Making a difference

Microbes (green & orange spots) stained with a fluorescent dye, growing on crushed coal samples.

CSIRO scientists have cultured indigenous microbes which increase methane content of coal seam methane reservoirs.

A computer-generated, 3-dimensional map of a mine.

CSIRO's new underground communications system provides timely and useful information for improved mine safety.

Public participating in Energymark 'kitchen table discussions'

Energymark is an initiative bringing communities together to discuss energy and climate change.

A VNIR-SWIR Hylogger™.

CSIRO’s is developing tools that improve the efficiency, productivity and objectivity of logging the mineralogy of samples.

Image of a hydraulic head distribution in the Plover aquifer system of the Vulcan sub-basin

CSIRO hydrogeologists have adapted specialised techniques to understand how to extract more oil from reservoirs as well as identify geological structures to safely store carbon dioxide emissions.

Fracturing at the Northparkes mines, New South Wales.

CSIRO has developed a new process that allows the safe control of caving in mines.

 Channel Name:
Earth Science and Resource Engineering
Index of Earth Science and Resource Engineering related information:
  • A picutre of two workers adjusting a steam valve.

    A new research centre dedicated to developing technologies designed to help establish sustainable, low-emission, geothermal cities, was launched in Perth today by the Western Australian Minister for Mines and Petroleum, the Hon Norman Moore.

  • earthmatters issue 21

    Advances in high-performance computing are revolutionising the way CSIRO solves problems in the resources industry according to the November/December edition of CSIRO Exploration & Mining's earthmatters magazine.

  • Gas processing plant.

    CSIRO's Gas Processing and Conversion research team is developing technologies to efficiently and economically convert the nation's abundant natural gas reserves into synthetic liquid fuels and useful chemicals.

  • Photograph of a large open pit mine.

    New exploration concepts and technologies are being developed by researchers working through the Minerals Down Under National Research Flagship with the long-term aim of replenishing Australia’s resource base.

  • The Australian Resources Research Centre, WA.

    The Australian Resources Research Centre Annual Report presents details of the activities of the centre throughout 2008–09. (52 pages)

  • Image of the front cover of the February 2010 issue of Process

    The February 2010 issue of Process outlines a number of technologies currently being developed through CSIRO's Flagship program that aim to provide a competitive edge for iron ore, gold, nickel and alumina producers. (12 pages)

Contact

Ms Jackie Walsh
Communications Manager
Earth Science and Resource Engineering
Phone: 61 8 6436 8707 
Fax: 61 8 6436 8555 

More contacts>
CESRE Locations>

earthmatters magazine

Cover of earthmatters

Free magazine on issues in the exploration and mining industries.

Learn more about earthmatters>