Research Programs

Mineral System Sciences
Mineral System Sciences

- CSIRO is a world leader in developing new techniques and insights to help find targets buried under sediments, beneath Australia’s ancient blanket of deeply weathered rock and even under the ocean.

Mining Science and Engineering
Mining Science and Engineering

- CSIRO's pioneering research into mine design, equipment and procedures is improving safety, reducing costs and improving efficiency. We aim to ensure that the mining industry is both sustainable, and environmentally responsible.

Petroleum Engineering
Petroleum Engineering

- CSIRO is providing technologies to help improve Australia's oil and gas self-sufficiency as well as develop sustainable energy resources for the future.

Petroleum Geosciences
Petroleum Geosciences

- The oil and gas industry is at the cusp of significant changes with tightening supply necessitating significant technological innovation from CSIRO geoscientists.

Our-Expertise

People

People Slideshow
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Dr Mike McWilliams: Chief, CSIRO Earth Science and Resource Engineering

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.

Dr Dave Whitford: supporting Australia’s minerals and energy industries

Dr Dave Whitford  manages the development and maintenance of CSIRO’s research and development capabilities in geoscience and geo-engineering.

Ms Peta Ashworth: understanding public perceptions to complex issues

Ms 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: discovering the secrets of the seafloor

Dr Chris Yeats is the Program Leader for CSIRO Earth Science and Resource Engineering's Mineral System Science Program.

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Facilities

Facilities Slideshow
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Hydraulic fracturing: new applications for industry

The CSIRO hydraulic fracturing group are pioneering new applications for caving-type mining operations, gas drainage from coal seams, geothermal reservoir development and carbon storage operations.

Petroleum geoscience: rock mechanics

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

Dielectric services and facilities

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

Specialised facilities for researching rock mechanics

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.

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Services and Capabilities

Services and Capabilities Slideshow
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Argon dating meets exploration challenges

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.

Strontium as a chemical tracer

CSIRO Petroleum utilizes strontium as a chemical tracer to discriminate between plant and animal products grown in different locations.

Petroleum hydrogeology services at CSIRO

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.

Research technologies for understanding subsurface hydrocarbon distribution and fluid histories

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

HyLogging™ systems

CSIRO’s HyLoggingTM systems provide a means to routinely and objectively capture detailed mineralogical information from drill core, chips and powder using reflectance spectroscopy.

HyChips™: voluminous spectral mineralogy of drill chips for explorers and miners

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.

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Making a Difference

Using microbes to enhance gas production

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

Development of a downhole robot for monitoring oil wells

CSIRO is looking for partners to assist in the further development of a downhole robot - an autonomous device that measures variables within production wells.

Improving control of mine gas

CSIRO has developed techniques to control the methane gas emitted during coal mining, helping to prevent spontaneous combustion and increase the safety and productivity of mines.

High Pressure High Temperature Triaxial Cell

CSIRO has recently acquired a new high pressure and high temperature triaxial cell to better understand the physical properties of rocks.

Science into Society

The Science into Society group facilitates discussions between a range of stakeholders, to share knowledge and information to address issues of strategic national importance.

Shale gas research program

CSIRO is currently developing a shale gas program to cover research issues and the delivery of services to the Australian petroleum industry.

Underground communications system improves mine safety

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

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