Coal Seam Gas / Coal Bed Methane Exploration and Geology
On leaving coal mining in early 2010 I managed Coal Seam Gas (CSG) exploration for Arrow in the Bowen Basin and subsequently Dart in the Xinjiang Province of western China.
During this time I developed my understanding of the two processes of methane generation in coal, being thermogenic (related to coalification) and biogenic. I was able to analyse data from many coal basins and came to understand that it is the biogenic process that is generally responsible for economic gas saturation as well as most of the local and regional variations in gas content. I believe the role of life in many mineral deposit types remains underestimated (including CSG) and is poorly understood more broadly in the science of Geology.
Since, I have published and presented the following paper at various technical events: Reserve estimation CSG and_AusIMMBulletin_Feb2014_HI
During this time my family and I lived in Beijing for 1.5 years and I also gained an understanding of Chinese culture and how to do business in China. It was a great experience and I have many fond memories and friendships that developed whilst in China.
Petrified tree trunk in Xinjiang, China
Dajing Coal Bed Methan Exploration, Xinjiang China
Dajing Exploration spudding ceremony