GSWA actively assesses and promotes the prospectivity of oil, gas, unconventional gas and geothermal energy in the sedimentary basins of Western Australia. The main focus is to develop regional geological frameworks of different onshore and nearshore tectonic units. The assessment is based on interpretation of existing and newly supplemented data on geology, geophysics, geochemistry, and temperature. GSWA is currently focused on the Neoproterozoic – Paleozoic Amadeus and Paleozoic Canning Basins which are vastly underexplored with proven petroleum systems, and on the geothermal energy potential of Western Australia. GSWA has been progressively assessing and reporting on the Carnarvon, Canning, Officer, and Perth Basins to promote conventional and unconventional petroleum, coal, carbon storage and geothermal energy exploration and production in Western Australia.
Engaging in collaborative projects allows GSWA to more effectively carry out its role. Collaboration with external groups is conducted where the outcomes strongly align with GSWA's work plan, and may be either short term or extend over a number of years. GSWA has embarked on several projects related to unconventional gas, geothermal energy and carbon storage.
The search for viable green-energy sources is hotting up, as the hot rocks beneath parts of the Australia's surface are mapped out.
Western Australian Petroleum and Geothermal Information Management System (WAPIMS) is a petroleum and geothermal exploration database containing data on titles, wells, geophysical surveys, and other petroleum exploration and production data submitted to the Department by the petroleum industry.
As part of the legislative requirements for petroleum and geothermal exploration, companies are required to submit cores, cuttings and sidewall core material retrieved from drilling. These samples become available to the public after a strict confidentiality period.
