Regulation of land access for resource development: A coal seam gas case study from Queensland

A number of regulatory statutes provide for agreements with landowners which are given extended effect, that is, are binding upon the landowner’s successors (‘statutory agreements’). Several Queensland statutes require a project proponent to enter into a statutory agreement with a landowner before a resource development activity can be carried out on private land or by accessing private land. Provisions of Queensland’s Petroleum and Gas (Production and Safety) Act 2004 make certain types of statutory agreements binding upon successors and assigns of the landowner, but do not clearly prescribe the nature and contents of an agreement, nor require that the agreement be recorded on the land title or petroleum register. If statutory agreements are to be used for such purposes, their purpose and content should be more clearly defined by statute and they should be recorded on a searchable register.

Coal seam gas waters - their geochemical signature and potential environmental implications

Coal Seam Gas (CSG) is a form of natural gas (mainly methane) sorbed in underground coal beds. To mine this gas, wells are drilled directly into an underground coal seam and groundwater (CSG water) is pumped out to the surface. This lowers the downhole piezometric pressure and enables gas desporption from the coal matrix. In the United States, this gas has been extracted commercially since the 1980s. The economic success of US CSG projects has inspired exploration and development in Australia and New Zealand. In Australia, Queensland’s Bowen and Surat basins have been the subject of increased CSG development over the last decade. CSG growth in other Australian basins has not matured to the same level but exploration and development are taking place at an accelerated pace in the Sydney Basin (Illawarra and the Hunter Valley, NSW) and in the Gunnedah Basin. Similarly, CSG exploration in New Zealand has focused in the Waikato region (Maramarua and Huntly), in the West Coast region (Buller, Reefton, and Greymouth), and in Southland (Kaitangata, Mataura, and Ohai). Figure 1 shows a Shcoeller diagram with CSG samples from selected basins in Australia, New Zealand, and the USA. CSG water from all of these basins exhibit the same geochemical signature – low calcium, low magnesium, high bicarbonate, low sulphate and, sometimes, high chloride. This water quality is a direct result of specific biological and geological processes that have taken part in the formation of CSG. In general, these processes include the weathering of rocks (carbonates, dolomite, and halite), cation exchange with clays (responsible for enhanced sodium and depleted calcium and magnesium), and biogenic processes (accounting for the presence of high bicarbonate concentrations). The salinity of CSG waters tends to be brackish (TDS < 30000 mg/l) with a fairly neutral pH. These particular characteristics need to be taken into consideration when assessing water management and disposal alternatives. Environmental issues associated with CSG water disposal have been prominent in developed basins such as the Powder River Basin (PRB) in the United States. When disposed on the land or used for irrigation, water having a high dissolved salts content may reduce water availability to crops thus affecting crop yield. In addition, the high sodium, low calcium and low magnesium concentrations increase the potential to disperse soils and significantly reduce the water infiltration rate. Therefore, CSG waters need to be properly characterised, treated, and disposed to safeguard the environment without compromising other natural resources.

Shut up and write! Facilitating informal learning in doctoral candidature

Doctoral candidates spend at least 2/3 of their degree outside of structured classroom instruction; most of their learning and writing takes place in their own time. Providing research degree candidates with writing help during their degree study is difficult. Candidates come into their degree with widely varying needs and levels of experience. Course work might seem to offer a way to create parity, but, according to the Australian Qualification Framework, mandated coursework can only occupy 1⁄3 of the degree

Interstellar titanium-oxides in interplanetary dust

Interstellar gas abundances (Clayton et al., 1986) suggest that titanium may be bound up in dust and indeed, excess titanium in carbonaceous chondrites is attributed to mixing of interstellar and Solar System materials (Morton, 1974). Fine-grained chondritic interplanetary dust particles (lOPs) of cometary origin are relatively pristine early Solar System materials (Mackinnon and Rietmeijer, 1987; Rietmeijer, 1987) and show chemical and mineralogical signatures related to a pre-solar or nebular origin. For example, large OtH ratios suggest a presolar or interstellar dust component in some chondritic lOPs(Mackinnon and Rietmeijer, 1987). Ti/Si ratios (normalized to bulk CI) in lOPs and carbonaceous chondrite matrices exceed solar abundances but are similar to dust from comet Halley (Jessberger et al., 1987). The Ti-distribution in chondritic lOPs shows major, small-scale « 0.1 urn) variations (Flynn et al., 1978) consistent with heterogeneously distributed Ti-bearingphases. Analytical electron microscope (AEM) studies, in fact, have identified platey grains of Ti-metal, Ti407 and Ti s09 in two different lOPs (Mackinnon and Rietmeijer, 1987). The occurrence of Ti407 was related in situ low-temperature aqueous alteration and therefore implied the presence of BaTi03 (Rietmeijer and Mackinnon, 1984). Yet, the presence ofTis09 in an lOp which shows no evidence of aqueous alteration (Rietmeijer.and McKay, 1986) requires a different interpretation. The distribution of Ti-oxides in chondritic lOPs were investigated with ultra-microtomed thin sections of fluffy chondri tic lOP U2011*B (lSC allocation U2011C2) using a lEOL 2000FX AEM operating at an accelerating voltage of 200kV and with an attached Tracor Northern TN5500 energy dispersive spectrometer.

A cost-outcome description of the septic work-up for bacterial infection in neonates in a tertiary care hospital

Analysis of the septic work-up of 194 neonates at Women's College Hospital, Toronto, showed that the only antepartum condition predicting neonatal sepsis was the mother being on antibiotics. The only postnatal condition predicting sepsis was a maternal postpartum white blood cell count over 11,000. The average cost for tests for a septic work-up in these 194 mother-neonate pairs was $71.48 (Canadian dollars), and the average cost of tests to find a septic case was $1,066.77.

Planar radial spots in a three-component FitzHugh-Nagumo system

Localized planar patterns arise in many reaction-diffusion models. Most of the paradigm equations that have been studied so far are two-component models. While stationary localized structures are often found to be stable in such systems, travelling patterns either do not exist or are found to be unstable. In contrast, numerical simulations indicate that localized travelling structures can be stable in three-component systems. As a first step towards explaining this phenomenon, a planar singularly perturbed three-component reaction-diffusion system that arises in the context of gas-discharge systems is analysed in this paper. Using geometric singular perturbation theory, the existence and stability regions of radially symmetric stationary spot solutions are delineated and, in particular, stable spots are shown to exist in appropriate parameter regimes. This result opens up the possibility of identifying and analysing drift and Hopf bifurcations, and their criticality, from the stationary spots described here.

Smarten up! applying market design theory to greyfields housing supply : a background paper

This paper examines whether recent innovation in market design can address persistent problems of housing choice and affordability in the inner and middle suburbs of Australian cities. Australia's ageing middle suburbs are the result of a low density and highly car-dependent garden city greenfield approach to planning that failed to consider possible future resource or environmental constraints on urban development (Newton et al., 2011). Described as 'greyfield' sites in contrast to greenfield (signalling the change from rural to urban land use) and 'brownfield' (being the transformation of former industrial use to mixed use, including housing), intensification of development in such areas is expected to deliver positive social, economic and environmental outcomes (Trubka et al., 2008; Gurran et al., 2006; Newton et al., 2011; Goodman et al., 2010). Yet despite broad policy consensus progress remains elusive (Major Cities Unit, 2010). In this paper we argue that the application of market design theory, specifically through the internet-based coordination of market information, offers a new policy approach and practical measures to address these problems.

Revisiting the debate about public service media exceptionalism

The development of public service broadcasters (PSBs) in the 20th century was framed around debates about its difference compared to commercial broadcasting. These debates navigated between two poles. One concerned the relationship between non‐commercial sources of funding and the role played by statutory Charters as guarantors of the independence of PSBs. The other concerned the relationship between PSBs being both a complementary and a comprehensive service, although there are tensions inherent in this duality. In the 21st century, as reconfigured public service media organisations (PSMs) operate across multiple platforms in a convergent media environment, how are these debates changing, if at all? Is the case for PSM “exceptionalism” changed with Web‐based services, catch‐up TV, podcasting, ancillary product sales, and commissioning of programs from external sources in order to operate in highly diversified cross‐media environments? Do the traditional assumptions about non‐commercialism still hold as the basis for different forms of PSM governance and accountability? This paper will consider the question of PSM exceptionalism in the context of three reviews into Australian media that took place over 2011‐2012: the Convergence Review undertaken through the Department of Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy; the National Classification Scheme Review undertaken by the Australian Law Reform Commission; and the Independent Media Inquiry that considered the future of news and journalism.

Balls up : the converse blank canvas project

Research background: For decades the Chuck Taylor All Star basketball shoe (first designed in 1921 by Converse, an American shoe company), has been an iconic item of fashion apparel, particularly for the youth oriented market - as a form of self expression and identify, adolescents have for generations been customising their Converse sneakers to create innovative and unique footwear. Although originally developed purely for sport, sneakers gradually crossed over into fashion and the majority of athletic shoes are now purchased for street fashion or leisure wear. Artisan Gallery (Brisbane), in conjunction with the exhibition Reboot: Function, Fashion and the Sneaker, a history of the sneaker, selected 20 designers to customise and re-design the classic Converse Chuck Taylor All Stars shoe and in doing so highlighted the diversity of forms possible for creative outcomes. As Artisan Gallery Curator Kirsten Fitzpatrick states “the ‘sports show’, designed to coincide with the Olympics, is also about exploring the sneaker as a platform for creativity... and (one) of the more bazaar creations was Dean Brough's deconstructed shoes to make men’s underwear.” The exhibition ran from 21 June – 16 August 2012: http://artisan-ideaskillproduct.blogspot.com.au/2012/06/converse-blank-canvas-project.html Research question: Even though the sneaker is a fashion item, it still is fundamentally used for foot protection and historically was aligned to ball sports, principally Basketball - as a fashion designers/practitioner how can I connect (in a whimsical manner) this history of usage for ball sports to the sneaker and re-design and re-use all the physical elements of the shoe to produce a unique wearable item of clothing - the selected medium for this challenge and experimentation was the classic archetypal men’s white boxer shorts. Artisan Statement BALLS UP - The Converse Sneaker, it’s almost impossible to imagine a better rounded item to maintain peak performance for all types of ball sports. Gentlemen, your other most precious balls also deserve this level of comfort and support to sustain the hard times – the Converse Boxer, balls up, bats out, get ready to play hard. Research contribution: The project highlighted some of the unique and diverse creative manifestations that are possible from the classic sneaker. From a fashion practitioners’ perspective, the design outcomes (men’s boxer short made from converse sneakers) demonstrated the strong association to iconic fashion apparel, and recognised the connection to wearability and comfort that is requisite in both footwear and men’s underwear. Research significance: The exhibition was viewed by in excess of 1000 people and generated exceptional media coverage and public exposure/impact. As Artisan Gallery Curator Kirsten Fitzpatrick states “20 of Brisbane's best designers were given the opportunity to customise their own Converse Sneakers, with The Converse Blank Canvas Project.” And to be selected in this category demonstrates the calibre of importance for design prominence.

Non-aqueous synthesis of hexagonal ZnO nanopyramids : gas sensing properties

Zinc oxide (ZnO) nanopyramids were synthesized by a one-pot route in a non-aqueous and surfactantfree environment. The synthesized metal oxide was characterized using SEM, XRD, and TEM to investigate the surface morphology and crystallographic phase of the nanostructures. It was observed that the ZnO nanopyramids were of uniform size and symmetrical, with a hexagonal base and height of ∼100 nm. Gas sensing characterization of the ZnO nanopyramids when deposited as thin-film onto conductometric transducers were performed towards NOx and C2H5OH vapor of different concentrations over a temperature range of 22–350 ◦C. It was observed that the sensors responded towards NO2 (10 ppm) and C2H5OH(250 ppm) analytes best at temperatures of 200 and 260 ◦C with a sensor response of 14.5 and 5.72, respectively. The sensors showed satisfactory sensitivity, repeatability as well as fast response and recovery towards both the oxidizing and the reducing analyte. The good performance was attributed to the low amount of organic impurities, large surface-to-volume ratio and high crystallinity of the solvothermally synthesized ZnO nanopyramids.

Public, private, or hybrid? What the upstream oil and gas industry can learn from other sectors about ‘the cloud’

Despite the compelling case for moving towards cloud computing, the upstream oil & gas industry faces several technical challenges—most notably, a pronounced emphasis on data security, a reliance on extremely large data sets, and significant legacy investments in information technology (IT) infrastructure—that make a full migration to the public cloud difficult at present. Private and hybrid cloud solutions have consequently emerged within the industry to yield as much benefit from cloud-based technologies as possible while working within these constraints. This paper argues, however, that the move to private and hybrid clouds will very likely prove only to be a temporary stepping stone in the industry’s technological evolution. By presenting evidence from other market sectors that have faced similar challenges in their journey to the cloud, we propose that enabling technologies and conditions will probably fall into place in a way that makes the public cloud a far more attractive option for the upstream oil & gas industry in the years ahead. The paper concludes with a discussion about the implications of this projected shift towards the public cloud, and calls for more of the industry’s services to be offered through cloud-based “apps.”