Groundwater impact assessment and groundwater supply assessment and exploration for a potential new mine in north western QLD.  This has involved design and implementation of an exploratory drilling programme for a suitable high capacity groundwater resource for the mine and ore processing facility within an expansive mine exploration tenement in a remote area and relatively unknown hydrogeological setting.  This was followed by implementation of a groundwater supply bore field and monitoring network, and completion of extended groundwater bore pumping tests and analysis. – Aeon Metals.

Hydrogeological screening assessment of multiple potential sites throughout Australia for proposed pumped hydro-electric power generation schemes for the supply of renewable energy into the Australian energy market. Involved assessment of underground water supply quantity and quality and regulatory constraints – Confidential client. 

Earth Search partnered with Innovative Groundwater Solutions to conduct a groundwater age study of the regional sand mass aquifer at Minjerribah (North Stradbroke) Island, QLD.  This included a comprehensive desk top hydrogeological review, development of an island-wide sampling plan and the implementation of a specialised assessment and sampling project. This involved the use of isotopes and other groundwater flow tracers which refined the understanding of groundwater flow and aquifer conceptualisation to support Seqwater’s water security risk assessment process across their three town groundwater supply bore fields and the central bore field (15 bores) which provides a supply of exceptional quality water into the Brisbane City water grid.

This project was expanded into bore field modelling for the development of bore head protection zones to assist with land use planning and management on the island through a period involving the closure of sand mining operations and transition of land management to the first nations Quandamooka people. – Seqwater.

Independent hydrogeological review for the Olympic Dam Mine wellfields groundwater supply assessment – BHP Billiton.

Independent review of all BHP Billiton significant groundwater monitoring programmes globally and provision of advice on improvement and implementation of global best practice of BHP’s Australian and international groundwater monitoring networks and methods.

Great Artesian Basin (GAB) Bore Survey in western NSW to assess multiple bores for potential capping or modification due to rising pressures in GAB aquifers.  Included bore condition survey, flow testing and water quality sampling – NSW Government through Streamline Hydro.

Major groundwater supply assessment for a new cattle feedlot in the Southern Surat Basin, QLD.  Included comprehensive desk top assessment, pumping tests on existing bores, groundwater modelling, and successful drilling of a new deep (1200m+) groundwater supply bore, exceeding all expectation for yield and quality. – Fucheng Woodlands.

Hydrogeological support during the design, successful drilling and logging of a new groundwater supply bore for the Town of Dalby on the Darling Downs, QLD to 970m depth into the Precipice Sandstone aquifer.  A second new supply bore into the Hutton sandstone aquifer has been appraised and is scheduled to be drilled. – Western Downs Regional Council.

Groundwater supply assessments for potential new town bores in the Hutton Sandstone aquifers at Chinchilla and Dalby. Desk-top hydrogeological assessments, geophysical logging of existing bores, groundwater pumping interference assessments and groundwater supply bore design. – Western Downs Regional Council.

Consultant hydrogeologist for the successful drilling, extended pumping tests, hydraulic properties analysis and modelling of several long term water pumping and supply scenarios for new Clifton Town Bore tapping the Marburg Sandstone – Toowoomba Regional Council.

Hydrogeological assessment including step-drawdown and constant rate pump testing of groundwater supply bores to support additional groundwater extraction for a major quarry expansion during construction of the Toowoomba Wellcamp airport – Wagners.

Designed and implemented an assessment programme investigating the potential impacts of CSG development on Groundwater Dependent Ecosystems (GDEs) within the Great Artesian Basin (GAB).  Involved an assessment approach that integrated ecological and hydrogeological methods and “lines of evidence” to determine tree rooting depths and groundwater uptake. The study was unique and innovative project, and believed to be the first of it’s kind.  Ned Hamer (Principal Hydrogeologist) co-authored a scientific paper on this study which was accepted and published in the leading international hydrogeology journal “Hydrogeology”. – Arrow Energy (Shell).

Geological and hydrogeological assessment of potential impacts from Underground Coal Gasification (UCG) operations overlapping with a Coal Seam Gas (CSG) project in the Surat Basin, QLD.  Included development of a detailed hydrogeological conceptual model, and design and management of a drilling campaign for installation of over 40 groundwater and gas monitoring bores – Origin Energy.

Hydrogeological Assessment, sonic coring and groundwater monitoring bore installation at Minjerribah (North Stradbroke Island) for an existing water treatment plant and borefield – Seqwater (Government owned water corporation). Various groundwater projects completed and ongoing for Seqwater across multiple facilities within south-east QLD.

Major groundwater supply assessment including multiple deep bore pumping tests on existing bores, groundwater modelling, and drilling of 2 deep groundwater supply bores (to 970m) for a large piggery expansion Darling Downs, QLD. – Sunpork.

Assessment of a groundwater-dependent ecosystem (GDE) preserved within a housing estate on the outskirts of Brisbane. During a baseline assessment completed by Earth Search prior to the development occurring, groundwater within the underlying Marburg Sandstone aquifer was found to be supporting a remnant forest comprising largely of of threatened Melaleuca irbyana. In response to a Commonwealth Government Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act trigger, a management plan required the preservation and integration of the forest into the housing development, and implementation of a groundwater, surface water and ecological health monitoring programme completed by Earth Search which has continued through the housing development stages and three years beyond so far. – AV Jennings.

Major groundwater supply assessment including pumping tests on existing bores, groundwater modelling and successful drilling of a new Marburg Sandstone water supply bore for a historic Jimbour Station near Dalby, QLD. – Russell Pastoral Company.

Independent hydrogeological peer review for the assessment and rehabilitation of a number of large CSG produced water storage ponds – Origin Energy.

Several comprehensive hydrogeological assessments and pumping tests to support the expansion of a network of large poultry farms in the Millmerran area, Clarence Moreton Basin, QLD.  Design (and proceeding to implementation) of several new Hutton Sandstone groundwater supply bores.  Significant ongoing support over a number of years to refine the critical water supply strategy to the Halls portfolio of poultry, piggery and irrigation businesses. – Doug Hall Poultry/DA Hall Co./Sunny Queen Eggs

Detailed groundwater supply assessment for a proposed cattle feedlot near Goondiwindi in the Southern Surat Basin, QLD.  Included comprehensive desk top assessment, pumping tests on existing bore, groundwater modelling and support to secure additional licenced groundwater entitlement. – RMI Pty Ltd.

Groundwater supply resources assessment and the successful drilling and pump testing of a new Gubberamunda Sandstone production bore that exceeded all expectations for yield (>30L/s) and quality. Also provided a comprehensive hydrogeological assessment report which led to QLD Government approval for the purchase and relocation of 500ML of Gubberamunda Sandstone groundwater entitlement which, along with the new bore, facilitated confident investment and expansion of this QLD family-owned feedlot near Yelarbon, QLD. Smithfield Cattle Company.

Major groundwater supply assessment including pumping tests on existing bores and groundwater modelling for a potential new abattoir in Goondiwindi – Fucheng International Abattoirs.

Major groundwater supply assessment including pumping tests on existing bores, and groundwater modelling for a potential new abattoir near Goondiwindi, QLD – Confidential client.

Major groundwater supply assessment for expansion of a large piggery near Goondiwindi, QLD – Cameron Pastoral Company.

Hydrogeological assessment for groundwater supply and groundwater monitoring at the Kilcoy Abattoir and surrounding effluent irrigation properties, QLD.  Included drilling of a network of groundwater bores, and ongoing groundwater monitoring programme. Kilcoy Pastoral Company.   

Review of documents and data and provision of advice to central petroleum on the potential deep injection of produced water into a deep geological formation at the Palm Valley Gas Plant, Amadeus basin, Northern territory. – Central Petroleum Ltd.

Independent review of all historical and ongoing groundwater monitoring data and reports for the Noosa Landfill to help inform a major landfill upgrade project.  Provision of advice for refinement of the landfill groundwater monitoring programme, including the drilling of additional groundwater monitoring bores – Noosa Council.

Hydrogeological assessment, including dewatering bore drilling and testing, and dewatering plan for construction of an apartment complex in St Lucia, QLD.

Detailed groundwater supply assessments to support acquisition due diligence studies for a large network of poultry farms in South Australia and Queensland – Confidential client.

Lead Hydrogeologist on assessment of impacts from historical use of firefighting foam chemicals (PFAS, etc) at a large Department of Defence base in QLD.  Responsibilities included management of a large groundwater monitoring bore drilling and sampling campaign and monitoring of private groundwater supply bores – Wood Group and Department of Defence                                           

Preparation of a paper for the QLD Gasfields Commission on CSG gas migration and seeps in the Surat basin.

Hydrogeological assessment for Noosa Council on a groundwater supply and groundwater impact assessment project. Conducting ongoing groundwater monitoring. Various ad-hoc groundwater advisory roles for NSC.

Contaminated Land Assessment and ongoing groundwater monitoring at the Kincora Gas Plant in the Surat Basin, QLD.  Desk top review, and intrusive site investigation including the drilling of soil borings and groundwater monitoring wells to characterise the nature and extent of soil and groundwater contamination from historical gas plant operations. – Armour Energy.

Deep Great Artesian Basin (GAB) groundwater resource assessment and subsequent successful drilling, pump testing, hydraulic analysis and modelling of long term groundwater abstraction scenarios for 3 new groundwater supply bores required for expansion of cage free egg farms near Pittsworth, QLD – Mclean Farms

Groundwater supply assessments for three large vegetable farms for a locally-owned company looking to assess security of existing groundwater supply and review opportunities for additional groundwater supply for expansion in the Scenic Rim and Eastern Downs areas of Southern QLD.  Involved detailed hydrogeological review of prospective groundwater resources and advice on regulatory approvals and recommended drilling and testing programme to secure additional groundwater supplies, and the successful drilling of a new deep Marburg Sandstone aquifer bore which exceeded all expectation for water quality, being suitable for irrigation of vegetables without treatment required. – Gibb Bros Farming.

Preparation of Draft groundwater EIS Terms of Reference (ToR) for proposed new sand mine on Cape Tribulation, North Queensland. – Hopevale Congress and Diatreme Resources.

Expert witness duties in an ongoing court case representing Moreton Bay Regional Council vs a land developer wishing to clear a mapped wetland and groundwater-dependent ecosystem (GDE) for expansion of a tourist park. – Moreton Bay Regional Council (MBRC).

Groundwater supply assessment for a proposed medicinal cannabis horticulture operation in the Lockyer Valley, QLD. Involved comprehensive desk top assessment of groundwater resources, pump testing and analysis of existing bores, groundwater/surface water connectivity assessment, including the use of radon and isotope tracers. Cannim Group.

Long-term pumping tests of production bore on Gibson Island (Brisbane River) and monitoring within the river and surrounding monitoring bores for the derivation of aquifer hydraulic properties to support remedial planning. – Incitec Pivot Ltd.