Coal seam gas (CSG) is produced by abstracting (depressurizing) groundwater from coal seams. The produced water is often of poor quality, and therefore it goes through a filtration treatment system before it is discharged back to the environment. The depressurization of the coal seams has the potential to alter fluid pressures and qualities of groundwater in aquifers above and below the coal seams. These activities, and others associated with CSG production, are subject to regulation, which requires the measurement of physical and chemical conditions throughout the lifecycle of the CSG project. Compliance with these government regulations is a significant and costly task that requires a solution to ease the management, analysis, and reporting of large volumes of water-related data.
A major water management solution was delivered to one the main CSG operators in Queensland. This solution is an end-to-end process from field data captured using a cloud-based technology all the way to automated analytical and regulatory reports reducing the operational cost and uncertainties caused by manual data handling. Also embedded within this solution is the automation of data quality metrics including telemetry data (temperature and pressure), quality tagging, and analyte value classification on laboratory analysis results. This solution also provides a complete business coverage including baseline assessment, environment, hydrogeology, field operations, and water operations with successful results.
The latest assessment indicates this solution provides up to 50% efficiency gain over the legacy process, thus allowing teams to focus on the business intelligence these data provide. The combination of the deep science technology with quality, consistent, and timely data gathering has enabled the CSG operator to be more efficient in maintaining compliance obligations while focusing on running the business. The solution will considerably decrease monitoring and make-good costs, reduce risk exposure, and deliver quality data regarding the water operations in the field.