Scientific Programme

Contributions in the general fields of Petroleum Geochemistry, Humic and Other Organic Matter in Soils,
Natural Organic Matter in Potable Waters, and Isotope and Environmental Geochemistry will be considered.
The organisers would particularly welcome offers of presentations on the following themes:

Palaeoenvironmental reconstruction
Petroleum characterisation - from source to reservoir
Understanding gas formation
Very old oil
Environmental monitoring
Novel methodologies to characterise OM
Microbes - deep biosphere to soil organic matter
Waste-water recycling
Drinking water treatments

The final programme and abstracts volume will be available upon registration at the conference.

Click here for a downloadable copy of the final technical program.

Keynote Speakers

Professor Steve Rowland lectures on petroleum and environmental geochemistry in the School of Earth, Ocean & Environmental Sciences at the University of Plymouth, UK.

His keynote address is entitled "Pollutants piggyback on plastics". It will describe experiments which show that microplastics are globally distributed and that they adsorb a variety of pollutants, including hydrocarbons. When these microplastics are ingested by biota, the sequestered pollutants are desorbed causing a range of toxic effects.

Professor Gregory Korshin lectures on water quality modelling and advanced environmental chemistry in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of Washington, Seattle, USA.

His keynote address is entitled "Characterisation of NOM and its interactions with metals by in situ spectroscopic methods: from the Suwanee River to Mundaring". It will focus on the use of differential absorbance and fluorescence spectroscopy to elucidate NOM properties, site specificity and reactivity, with particular reference to recent results obtained for the Mundaring water source in Western Australia.

Andrew Murray is a Principal Petroleum Systems Analyst with Woodside Energy Limited, Perth, WA.

His keynote address is entitled "Geochemistry of natural gas: applications in exploration, appraisal and development". It will outline the controls on gas occurrence and character, as currently understood by industry research centres; the modelling and geochemical tools used in exploration and appraisal; and some of the conundrums we still face in understanding the origin and sub-surface behaviour of methane, despite it being the most abundant hydrocarbon of all.

Jan Skjemstad recently retired after a long and distinguished career as a research scientist with CSIRO Land & Water, Adelaide, SA.

His keynote address is entitled "Soil and charcoal: What we have learned over the past 15 years".

Social Programme

In addition to the formal scientific program (Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday), the conference includes several social events.

A guided tour that takes in the geology and some of the wineries of the renowned McLaren Vale district is planned for the Friday of the conference.

For those interstate and overseas participants with time to spare before or after the conference, we can recommend visits to Warrawong Wildlife Sanctuary, Kangaroo Island, the Flinders Ranges and Arkaroola, not to forget the other famous wine-producing regions of South Australia (viz. the Barossa Valley, Clare Valley, Limestone Coast and Coonawarra).

http://www.southaustralia.com/
http://www.adelaide.com.au/