Energy industry leaders and professionals had access to research from across The University of Queensland (UQ) and the Gas & Energy Transition Research Centre (The Centre) as the 2025 Australian Energy Producers (AEP) Conference & Exhibition visited Queensland.
Fugitive methane monitoring and quantification, gas industry social performance, energy transition modelling, and petroleum engineering were just some of the topics covered by the UQ's presense at the event, which saw researchers balance engagement at the Centre's booth with numerous presentations.
The AEP Conference & Exhibition is Australia's largest energy conference and aims to bring together industry, government, community, and finance leaders to help map out Australia’s energy future.
Day 1 - Queensland's place in the east coast gas market, ten years of CSG research, and enhanced geothermal systems
The first day of the Conference saw Prof David Close, Assoc Prof Katherine Witt, and Prof Ray Johnson present their work to attendees during several technical sessions, and colleagues from UQ's Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology (AIBN) showcasing their research at the Centre's booth.
Prof Ray Johnson was first off-the-block, delivering his presentation ‘Required steps to develop an enhanced geothermal system - An Australian basin example’ in the ‘It's an Unconventional World’ session. The presentation explored the potential application of enhanced geothermal system-related technologies in an Australian setting.
Assoc Prof Kathy Witt then presented ‘Queensland’s coal seam gas projects – Hard won lessons relevant to regional development’ to attendees to the ‘Evolving Corporate Responsibility’ session. The presentation reflected on 10 years of research in coal seam gas (CSG) development in Queensland, with a focus on social performance and outcomes for regional stakeholders.
At the Centre's booth and across the exhibition hall floor, Zicheng Su and Zhuojing Yang shared the research AIBN's PFAS remediation team. Their research has potential application in a range of sectors and they were eager to explore opportunities for collaboration with the gas sector by talking to attendees and exhibitors.
Finally, David joined a strong line-up of industry leaders in a panel discussion on the role of Queensland in the east coast gas market. The panel explored how government and industry previously worked together to make Queensland the gas production powerhouse it is today – with the state now hosting over 14,000 CSG wells – and the challenges that will need to be overcome to ensure adequate supply is maintained in the eastern states, particularly in the context of production decreases outside of Queensland.
Day 2 - Fugitive methane emissions, research posters, and energy-related research from across UQ
Day two of the Conference proved to be just as productive as the first. Centre researchers shared the latest findings on methane emissions, social performance and petroleum engineering and the booth was alive with activity thanks to colleagues from the UQ Biosustainability Hub and the Sustainable Minerals Institute (SMI).
The day started with Dr Joe Lane presenting research into methane emissions in the the Conference's ‘Decarbonising Gas’ session. Joe discussed findings from a project that generated spatially disaggregated, time-series estimates of Queensland’s methane emissions to help disentangle the complex web of sources picked up by satellite monitoring (livestock, gas and coal operations, water treatment).
Prof Katherine Witt, Prof Ray Johnson and Misaki Matsui (on behalf of Julie Pearce) then each presented posters during the ‘Meet the Authors’ session, respectively covering communities' response to CSG salt and brine management, methane emissions factors in Surat Basin ground and CSG water, and analysing coal seam permeability.
The Centre's booth also hosted researchers from several UQ teams - Mariko Terasaki Hart and Nhat Hoang Huynh from the Biosustainability Hub, and Prof Maureen Hassall and Julita Greda from SMI’s Minerals Industry Safety and Health Centre. Both teams undertake energy-related activities – MISHC through their training and research, and the Biosustainability Hub through a major gas fermentation project with Woodside Energy.
Day 3 - Energy transition modelling and methane emission quantification
On the final day of the Conference, Dr Joe Lane and Dr Sebastian Hoerning were in the spotlight as each researcher spoke in presentations and panel discussions that updated attendees on work within the Centre that has generated significant interest from industry.
Sebastian's presentation, titled 'Fugitive methane emissions around onshore gas fields using Quantum Gas Lidar technology: Detection, visualisation, and quantification', provided more detailed information on the methane quantification rig that was stationed at the Centre's booth during the event. The presentation was part of the 'Handling our Carbon Dioxide Future' session, which examined emission management including innovations in biofuels, offshore storage, carbon capture technologies, sustainable aviation fuel and direct air capture.
Speaking in the main room, Dr Joe Lane examined future challenges gas-powered generation will face in an evolving east coast electricity system in his presentation 'Planning challenges for the changing paradigm of gas-powered generation operations'. The presentation leveraged weather variability modelling currently being undertaken in the Centre's Energy Security theme.
If you'd like to learn more about any of the research showcased by the Centre at the AEP Conference & Exhibition, contact us here.
