Overview
Background
Grant has degrees in both Chemistry and Earth Sciences and is presently focused on assessing the environmental impact of fluid-rock interactions on groundwater chemistry. This entails a variety of rock characterisation techniques (elemental, mineralogical, petrophysical), benchtop sequential extraction experiments, and pressure vessel experiments that mimic in-situ conditions deep underground, with data then fed into geochemical modelling software. The analytical equipment that Grant has operated to achieve his research outcomes includes ICP-MS, ICP-OES, SEM-EDS, Microprobe, XRF, Synchrotron XFM beamline, Petrographic Microscopes (both scanning and standard), Gas Permeameter, Helium Pycnometer, Pressure Vessels, etc. Grant also has an active interest in the geological storage of carbon dioxide, both via injection into deep geological formations and direct atmospheric capture facilitated by rock weathering to form stable carbonate rocks (mineral trapping of CO2). In the past, Grant has studied natural carbonate mineralisation (both veins and cement) throughout the Great Artesian Basin, to explore the variety of natural conditions that promote the transformation of CO2 into minerals. Early in his research career, Grant participated in paleo-climate research projects that involved botanically describing and assessing the cell morphology of fossil woods, coal petrography, studying coral cores, and picking foraminifera recovered from the sea floor.
Availability
- Dr Grant Dawson is:
- Available for supervision
Fields of research
Qualifications
- Bachelor of Science, The University of Queensland
- Bachelor (Honours) of Science (Advanced), The University of Queensland
- Doctor of Philosophy, The University of Queensland
Research interests
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Environmental Geochemistry
Specifically, assessing how the interaction of rocks and fluids can affect groundwater chemistry.
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Analytical Chemistry
Specifically, the use of various instruments to determine the amounts and distribution of elements within both solid and fluid samples.
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Experimental Geochemistry
Both benchtop and high-pressure experiments.
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Isotope Geochemistry
The use of both stable and radiogenic isotopes to characterise or date mineralisation.
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Scanning Electron Microscopy
A high resolution imaging technique which, if coupled with Energy Dispersive Spectrometry, can also give semi-quantitative element composition information for a sample surface.
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CO2 Sequestration
The long-term geological storage of carbon dioxide emissions to mitigate anthropogenic climate change.
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Coal Geology & Petrology
The study of coal and related geology. Coal is useful for palaeo-climatology and palaeo-botany/ecology studies and can contain structural and related mineralogical information for basin analysis.
Works
Search Professor Grant Dawson’s works on UQ eSpace
2017
Journal Article
Impure CO2 reaction of feldspar, clay, and organic matter rich cap-rocks: decreases in the fraction of accessible mesopores measured by SANS
Pearce, Julie K., Dawson, Grant K.W., Blach, Tomasz P., Bahadur, Jitendra, Melnichenko, Yuri B. and Golding, Suzanne D. (2017). Impure CO2 reaction of feldspar, clay, and organic matter rich cap-rocks: decreases in the fraction of accessible mesopores measured by SANS. International Journal of Coal Geology, 185, 79-90. doi: 10.1016/j.coal.2017.11.011
2016
Journal Article
Mineralogical controls on porosity and water chemistry during O2-SO2-CO2 reaction of CO2 storage reservoir and cap-rock core
Pearce, Julie K., Golab, Alexandra, Dawson, Grant, Knuefing, Lydia, Goodwin, Carley and Golding, Suzanne D. (2016). Mineralogical controls on porosity and water chemistry during O2-SO2-CO2 reaction of CO2 storage reservoir and cap-rock core. Applied Geochemistry, 75, 152-168. doi: 10.1016/j.apgeochem.2016.11.002
2016
Other Outputs
Weak acid leachable and total trace elements in Precipice Sandstone and Evergreen Formation
G Dawson, J Pearce, L Turner and S Golding (2016). Weak acid leachable and total trace elements in Precipice Sandstone and Evergreen Formation. ANLEC R&D: ANLEC R&D.
2016
Journal Article
Reactivity of micas and cap-rock in wet supercritical CO2 with SO2 and O2 at CO2 storage conditions
Pearce, Julie K., Dawson, Grant K. W., Law, Alison C. K., Biddle, Dean and Golding, Suzanne D. (2016). Reactivity of micas and cap-rock in wet supercritical CO2 with SO2 and O2 at CO2 storage conditions. Applied Geochemistry, 72, 59-76. doi: 10.1016/j.apgeochem.2016.06.010
2016
Other Outputs
Great Artesian Basin authigenic carbonates as natural analogues for mineralisation trapping
Golding, S.D., Dawson, G.K.W., Pearce, J.K., Farrajota, F., Mernagh, T., Boreham, C.J., Hall, L.S., Palu, T.J. and Sommacal, S. (2016). Great Artesian Basin authigenic carbonates as natural analogues for mineralisation trapping. Melbourne, Australia: Cooperative Research Centre for Greenhouse Gas Technologies.
2016
Conference Publication
Metal and metalloid mobilisation and sequestration during CO2-SO2 and CO2-SO2-O2 reaction of reservoir and cap-rock cores
Pearce, J. K., Dawson, G. K. W., Golding, S. D. and Kirste, D. (2016). Metal and metalloid mobilisation and sequestration during CO2-SO2 and CO2-SO2-O2 reaction of reservoir and cap-rock cores. Goldschmidt2016, Yokohama, Japan, 26 June-1 July 2016.
2015
Other Outputs
Maximising the value of digital core analysis for carbon sequestration site assessment: final report on geochemical reactivitiy studies of core material using ScCO2. Technical report for Project 7-0311-0128, Sub-project 5: undertake time series (4D) imaging and conventional experimental studies to measure geochemical reactivity and dissolution trapping capacity of core material using supercritical CO2
Golab, Alexandra, Knuefing, Lydia, Goodwin, Carley, Sommacal, Silvano, Carnerup, Anna, Dawson, Grant, Pearce, Julie and Golding, Sue (2015). Maximising the value of digital core analysis for carbon sequestration site assessment: final report on geochemical reactivitiy studies of core material using ScCO2. Technical report for Project 7-0311-0128, Sub-project 5: undertake time series (4D) imaging and conventional experimental studies to measure geochemical reactivity and dissolution trapping capacity of core material using supercritical CO2. Barton, ACT Australia: ANLEC R&D.
2015
Journal Article
SO2-CO2 and pure CO2 reactivity of ferroan carbonates at carbon storage conditions
Pearce, Julie K., Law, Alison C. K., Dawson, Grant K. W. and Golding, Suzanne D. (2015). SO2-CO2 and pure CO2 reactivity of ferroan carbonates at carbon storage conditions. Chemical Geology, 411, 112-124. doi: 10.1016/j.chemgeo.2015.07.001
2015
Journal Article
SO2 impurity impacts on experimental and simulated CO2-water–reservoir rock reactions at carbon storage conditions
Pearce, Julie K., Kirste, Dirk M., Dawson, Grant K. W., Farquhar, Susan M., Biddle, Dean, Golding, Suzanne D. and Rudolph, Victor (2015). SO2 impurity impacts on experimental and simulated CO2-water–reservoir rock reactions at carbon storage conditions. Chemical Geology, 399, 65-86. doi: 10.1016/j.chemgeo.2014.10.028
2015
Journal Article
A fresh approach to investigating CO2 storage: Experimental CO2-water-rock interactions in a low-salinity reservoir system
Farquhar, S. M., Pearce, J. K., Dawson, G. K. W., Golab, A., Sommacal, S., Kirste, D., Biddle, D. and Golding, S. D. (2015). A fresh approach to investigating CO2 storage: Experimental CO2-water-rock interactions in a low-salinity reservoir system. Chemical Geology, 399, 98-122. doi: 10.1016/j.chemgeo.2014.10.006
2015
Journal Article
Experimental mineral dissolution in Berea Sandstone reacted with CO2 or SO2 –CO2 in NaCl brine under CO2 sequestration conditions
Dawson, G. K. W., Pearce, J. K., Biddle, D. and Golding, S. D. (2015). Experimental mineral dissolution in Berea Sandstone reacted with CO2 or SO2 –CO2 in NaCl brine under CO2 sequestration conditions. Chemical Geology, 399, 87-97. doi: 10.1016/j.chemgeo.2014.10.005
2015
Journal Article
Mobilisation of elements from coal due to batch reactor experiments with CO2 and water at 40°C and 9.5MPa
Dawson, G. K. W., Golding, S. D., Biddle, D. and Massarotto, P. (2015). Mobilisation of elements from coal due to batch reactor experiments with CO2 and water at 40°C and 9.5MPa. International Journal of Coal Geology, 140, 63-70. doi: 10.1016/j.coal.2015.01.005
2015
Conference Publication
Engineering CO2 storage with co-contaminants
Pearce, Julie, Dawson, Grant, Kirste, Dirke and Golding, Sue (2015). Engineering CO2 storage with co-contaminants. International Conference and Exhibition, Melbourne, Australia, 13-16 September 2015. Society of Exploration Geophysicists and American Association of Petroleum Geologists. doi: 10.1190/ice2015-2209955
2014
Other Outputs
Geochemical and geomechanical testing of near wellbore CO2 injectivity improvement: Final Report
Dawson, Grant K. W., Biddle, Dean, Farquhar, Susan, Gao, Jinfang, Golding, Suzanne D., Xu, Jiang, Keck, Ryan, Khan, Charwarwan, Law, Alison, Li, Qin, Pearce, Julie, Rudolph, Victor, Watson, Ambrose and Xing, Huilin (2014). Geochemical and geomechanical testing of near wellbore CO2 injectivity improvement: Final Report. ANLEC Project 7-1110-0101 The University of Queensland School of Earth Sciences.
2014
Other Outputs
Geochemical reactivity and dissolution trapping capacity using supercritical CO2: third milestone report
Golding, S. D., Farquhar, S. M., Pearce, J. K. and Dawson, G. K. W. (2014). Geochemical reactivity and dissolution trapping capacity using supercritical CO2: third milestone report. St. Lucia, QLD, Australia: UniQuest.
2014
Conference Publication
Impurity Effects in O2-SO2-CO2-Water-Rock Reactions Relevant to CO2 Storage in the Surat Basin
Pearce, J. K., Dawson, G. K. W., Kirste, D. and Golding, S. D. (2014). Impurity Effects in O2-SO2-CO2-Water-Rock Reactions Relevant to CO2 Storage in the Surat Basin. Australian Earth Sciences Convention, Newcastle, NSW, Australia, 7-10 July 2014.
2014
Conference Publication
Sulphate formation as a potential CO2 storage self-sealing mechanism in wet supercritical CO2-caprock reactions
Pearce, J. K., Dawson, G. K. W., Law, A. and Golding, S. D. (2014). Sulphate formation as a potential CO2 storage self-sealing mechanism in wet supercritical CO2-caprock reactions. Australian Earth Sciences Convention, Newcastle, NSW, Australia, 7-10 July 2014.
2014
Other Outputs
Final Report: Geochemical reactivity and dissolution trapping capacity using Supercritical CO2
Pearce, J. K., Farquhar, S. M., Dawson, G. K. W. and Golding, S. D. (2014). Final Report: Geochemical reactivity and dissolution trapping capacity using Supercritical CO2. St. Lucia, QLD, Australia: UniQuest.
2013
Other Outputs
ANLEC Project 7-1011-0189: Authigenic carbonates as natural analogues of mineralisation trapping in CO2 sequestration: a desktop study
Golding, S. D., Dawson, G. K. W., Boreham, C. J. and Mernagh, T. (2013). ANLEC Project 7-1011-0189: Authigenic carbonates as natural analogues of mineralisation trapping in CO2 sequestration: a desktop study. Manuka, ACT, Australia: Australian National Low Emissions Coal Research and Development.
2013
Other Outputs
ANLEC Project 3-1110-0101: Review of laboratory-scale geochemical and geomechanical experiments simulating geosequestration of CO2 in sandstone, and associated modelling studies
Dawson, G. K. W., Sidiq, H., Pearce, J., Gao, J-F., Golding, S. D., Rudolph, V., Li, Q. and Xing, H. (2013). ANLEC Project 3-1110-0101: Review of laboratory-scale geochemical and geomechanical experiments simulating geosequestration of CO2 in sandstone, and associated modelling studies. Manuka, ACT, Australia: Australian National Low Emissions Coal Research and Development.
Funding
Past funding
Supervision
Availability
- Dr Grant Dawson is:
- Available for supervision
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