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Professor Jim Underschultz
Professor

Jim Underschultz

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Overview

Background

With >35 years of experience, more than 100 publications on the subject, Jim has built a reputation in petroleum hydrogeology, unconventional hydrocarbons and carbon storage research. He is currently President of Petroleum Hydrogeology International and is also an Honorary Professor at the University of Queensland. He is Science Leader Storage for ANLEC R&D, Chair of the Geotechnical Reference Group for the CTSCo Surat CCS Project and sits on the Science Advisory Committee for the Peter Cook Centre for CCS Research. Previously, Jim was Professorial Chair of Petroleum Hydrodynamics at the University of Queensland with the Centre for Coal Seam Gas. He was General Manager Science for ANLEC R&D with an annual research budget of ~$18 million AUS applied to more than 50 active research projects supporting Australia’s CCS demonstration. He was CSIRO Theme Leader for the Unconventional Petroleum and Geothermal Energy R&D program with more than 50 Full Time Equivalents and an annual budget of ~$16 million/yr AUS. He sat on the Sustainable Energy for the Square Kilometre Array geothermal project control group, the Australian Mirror Committee of ISO for Carbon Capture and Storage and he managed the hydrodynamics and geochemistry discipline group within the Australian Cooperative Research Centre on CO2 (CO2CRC). Recently, Jim’s research has focused on petroleum hydrodynamics of faulted strata and the incorporation of hydrodynamics into seals analysis (both top and fault seal). His research has varied application to conventional and unconventional hydrocarbons, geothermal energy, mining and carbon storage. Jim has an interest in measurement, monitoring and verification (MM&V) systems for assessing reservoir and seal performance. He gained practical field experience on the design and implementation of MM&V strategies for SECARB Cranfield, Otway, Frio and In Salah carbon storage projects. Jim has advised the Canadian, New Zealand, Victorian and West Australian governments and Chevron on carbon storage projects and research programs. Jim has had media training whilst at the University of Queensland and CSIRO, he has experience with community engagement, senate estimates inquiries, and he has worked extensively with executive management teams and Boards of Directors. He has >2100 citations, an h-index of 24 and an i10-index of 51 on Google Scholar.

Jim Linked in: https://www.linkedin.com/pub/jim-underschultz/86/737/553

Jim ResearchGate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Jim_Underschultz

Availability

Professor Jim Underschultz is:
Available for supervision

Fields of research

Qualifications

  • Bachelor of Science, University of Alberta
  • Masters (Coursework) of Science, University of Alberta

Research interests

  • Fluid flow in porous media and hydrodynamic seals analysis

    Recently Jim’s research has focused on petroleum hydrodynamics of faulted strata and the incorporation of hydrodynamics into seals analysis with application to both conventional and unconventional hydrocarbons, geothermal energy and carbon storage. At the Centre for Coal Seam Gas Jim has an interest in research on: - CSG Reservoir performance and compartmenalisation - CSG water quality forecasting - Hydrodynamic systems analysis

Research impacts

Jim's early research in Canada, pioneered the characterisation of hydrodynamic systems in thrust fold belts that contributed to successful development of some Canadian foothills conventional gas discoveries.

Jim's work on the initial assessment of coal bed methane potential in Alberta helped form the pre-competative data that provided the foundation of a new resource type to be developed. His work on faults and hydrodynamics brought him to Australia to assist in the first hydrodynamic assessment of Australia's NW Shelf that provided industry a basis for pre-drill de-risking of fault seals.

Jim translated his knowledge of seals analysis unconventional gas to applications for Carbon Storage, teaming up with Lawrence Berkley National Laboratory and participating in the Frio carbon storage pilot in Texas.

His experience provided him the opportunity to take a leading role in the development of carbon storage research in Australia, including the design and execution of Australia’s first carbon storage demonstration at the CO2CRC Otway site in Victoria. The success of Otway led to Australia's investment in the CCS Flagship program.

Jim's current research associated with hydrodynamic processes relating to Coal Seam Gas in Australia is helping lay the foundation for de-risking uncertainty in production performance and aquifer integrity. This supports Australia's ability to capture a share of the rapidly developing international gas market and enables a global shift from coal to gas.

Works

Search Professor Jim Underschultz’s works on UQ eSpace

138 works between 1989 and 2025

81 - 100 of 138 works

2016

Journal Article

Reducing operational costs of CO2 sequestration through geothermal energy integration

Li, Melody X., Ricard, Ludovic P., Underschultz, James and Freifeld, Barry M. (2016). Reducing operational costs of CO2 sequestration through geothermal energy integration. International Journal of Greenhouse Gas Control, 44, 238-248. doi: 10.1016/j.ijggc.2015.11.012

Reducing operational costs of CO2 sequestration through geothermal energy integration

2016

Journal Article

Capillary seal capacity of faults under hydrodynamic conditions

Underschultz, J. and Strand, J (2016). Capillary seal capacity of faults under hydrodynamic conditions. Geofluids, 16 (3), 464-475. doi: 10.1111/gfl.12166

Capillary seal capacity of faults under hydrodynamic conditions

2015

Journal Article

Application of tracers to measure, monitor and verify breakthrough of sequestered CO2 at the CO2CRC Otway Project, Victoria, Australia

Stalker, Linda, Boreham, Chris, Underschultz, Jim, Freifeld, Barry, Perkins, Ernie, Schacht, Ulrike and Sharma, Sandeep (2015). Application of tracers to measure, monitor and verify breakthrough of sequestered CO2 at the CO2CRC Otway Project, Victoria, Australia. Chemical Geology, 399, 2-19. doi: 10.1016/j.chemgeo.2014.12.006

Application of tracers to measure, monitor and verify breakthrough of sequestered CO2 at the CO2CRC Otway Project, Victoria, Australia

2015

Conference Publication

Applying Hydrocarbon Systems Analysis and Basin Hydrodynamics to Onshore Gas in Australia

Underschultz, J., Pasini, P. and Grigorescu, M. (2015). Applying Hydrocarbon Systems Analysis and Basin Hydrodynamics to Onshore Gas in Australia. European Association of Geoscientists & Engineers Workshop - Basin Hydrodynamic Systems, Utrecht Netherlands, 6 - 8 May 2015. doi: 10.3997/2214-4609.201412344

Applying Hydrocarbon Systems Analysis and Basin Hydrodynamics to Onshore Gas in Australia

2015

Conference Publication

Keynote speech - Hydrodynamic constraints on fault seal analysis-linking capillary and fault reactivation processes

Underschultz, J. (2015). Keynote speech - Hydrodynamic constraints on fault seal analysis-linking capillary and fault reactivation processes. 4th International Conference on Fault and Top Seals 2015: Art or Science?, Almeria, Spain, 20-24 September 2015. Netherlands: European Association of Geoscientists and Engineers, EAGE. doi: 10.3997/2214-4609.201414054

Keynote speech - Hydrodynamic constraints on fault seal analysis-linking capillary and fault reactivation processes

2015

Conference Publication

Emerging complexity of the Great Artesian Basin aquifer systems in the Surat

Underschultz, Jim and Vink, Sue (2015). Emerging complexity of the Great Artesian Basin aquifer systems in the Surat. International Conference and Exhibition, Melbourne, Australia, 13-16 September 2015. Tulsa, OK, USA: Society of Exploration Geophysicists and American Association of Petroleum Geologists. doi: 10.1190/ice2015-2205979

Emerging complexity of the Great Artesian Basin aquifer systems in the Surat

2015

Conference Publication

Advancements in fault seal analysis and basin hydrodynamics - what have we learned in the last 10 Years?

Underschultz, J., Otto, C. and Bartlett, R. (2015). Advancements in fault seal analysis and basin hydrodynamics - what have we learned in the last 10 Years?. First EAGE/TNO Workshop , Utrecht, Netherlands, 6 - 8 May 2015. Netherlands: EAGE Publications BV. doi: 10.3997/2214-4609.201412326

Advancements in fault seal analysis and basin hydrodynamics - what have we learned in the last 10 Years?

2015

Conference Publication

The importance of accuracy of facts supporting justice based social license-to-operate arguments for CSG development: information from four decades of CBM production in North America

Duncan, Ian J., Garnett, Andrew and Underschultz, Jim (2015). The importance of accuracy of facts supporting justice based social license-to-operate arguments for CSG development: information from four decades of CBM production in North America. SEG 2015, International Conference and Exhibition, Melbourne, Australia, 13-16 September 2015. Society of Exploration Geophysicists and American Association of Petroleum Geologists. doi: 10.1190/ice2015-2211473

The importance of accuracy of facts supporting justice based social license-to-operate arguments for CSG development: information from four decades of CBM production in North America

2013

Journal Article

A Quality Control System to Reduce Uncertainty in Interpreting Formation Pressures for Reservoir and Basin Pressure System Analysis

Hortle, A., Otto, C. and Underschultz, J. (2013). A Quality Control System to Reduce Uncertainty in Interpreting Formation Pressures for Reservoir and Basin Pressure System Analysis. Journal of Petroleum Geology, 36 (2), 163-177. doi: 10.1111/jpg.12549

A Quality Control System to Reduce Uncertainty in Interpreting Formation Pressures for Reservoir and Basin Pressure System Analysis

2013

Journal Article

CO2 geosequestration potential in the Northern Perth Basin, Western Australia

Varma, S., Underschultz, J., Giger, S. B., Field, B., Roncaglia, L., Hodgkinson, J. and Hilditch, D. (2013). CO2 geosequestration potential in the Northern Perth Basin, Western Australia. Australian Journal of Earth Sciences, 60 (1), 23-44. doi: 10.1080/08120099.2012.682737

CO2 geosequestration potential in the Northern Perth Basin, Western Australia

2013

Conference Publication

Containment of CO2 in CCS: Role of caprocks and faults

Kaldi, John, Daniel, Ric, Tenthorey, Eric, Michael, Karsten, Schacht, Ulrike, Nicol, Andy, Underschultz, Jim and Backe, Guillaume (2013). Containment of CO2 in CCS: Role of caprocks and faults. International Conference on Greenhouse Gas Technologies (GHGT), Kyoto Japan, Nov 18-22, 2012. Elsevier BV: Amsterdam, Netherlands. doi: 10.1016/j.egypro.2013.06.458

Containment of CO2 in CCS: Role of caprocks and faults

2013

Book Chapter

Mechanism of Upfault Seepage and Seismic Expression of Hydrocarbon Discharge Sites from the Timor Sea

Langhi, Laurent, Zhang, Yanhua, Gartrell, Anthony, Brincat, Mark P., Lisk, Mark, Underschultz, Jim and Dewhurst, David (2013). Mechanism of Upfault Seepage and Seismic Expression of Hydrocarbon Discharge Sites from the Timor Sea. Hydrocarbon Seepage: From Source to Surface. (pp. 11-41) edited by Fred Aminzadeh, Timothy B. Berge and David L. Connolly. Tulsa, OK, United States: Society of Exploration Geophysicists. doi: 10.1190/1.9781560803119.ch2

Mechanism of Upfault Seepage and Seismic Expression of Hydrocarbon Discharge Sites from the Timor Sea

2012

Journal Article

Pressure and fluid dynamic characterisation of the Dutch subsurface

Verweij, J. M., Simmelink, N. J., Underschultz, J. and Witmans, N. (2012). Pressure and fluid dynamic characterisation of the Dutch subsurface. Netherlands Journal of Geosciences-Geologie En Mijnbouw, 91 (4), 465-490. doi: 10.1017/S0016774600000342

Pressure and fluid dynamic characterisation of the Dutch subsurface

2012

Journal Article

Safe storage and effective monitoring of CO2 in depleted gas fields

Jenkins, Charles R., Cook, Peter J., Ennis-King, Jonathan, Undershultz, James, Boreham, Chris, Dance, Tess, de Caritat, Patrice, Etheridge, David M., Freifeld, Barry M., Hortle, Allison, Kirste, Dirk, Paterson, Lincoln, Pevzner, Roman, Schacht, Ulrike, Sharma, Sandeep, Stalker, Linda and Urosevic, Milovan (2012). Safe storage and effective monitoring of CO2 in depleted gas fields. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 109 (2), E35-E41. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1107255108

Safe storage and effective monitoring of CO2 in depleted gas fields

2011

Journal Article

Effects of regional fluid pressure gradients on strain localisation and fluid flow during extensional fault reactivation

Zhang, Y., Underschultz, J. R., Gartrell, A., Dewhurst, D. N. and Langhi, L. (2011). Effects of regional fluid pressure gradients on strain localisation and fluid flow during extensional fault reactivation. Marine and Petroleum Geology, 28 (9), 1703-1713. doi: 10.1016/j.marpetgeo.2011.07.006

Effects of regional fluid pressure gradients on strain localisation and fluid flow during extensional fault reactivation

2011

Journal Article

CO2 storage in a depleted gas field: An overview of the CO2CRC Otway Project and initial results

Underschultz, Jim, Boreham, Chris, Dance, Tess, Stalker, Linda, Freifeld, Barry, Kirste, Dirk and Ennis-King, Jonathan (2011). CO2 storage in a depleted gas field: An overview of the CO2CRC Otway Project and initial results. International Journal of Greenhouse Gas Control, 5 (4), 922-932. doi: 10.1016/j.ijggc.2011.02.009

CO2 storage in a depleted gas field: An overview of the CO2CRC Otway Project and initial results

2011

Journal Article

Monitoring of CO2 storage in a depleted natural gas reservoir: Gas geochemistry from the CO2CRC Otway Project, Australia

Boreham, Chris, Underschultz, Jim, Stalker, Linda, Kirste, Dirk, Freifeld, Barry, Jenkins, Charles and Ennis-King, Jonathan (2011). Monitoring of CO2 storage in a depleted natural gas reservoir: Gas geochemistry from the CO2CRC Otway Project, Australia. International Journal of Greenhouse Gas Control, 5 (4), 1039-1054. doi: 10.1016/j.ijggc.2011.03.011

Monitoring of CO2 storage in a depleted natural gas reservoir: Gas geochemistry from the CO2CRC Otway Project, Australia

2011

Conference Publication

The role of heterogeneity in CO2 storage in a depleted gas field: history matching of simulation models to field data for the CO2CRC Otway Project, Australia

Ennis-King, J., Dance, T., Xu, J., Boreham, C., Freifeld, B., Jenkins, C., Paterson, L., Sharma, S., Stalker, L. and Underschultz, J. (2011). The role of heterogeneity in CO2 storage in a depleted gas field: history matching of simulation models to field data for the CO2CRC Otway Project, Australia. 10th International Conference on Greenhouse Gas Control Technologies, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, 19 -23 September 2010. Amsterdam, The Netherlands: Elsevier BV. doi: 10.1016/j.egypro.2011.02.276

The role of heterogeneity in CO2 storage in a depleted gas field: history matching of simulation models to field data for the CO2CRC Otway Project, Australia

2011

Conference Publication

Pressure and Fluid Flow Systems in the Permian Rotliegend in the Netherlands Onshore and Offshore

Verweij, Hanneke, Simmelink, Erik and Underschultz, Jim (2011). Pressure and Fluid Flow Systems in the Permian Rotliegend in the Netherlands Onshore and Offshore. Symposium and Core Workshop on 50 Years of Petroleum Exploration in the Netherlands after the Groningen Discovery, Utrecht Netherlands, 15 - 16 January 2009. Tulsa, OK United States: Society for Sedimentary Geology (S E P M). doi: 10.2110/pec.11.98.0247

Pressure and Fluid Flow Systems in the Permian Rotliegend in the Netherlands Onshore and Offshore

2010

Journal Article

Hydrodynamic considerations for carbon storage design in actively producing petroleum provinces: An example from the Gippsland Basin, Australia

Hortle, Allison, Trefry, Christine, Michael, Karsten and Underschultz, Jim (2010). Hydrodynamic considerations for carbon storage design in actively producing petroleum provinces: An example from the Gippsland Basin, Australia. Journal of Geochemical Exploration, 106 (1-3), 121-132. doi: 10.1016/j.gexplo.2010.01.011

Hydrodynamic considerations for carbon storage design in actively producing petroleum provinces: An example from the Gippsland Basin, Australia

Funding

Current funding

  • 2016 - 2025
    UQ Surat Deep Aquifer Appraisal Project
    Carbon Capture and Storage Research Development & Demonstration Fund
    Open grant

Past funding

  • 2016 - 2017
    Using Managed Aquifer Recharge for Carbon Storage - a Feasibility Study
    Australian National Low Emissions Coal Research and Development
    Open grant
  • 2015 - 2017
    Provision of hydrology research to better include faults and aquitards in Australian regional groundwater models to improve assessment of impacts of CSG extraction
    CSIRO
    Open grant

Supervision

Availability

Professor Jim Underschultz is:
Available for supervision

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Available projects

  • Characterisation and parameterisation of uncertainty induced by faults in regional groundwater models

    UQ collaboration with the CSIRO

    Sedimentary basins host important groundwater resources in Australia. Due to their large size, groundwater can be important to multiple users from multiple industries, including the Coal Seam Gas (CSG) industry. Regional scale groundwater modelling is critical to understand water movement within sedimentary basins and to predict cumulative impacts from groundwater pumping on water users and the environment.

    Regional groundwater models are based on hydrogeological conceptualisations developed using 3D geological models and knowledge of aquifer and aquitard properties and boundary conditions. However, the representation of geological structures such as faults and the hydraulic property attribution of aquifers and aquitards in groundwater models are often informed by sparse data, resulting in large scale uncertainties of the model impact predictions.

    Available PHD Topic: Characterisation and parameterisation of uncertainty induced by faults in regional groundwater models

    This PhD project will focus on the characterisation and representation of the macroscopic hydraulic properties of faults in regional scale groundwater models and quantification of associated uncertainties. The student will apply methods from groundwater and petroleum system approaches for solving a real-world problem of quantifying uncertainty induced by geological structures in the simulation of hydrological variables using a regional scale groundwater model in co-operation with Gas Industry Social and Environmental Research Alliance (GISERA), University of Queensland (UQ) and CSIRO.

Media

Enquiries

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