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This study is to analyze geotechnical properties and biological status of undisturbed municipal solid waste (MSW) associated with depth by using a large-diameter borehole sampling method. Through the method, a 28 m-borehole with 0.8 m of the diameter was drilled into the MSW body consisting of ten-lift layers of waste placed over 4000 days in an operating landfill. MSW sample cuttings were collected from the field site, weighted, and transferred to a laboratory for additional experiments to measure various properties such as moisture content, constituent characterization, unit weights, specific gravity, decomposition state, saturation, and compression rates with regard to waste depth. Also, the methane production obtained from MSW decomposition tests indicated that waste mass was relatively consistent throughout the depth of borehole and had not reached the accelerated production phase of methane. The wet and dry unit weights of the MSW sample with different depths produced excellent trends of the first-order rate with vertical stress. First Oder Rate Equation (FORE) analysis indicated that the maximum total and dry unit weight of MSW (

A Municipal Solid Waste Borehole Assessment (MBA) was developed to assess in situ geotechnical properties of municipal solid waste (MSW) during the boring of gas extraction well construction. A Large-Diameter Borehole Caliper (LDBC) was lowered into the borehole to measure the diameter and record the condition of the wall by time-lapse video photography. The results indicated that the borehole experienced significant radial compression with depth following completion. Radial compressions amounted to approximately 7.5% at 9.14 m, 10% at 21.3 m and 11% at 27.4 m below ground surface. The bulk modulus was estimated by using the captured volumetric strains and reported lateral earth coefficients, and the results showed that it increases with increasing depth. For MSW, the bulk modulus increased up to 13.4 MPa in a linear trend with depth. The unit weights of MSW were obtained using three diameter readings from LDBC, auger barrel outside diameter and outer cutting bit outside diameter. The results showed that the diameter based on outer cutting bit yielded realistic unit weights (5.08–9.68 kN m–3) due to unrealistic calculated saturations by other two assumed diameters. The borehole assessment with LDBC was shown to be an efficient and valuable means for characterising MSW and effectively designing gas extraction wells. The research provided a means to assess the waste mass with accuracy at great depths by directly observing and measuring borehole condition.

The sustainable annual release of quality petroleum exploration acreage, to provide the global petroleum exploration industry with a variety of investment opportunities in Australian waters, is a key objective of the Australian Government. The annual Offshore Petroleum Exploration Acreage Release (Acreage Release) is underpinned by Australia’s stable economic environment and well-established regulatory framework for offshore petroleum activities. The 2010 Acreage Release areas are located across five basins. Release areas have been carefully selected to offer a range of investment opportunities; areas vary in size, known prospectivity, water depth and level of existing geological data and knowledge. Areas are supported by pre-competitive geological and geophysical data and analysis undertaken by Geoscience Australia.

John Hartwell is Head of the Resources Division in the Department of Resources, Energy and Tourism, Canberra Australia. The Resources Division provides advice to the Australian Government on policy issues, legislative changes and administrative matters related to the petroleum industry, upstream and downstream and the coal and minerals industries. In addition to his divisional responsibilities, he is the Australian Commissioner for the Australia/East Timor Joint Petroleum Development Area and Chairman of the National Oil and Gas Safety Advisory Committee. He also chairs two of the taskforces, Clean Fossil Energy and Aluminium, under the Asia Pacific Partnership for Clean Development and Climate (AP6). He serves on two industry and government leadership groups delivering reports to the Australian Government, strategies for the oil and gas industry and framework for the uranium industry. More recently he led a team charged with responsibility for taking forward the Australian Government’s proposal to establish a global carbon capture and storage institute. He is involved in the implementation of a range of resource related initiatives under the Government’s Industry Action Agenda process, including mining and technology services, minerals exploration and light metals. Previously he served as Deputy Chairman of the Snowy Mountains Council and the Commonwealth representative to the Natural Gas Pipelines Advisory Committee. He has occupied a wide range of positions in the Australian Government dealing with trade, commodity, and energy and resource issues. He has worked in Treasury, the Department of Trade, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and the Department of Primary Industries and Energy before the Department of Industry, Science and Resources. From 1992–96 he was a Minister Counsellor in the Australian Embassy, Washington, with responsibility for agriculture and resource issues and also served in the Australian High Commission, London (1981–84) as the Counsellor/senior trade relations officer. He holds a MComm in economics, and Honours in economics from the University of New South Wales, Australia. Prior to joining the Australian Government, worked as a bank economist. He was awarded a public service medal in 2005 for his work on resources issues for the Australian Government.

The 2008 Offshore Petroleum Acreage Release comprises 35 areas located across five basins. The areas cover a full range of water depths, and range from frontier to mature in exploration status and offer opportunities for exploration companies of all sizes. Seven of these release areas are classified as Designated Frontier Areas and are subject to the frontier exploration tax incentive. losing dates for applications are: the first bidding round for 17 areas closes on 9 October 2008; and, the second bidding round for a further 18 areas closes on 9 April 2009.