Queensland Consolidated Regulations

GEOTHERMAL ENERGY REGULATION 2022 - REG 16

16 Requirement for geothermal viability report—Act, s 65

(1) For section 65 (4) (a) (i) of the Act , it is a requirement that a geothermal viability report for an area must contain the following information—

(a) identification of each geothermal reservoir in the area;

(b) an estimate of all classified geothermal resources identified in each geothermal reservoir in the area;

(c) the geoscientific information, standards and procedures used to make the estimate mentioned in paragraph (b) ;

Examples of geoscientific information—

geological, geochemical, geophysical or geotechnical information

(d) a statement whether, in the geothermal permit holder’s opinion, geothermal production in the area is commercially viable;

(e) if the geothermal permit holder’s opinion is that geothermal production is not commercially viable—a statement about whether, in the holder’s opinion, it is likely to become commercially viable within 10 years;

(f) supporting data, and an analysis of the data, to support the opinions mentioned in paragraphs (d) and (e) .

(2) In this section—

"area" means the part of the area of a geothermal permit that is a potential geothermal commercial area.

"numerical modelling study" means a study of the likely performance of a geothermal reservoir using a numerical model.

"resource assessment" means an estimate of the future production of geothermal energy from a geothermal reservoir.

"supporting data" , for an area, includes—

(a) technical data relating to the geology of, and the geothermal reservoirs in, the area; and

(b) resource assessment and numerical modelling studies for geothermal reservoirs in the area; and

(c) market and financial data for the area.

Examples of market and financial data—

• an engineering and economic feasibility study showing that geothermal production in the area can be economically and technically justified

• data showing the uses for the geothermal energy