Bowen Basin
The Bowen Basin (English: Bowen Basin ) originated from the Permian to Middle Triassic in Queensland, Australia. The sedimentary basin covers an area of 60,000 km ². In this area the most important coal and natural gas deposits are located in Australia. The Bowen Basin is part of the larger Sydney - Gunnedah - Bowen Basin.
Geology
In the south of the Bowen Basin is covered up to half of Suratbecken. The sedimentation layers reach the northern section, both the Taroom Trough (to the east ) and the Denison Trough ( west ) has a maximum thickness of more than 10,000 meters. The deposits formed in the Early Permian of sedimentation of rivers, lakes and volcanic events, all in layers in the east were deposited in a rift valley, while accumulated coal and non- marine sediments in the west. In a warm phase from middle to Late Permian formed in estuaries and in shallow water clastic sediments and other coal seams. The foreland basin that extended from east to west in the Late Permian, originated in the sediments from rivers and lakes, and coal seams in large widths. In the Early and Middle Triassic there was another sedimentary formations from rivers and lakes. In the north, it connects to the Sydney Basin.
Coal deposits
The Bowen Basin contains the largest coal deposits in Australia. It is also the world's largest deposits of bituminous coal. It ranges from Collinsville to Theodore. Over 100 coal deposits were discovered, of which promote 34 mines are currently about 100 million tons annually. Bituminous coal is of higher quality than lignite, while the anthracite coal is superior than the bituminous coal.
Gas fields
In the north of the basin were formed in shallow waters of the coal deposits of the Permian large volumes of methane gas. In the underground gas fields two forms of natural gas occur, which are used commercially: Natural Gas and Coal Seam Methane (CSM ). The main component of the two gases is methane.
Natural gas is a combustible natural gas. Frequently occurs along with crude oil, since it is formed in a similar manner. In Queensland, however there are no major oil wells. Natural gases consist mainly of highly flammable methane, but differ in their further chemical composition. The Coal Seam Methane is released by mining and used as fuel.
Fairview gas field
The Fairview gas field extends over a field of 5000 km ² about 500 to 600 km north-west of Brisbane and 100 to 200 kilometers north of Roma and is connected to a 130 km long pipeline with Wallumbilla.
Scotia Gas Field
The Scotia gas field is located approximately 340 km north- west of Brisbane and 145 km north-east of Roma. The gas is transported in a 111 km long pipeline from Scotia to Roma - Brisbane pipeline.