About CAOG

The Centre for Applied Organic Geochemistry (CAOG), previously the Centre for Petroleum and Environmental Organic Geochemistry, is a collaborative initiative between Curtin University of Technology and the University of Western Australia, supported by Woodside Energy and the Water Corporation of Western Australia. The Centre brings together the research and teaching resources of the State's two leading universities involved in the critical areas of petroleum exploration, potable water quality and treatment and environmental management. The establishment of CAOG has created a unique collection of resources targeted towards growing needs in Western Australia for applied research and for the improved management of organic materials in the environment and in agricultural industries and their downstream impacts.

The Centre is a participant in the CRC for Water Quality and Treatment and the AJ Parker CRC for Hydrometallurgy and collaborates with a wide network of national and international institutions and government agencies, including the Water Corporation of WA, CSIRO and Geoscience Australia.

Minerals and petroleum are the major natural resources in the state of Western Australia. The petroleum industry, which is the state's largest single commodity, continues to expand. In addition, being one of the most arid regions on earth, water has long been a most precious natural resource. The sustainable development and environmental management of these resources is thus of crucial importance to the State and to the Nation. The diverse and powerful field of organic geochemistry yields knowledge that bears directly on how these critical natural resources can best be managed and expanded whilst also allowing for the monitoring of the environmental impacts of these industries.

CAOG is a research-based organisation, engaged in an array of industry and government sponsored research projects. Research is strongly focussed on identifying and addressing the requirements of its industry supporters. CAOG provides specialist research expertise in petroleum geochemistry, organic environmental chemistry and analytical chemistry. The Centre comprises experienced professional researchers and a cohort of postgraduate research students. CAOG provides advanced level training to students coming from undergraduate courses through project work, whilst also providing postdoctoral positions and sabbaticals for established scholars. In addition, the Centre carries out organic geochemical studies and related work on a contract basis.

The research capability within the Centre for Applied Organic Geochemistry is currently structured around four central specialist areas; petroleum geochemistry, water chemistry, stable isotopes and biogeochemistry and soil science, all of which stem from CAOG's core competency in high level analytical organic chemistry.