NEUTRAL BARRIER TECHNOLOGY (NBT)

NBT provides a technique for controlling subsurface liquid and gas migration by the creation of rock barriers. It is the product of over ten years of research effort at Earth Systems, including collaboration with an Australian Government research organisation. EST owns all IP developed around NBT. NBT creates rock barriers by mimicking the natural geological processes responsible for the creation of many oil and gas reservoirs. This rock is created by non-intrusively combining site-specific reagents to form a low-permeability zone containing various mineral silicates the barrier can be installed in subsurface settings with little or no earthworks and negligible disruption to surface operations. The self-seeking characteristic of NBT means that detailed definition of the permeable zone or leak is not always required for barrier installation.

NBT provides a potential solution to a host of environmental, water and gas management problems. Applications include:

• Preventing water and gas migration from landfill sites;
• Groundwater intercept barriers (eg. saline incursion);
• Preventing waterbody contamination;
• Restricting water seepage from dam walls, floors and other water containment structures;
• Restricting gas seepage from underground gas storage;
• Engineered sub-surface storages for drinking water;
• Restricting inflow of water into mine workings.

NBT has numerous advantages over existing barrier technologies, including:

• Relatively low cost;
• Ability to install barriers in consolidated rock (unlike most conventional barriers);
• The self-seeking characteristic of barrier formation means that detailed definition of the
• permeable zone or leak is not always required (unlike grouting techniques);
• Greater installation flexibility and fewer implementation constraints (no need for
• excavation);
• Potential for constructing barriers at far greater depths; and
• Can be retrospectively uninstalled if required.

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