bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Bight Basin acreage release—new exploration opportunities in a deep water frontier
Authors: Totterdell Jennifer , Struckmeyer Heike , Stacey Andrew
Published: August 2017

In 2009, the Commonwealth Government is releasing six large exploration areas in the frontier Bight Basin. The areas lie in the Ceduna Sub-basin, in water depths ranging from 130 to 4,600 m. At present, no permits are held in this part of the basin. Most exploration drilling in the Bight Basin has focussed on the margins of the Ceduna Sub-basin and on the adjacent Duntroon Sub-basin. Gnarlyknots 1A, drilled by Woodside Energy and partners in 2003, is the only well to have attempted to test the thick, prospective Ceduna Sub-basin succession away from the margins of the sub-basin, but did not reach all its target horizons due to weather and ocean conditions.
The key to the petroleum prospectivity of the Ceduna Sub-basin is the distribution of the Late Cretaceous marine and deltaic facies. Recent dredging of Late Cenomanian–Turonian organic-rich marine rocks has confirmed the presence of high quality source rocks in the Bight Basin and has significantly reduced exploration risk. These potential source rocks are mature in the central part of the Ceduna Sub-basin and are likely to have generated and expelled hydrocarbons since the Campanian. Excellent reservoir rocks and potential intraformational seals are present in the Late Cretaceous deltaic successions and regional seals could be provided by Late Cretaceous marine shales. Interpretation of seismic data has identified numerous play types in the basin and some structures show amplitude anomalies, providing many exploration targets for explorers.
Australian States and Northern Territory acreage update at APPEA 2009
Authors: Sellers Richard
Published: August 2017

Richard Sellers is the executive director of minerals and energy in the Northern Territory and has extensive experience with the management of natural resources and working specifically with business, regional and Indigenous groups on development programs.
He has previously held roles as Executive Director—Fisheries and Director—Legal and Policy in the former Northern Territory Department of Primary Industry and Fisheries.
This paper covers the annual presentation of exploration activity in onshore and coastal waters in Australia’s states and the Northern Territory. Included is a summary of upstream petroleum acreage opportunities for 2009 in the states and Northern Territory as well as geothermal energy exploration opportunities.
While there have been increasing levels of exploration in recent years, there are large areas that remain under explored and the opportunity for future discoveries remains.
State and the Northern Territory Governments have continued to undertake initiatives to attract and facilitate accelerated exploration and promote nationally and internationally these opportunities in frontier and production areas.
2008 Exploration review
Authors: Bauer Jenny
Published: August 2017

The year 2008 saw a global financial crisis and a collapse in the price of oil from its earlier highs in the latter part of the year. Not surprisingly, there was an overall decline in exploration activity for conventional oil and gas, although this consisted of a substantial fall in onshore activity partially offset by a modest increase in offshore activity. Activity in the coal seam gas (CSG) sector, on the other hand, continued the rapid growth trend that has been evident in the preceding 2 – 3 years. This sector can now be regarded as having ‘come of age’, and is reported for the first time in this review. Discoveries of conventional oil and gas were concentrated on the North West Shelf and in the Cooper/Eromanga basins, consistent with previous trends. Success rates were highest in the Browse, Bonaparte, Carnarvon and Cooper/ Eromanga basins. A total of 27 discoveries were recorded. In the CSG arena, reserve additions of almost 9,000 PJ were made in Eastern Australia during 2008, primarily in the Surat and Bowen basins. These reserve additions are expected to underpin the development of an LNG export industry in Queensland. Offshore licencing activity was down on 2007, with the Bonaparte and Browse basins having most new permits awarded. There was a resurgence of interest in onshore Queensland and NSW acreage for CSG exploration. Despite the drilling of a number of wildcat wells in frontier basins including the Murray, Darling, Sorrell, Canning and Pedirka, regrettably none was successful.
2008 Environment updates
Authors: Slater Sue
Published: August 2017

This paper provides a brief update on some of the key environmental issues that arose during 2008.
Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) projects dominated the referrals for petroleum related projects made under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 during the 2008 calendar year. The environmental aspects of these projects are summarised.
The focus of the Federal Government on policy and legislation to meet greenhouse gas abatement commitments in response to climate change has resulted in the development of a number of key policies that will impact on petroleum and gas developments. This has also been reflected in policy and legislation at State levels. The first reporting period for the National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting Act 2007 started on 1 July 2008.
Carbon capture and storage capability is seen as an essential component of any low emission energy future. Legislation and policy need to be delivered in a timeframe to meet low emission deadlines, as this provides the framework for the implementation of technology. Key legislation was debated and delivered during 2008, but the administrative and regulatory framework is still in preparation. Several projects for which geosequestration is a key component are summarised.
Regulatory review has suggested that streamlining of approvals and removing duplication of approvals would decrease the significant delays some projects are experiencing. Regulation that is outcomes based rather than process driven and prescriptive will also facilitate more timely approval of projects.
2008 Production and development highlights
Authors: Muir Wal
Published: August 2017

Australian petroleum production reached record levels during 2008 due mainly to continued growth in gas production, particularly from coal seam gas in Queensland. Coal seam gas (CSG) has provided a major fillip to gas production in the east of the country, with four LNG projects slated for Curtin Island off Gladstone, and the Surat/Bowen Basin supplanting the Cooper Basin in gas production for the first time. Three new projects were brought on stream in the Carnarvon Basin, offsetting the projected natural decline of oil production in that basin. The pipeline of committed and planned projects continues to rise, with a number of major projects in the Carnarvon Basin moving closer to fruition and the Browse Basin likely to join the Carnarvon as a major LNG producer in the medium term. The impact of the global financial crisis, with a large number of countries which take Australia’s energy production in recession, is still being assessed. It appears that there may be a softening in costs, although the trends were not yet clear at year’s end.
The effects of marine seismic acquisition in a coral reef environment: results from a multi-disciplinary monitoring program at Scott Reef, Western Australia
Authors: Grebe Cameron , Smith Luke , Reid Craig
Published: August 2017

In September 2007 Woodside Energy Ltd, as operator of the Browse LNG Development , conducted the Maxima three-dimensional marine seismic survey (Maxima) at Scott Reef, a shelf-emergent coral atoll located in the Indian Ocean approximately 425 km north of Broome, Western Australia
Implementation of the survey followed extensive state and Commonwealth environmental approvals processes that began more than 12 months earlier.
The survey drew regulator and stakeholder attention, with focus on the uncertainties associated with predicting impacts on Scott Reef marine environment as a result of exposure to airgun noise emissions.
Ministerial conditions for approval of the survey concluded that significant impacts were unlikely (Woodside 2008), but required Woodside to address the inherent uncertainties through implementation of a suite of research and monitoring activities prior to, during and after Maxima. Most were completed in on site Scott Reef as part of a field verification study, conducted in advance of the full data acquisition phase of Maxima.
These monitoring studies showed that the actual effects of exposure to an airgun array were lower than predicted and established new sound exposure thresholds.
Application of formation pressure while drilling in Australia: North West Shelf examples
Authors: Molohkov Dmitry , Pietsch Andy , Harfoushian Jack , Haq Shahid Azizul
Published: August 2017

Since its introduction in the 1950s, the point-by-point wireline formation pressure measurement technique has been successfully used for formation evaluation and reservoir management, and has been an essential input into reservoir models.
In exploration and appraisal wells, where depletion has not yet affected the reservoir, vertical pressure profiling can be used for fluid gradient determination that may be interpreted in terms of fluid densities and contacts.
In a dynamic producing environment pressure measurements can help to identify vertical and horizontal boundaries and communication.
Measurement of pressure distribution along the borehole was historically done with wireline instruments or, in difficult logging conditions, with wireline instruments conveyed by drill pipe.
In some environments, especially in highly deviated and S-shaped wells or unconsolidated formations, drill pipe conveyance of wireline formation pressure testers introduces significant operational risk. Formation Pressure While Drilling (FPWD), introduced in 2003, offers a new cost-effective solution for gathering formation pressure data.
FPWD is a new method to directly measure formation pore pressure as the well is being drilled, extending its application beyond traditional fluid typing, contacts and compartmentalisation determination to well control and drilling optimisation.
The market for FPWD is developing rapidly with all major service companies providing their own implementations of the technology. The next step in the evolution of FPWD technology—sampling while drilling—is not commercially available yet, but this is just a matter of time.
The case history presented in this extended abstract is an example of the application and lessons learned from the FPWD service used in one of the oil fields on the North West Shelf, Australia.
Maritime offshore operations—occupational noise monitoring, assessment and control
Authors: Roy Peter
Published: August 2017

With increasing emphasis on occupational health as a component of maritime safety case requirements for Australia, the National Offshore Petroleum Safety Authority (NOPSA), in keeping with their goal of improving health and safety outcomes across the industry, has ramped up their expectations on noise management plans (NMP).
Now the expectation includes noise risk assessments and evaluation and implementation of feasible engineering noise controls, and NOPSA have added scrutiny of ototoxic substances as well, all of which parallel international trends.
NOPSA surveys have found rather poor industry compliance with noise management requirements overall, and have stated that they will continue to promote the issues and will not hesitate to take enforcement action to improve compliance.
Occupational noise induced hearing loss (NIHL) is 100% permanent and 100% preventable. Failing to prevent NIHL has significant human, economic, legal and operational impacts. NIHL results in diminished quality of life including isolation and communication problems that affect social interactions. The economic effects of NIHL include lost time and decreased productivity, loss of otherwise qualified and experienced workers through medical disqualification, workers’ compensation costs and disability settlements, retraining costs and expenses related to medical intervention and treatment.
Noise-impaired communications affect workplace operational and health and safety performance, and noisy ship and maritime platform accommodations and common areas adversely affect staff comfort, fatigue, morale and general well-being.
Esso Australia's process safety management process
Authors: Reinten Ron
Published: August 2017

Safety is a core value at Esso Australia. We strive to observe the highest standards of safety to ensure that nobody gets hurt in our operations. We believe this goal can be achieved through a broadly shared commitment to personal and process safety—both of which are managed using our operations integrity management system (OIMS).
In the Gippsland region of Victoria, Esso Australia operates oil and gas production facilities ranging from sub-sea completions to substantial staffed offshore facilities, an onshore crude stabilisation, three gas processing plants and a natural gas liquids fractionation plant, all interconnected by a network of offshore and onshore pipelines.
Every day Esso’s Gippsland operations produce millions of litres of crude oil and millions of cubic meters of natural gas. Having all this fuel energy flowing through these plants each day at high pressures, and widely ranging temperatures, it is imperative that it is safely controlled and contained by the process equipment. How do we do this? With process safety systems.
Process safety is a crucial component of OIMS that ensures Esso’s assets are operated and maintained in keeping with corporate and industry safety standards. In this presentation we show how process safety is managed within OIMS and how the people within Esso individually and collectively contribute to it.
Our work in this area has recently been captured in a training package that includes a DVD shown at the conference. It was created to raise the awareness and understanding of all Esso employees about the principles that underpin Esso’s approach to process safety. This abstract outlines how we approach process safety across the life-cycle of our facilities and the role people play in managing this very important aspect of our work.
Our training reinforces the message that responsibility for effective management of process safety lies with every employee and how OIMS is designed to assist people to achieve the desired results where all risks are appropriately managed.
We have sought to connect the concepts used to manage personal safety, which are well understood by the workforce, with those that are needed to understand how to manage process safety.
Van Gogh development case study—local project leveraging global expertise
Authors: O'Sullivan Enda , Bingham Simon
Published: August 2017

The Van Gogh Field Development is located offshore Western Australia in a water depth of 345 m and is being developed with the subsea infrastructure tied back to an FPSO, with a shuttle tanker for export.
The development scheme comprises two drill centres with manifolded production wells connected by flexible flowlines and risers to a dis-connectable buoy and turret mooring. The FPSO connects to this.
Oil and gas resource plays: new frontiers with enormous potential
Authors: Leveille Greg
Published: August 2017

After 150 years of exploration and production onshore North America, most of the conventional, high-quality resources worth finding have been found. This has not, however, diminished explorations and production (E&P) investment activity since enormous volumes of hydrocarbons locked within oil and gas resource plays remain to be extracted. Individual resource plays—which include coal seam methane, shales, tight sandstones and tight carbonates—can contain several tens of trillions of cubic feet of gas equivalent (TCFGE), with the total prize likely to exceed 1,000 TCFGE. While individual well recoveries are modest (because these deposits often underlie areas of many hundreds of square miles) play-scale production rates and value creation can compete favorably with conventional E&P projects given appropriate fiscal terms and development costs.
Oil and gas—winners and losers of the credit crunch
Authors: Smout Kevin
Published: August 2017

Since mid 2007, we have seen one of the biggest crises ever to hit the financial markets—the so-called credit crisis. Initially banks bore the brunt of the credit crisis, but the ramifications were far deeper, affecting consumer households as well as debt and equity reliant organisations. This presentation will discuss the specific impacts of the crisis for the oil and gas industry, including: the fact that it is not just a credit crunch, but also an equity crunch; the fact that the issues in raising debt capital—the cost is now well beyond the global earnings yield; the fact that investors are now seeking alternate, less risky and less complicated investment options; and the fact that investment funds are shifting from private equity funds to oil-financed sovereign wealth funds.
The crisis has had varying impacts on the oil and gas industry. Organisations reliant on debt and equity funding and those operating in new or start-up ventures are under increased pressure and scrutiny. On the other hand, well positioned oil and gas organisations can take advantage of current and emerging opportunities, particularly in relation to alternate energy sources.
In the future, financial prosperity will be with organisations that operate in countries with guaranteed supplies of oil and gas (e.g. Australia, Brazil, Russia, India and China).
A future focus for the oil and gas industry will be for organisations to maintain very disciplined and robust financial-risk management systems in order to manage their liquidity and financial risks in this changed environment.
Capel and Faust basins—integrated geoscientific assessment of Australia's remote offshore eastern frontier
Authors: Hashimoto Takehiko , Higgins Karen , Hackney Ron , Stagpoole Vaughan , Uruski Chris , Rollet Nadege , Bernardel George , Logan Graham , Sutherland Rupert
Published: August 2017

The paper discusses the results from the GA–302 2D seismic survey and GA–2436 (RV Tangaroa) marine reconnaissance survey over the Capel and Faust basins in the northern Tasman Sea. The integration of seismic, potential field and bathymetric data sets in 3D space at an early stage in the project workflow has assisted in the visualisation of the basin architecture, the interpolation of data between the seismic lines and the iterative refinement of interpretations. The data sets confirm the presence of multiple depocentres previously interpreted from satellite gravity data with a maximum sediment thickness of 5–7 km. Preliminary interpretation of the seismic data has identified two predominantly Cretaceous syn-rift and two Upper Cretaceous to Neogene sag megasequences overlying a heterogeneous pre-rift basement. The comparison of seismic facies and tectonostratigraphic history with offshore New Zealand and eastern Australian basins suggests the presence of possible Jurassic to Upper Cretaceous coaly and lacustrine source rocks in the pre-rift and syn-rift, and fluvio-deltaic to shallow marine reservoir rocks in the syn-rift to early post-rift successions. Preliminary 1D basin modelling suggests that the deeper depocentres of the Capel and Faust basins are within the oil and gas windows. Large potential stratigraphic and structural traps are also present.
New geophysical and geological results in frontier basins along the southwest Australian continental margin
Authors: Nicholson Chris , Bowen Edward , Bernardel George , Bradshaw Barry , Borissova Irina , Jorgensen Diane
Published: August 2017

Under the Australian Government’s Energy Security Program, Geoscience Australia is conducting a seismic survey and a marine reconnaissance survey to acquire new geophysical data and obtain geological samples in frontier basins along the southwest Australian continental margin. Specific areas of interest include the Mentelle Basin, northern Perth Basin, Wallaby Plateau and the southern Carnarvon Basin.
The regional seismic survey will acquire 8,000–10,000 km of industry-standard 2D reflection seismic data using an 8 km solid streamer and a 12 second record length, together with gravity and magnetic data. These new geophysical datasets, together with over 7,000 km of reprocessed open-file seismic, will facilitate more detailed mapping of the regional geology, determination of total sediment thickness, interpretation of the nature and thickness of crust beneath the major depocentres, modelling of the tectonic evolution and an assessment of the petroleum prospectivity of frontier basins along the southwest margin.
The overall scientific aim of the marine survey is to collect swath bathymetry, potential field data, geological samples and biophysical data. Together with the new seismic data, samples recovered from frontier basins will assist in understanding the geological setting and petroleum prospectivity of these little known areas.
Preliminary results from both surveys will be presented for the first time at this conference.
Coal seam gas legislation of Queensland
Authors: Careless Paul
Published: August 2017

An overview will be presented of the Queensland petroleum and environmental legislation relating to the exploration for and production of coal seam gas with three key focusses:

a discussion of the statutory classification of coal seam gas as petroleum and the relevant statutory regulatory regime, which applies particularly with respect to competing or coincident minerals such as coal and coal gasification products;
a description of the principal features and requirements for both exploration and production tenures, including land access and compensation obligations. Reference will be made to associated environmental authorities and licences, and particular environmental issues such as the containment and disposal of water will be brought to the surface as a part of production operations; and,
how the legislation has sought to deal with the coordination of exploration and production operations between coal seam gas, conventional coal mining and the more recent technology of underground coal gasification with respect to the same areas.

The paper will conclude with a discussion of areas of ongoing concern and difficulty including the ability to transport associated water through pipeline systems, land access and gas storage in natural underground reservoirs.
Engineering information across the lifecycle of LNG assets
Authors: Beck Ron , Sakarkar Shailesh
Published: August 2017

Capital decision making in LNG is complex both on a commercial level and on a technical level. Managing the engineering and design process is critical to a successful project. This presentation looks at the technology and framework for making those decisions based on sound engineering modelling, estimating and sizing of equipment from the conceptual design into operations. Modelling of the LNG operating processes is a key to maximum throughput at the lowest cost. This overview describes real examples of closed-loop control of the liquefaction process, dynamic simulation of re-gasification for safety and design efficiencies. It will cover how it is done and benefits achieved.
Indigenous employment—it works
Authors: Tiley Steve
Published: August 2017

It is predicted that by 2020 the Northern Territory’s Aboriginal population will rise from 33% to 50% of the total population base. Parallel to this, business and government agencies will need to source thousands of new employees in anticipation of northern Australia’s economic growth forecast.
In a wider context, if we struck an arc from Geraldton in Western Australia to Gladstone in Queensland, we know the resources sector is investing billions of dollars in new projects. In this same area of Australia we find thousands of Indigenous candidates seeking employment opportunities who are both willing and capable of operating and maintaining the assets.
This paper will outline how Universal Engineering—a small fabrication and engineering contractor in the oil and gas industry—has approached its skill shortage problems. By encouraging non-traditional recruitment and retention strategies, various solutions and achievements are highlighted, showing how Universal Engineering has succeeded with recruiting, training and retaining Indigenous apprentices as part of its overall employment growth strategy. By engaging Indigenous employees over the past 10 years, Universal Engineering has refined its Indigenous training strategies and would like to share its knowledge with other employers in the oil and gas sectors.
Our key success factors include the development of human resources systems, ensuring that parents—Mum, Auntie or Grandma—are willing to mentor their children through the initial training and employment phases and by adopting school based apprenticeships (taking place in years 11 and 12). These greatly assist with literacy and numeracy improvements and help the transition into the workplace.
In the longer term, Universal is establishing role models and strong career planning to let our employees know they have stability and a future in the company, and indeed in the industry as a whole.
What can deep seismic reflection data tell us about hydrocarbon prospectivity in onshore
Authors: Bernecker Thomas , Maher Jenny
Published: August 2017

Now in its third year, Geoscience Australia’s Onshore Energy Security Program has acquired several suites of regional geological and geophysical data. The data includes several deep seismic reflection surveys that have been designed to image:

basement provinces with high geothermal gradients that may contain uranium enrichments and are potential candidates for geothermal energy;
geological terrane boundaries; and,
sedimentary basins that are known to host petroleum system elements but are under-explored.
Seismic signals are recorded down to 20 seconds two-way-time (TWT) which corresponds to 25–35 km depth depending on dominant lithologies. Basinal sections normally extend down to 6–8 sec TWT and the data is of such high quality that any section of the seismic profile can be enlarged without significant loss of resolution. Deep reflection surveys are able to image the relationship between crystalline basement and overlying basin sequences very clearly and also allow interpretations of structural styles as well as impacts of deformational processes on the basin-fill.
A new basinal section was discovered beneath the Eromanga Basin suite of sediments. Named the Mullangera Basin,its structural style and basement relationship seem to indicate some affinity with the Georgina Basin, located further west. The succession is clearly composed of several sequences that contain both fine and coarse-grained sediments. If a geological relationship with the Georgina Basin can be ascertained, a new hydrocarbon prospective area could be delineated. Another new section was discovered beneath the Devonian section of the Darling Basin. Judging by the fast acoustic velocities, the entire basin-fill sequence appears to be very dense and therefore largely non-porous and of low permeability. While low poro-perm characteristics would normally be translated to low prospectivity for oil and gas, the potential for unconventional hydrocarbons such a tight-gas and shale-gas warrants further attention.
Shale gas resource assessment in the Merlinleigh Sub-basin, Carnarvon Basin
Authors: Wong Joanna , Bahar Mohammad
Published: August 2017

The recent shale gas developments in the US have encouraged exploration for shale gas resource in WA. In the largely unexplored Carnarvon Basin, the Merlinleigh Sub-basin is predominately of Permian strata and has been shown to contain high-quality gas-prone source rocks from geochemical data.
Three main potential shale layers, the Gneudna Formation, Wooramel Group and the Byro Group, were identified based on the shale ranking parameters. Geochemical data was collected and analysed for the type of kerogen, total organic content (TOC), generation potential and thermal maturity.
These parameters enabled a gas-in-place resource estimation to be made for each of the formations. The TOC data from various wells were validated by using petrophysical logs and the ΔlogR method. In comparison with the geochemical data, both values produced a good match, validating both sets of data.
The three layers were ranked according to their geochemical parameters and any petrophysical or geomechanical characteristics. It was identified that the Wooramel Group contains the best quality source rocks, followed by the Byro Group. The Gneudna Formation was found to have poor quality source rocks.
The Monte Carlo method by Crystal Ball was selected to estimate the probabilistic resources of these three layers. According to the P50 estimations, the Byro Group, Wooramel Group and the Gneudna Formation contained resources of 51.6 tcf, 40.1 tcf and 1.4 tcf, respectively.
PETROLEUM EXPLORATION IN THE SYDNEY BASIN
Authors: Stuntz J.
Published: August 2017

The Sydney Basin occupies about 100 miles of coastline on either side of Sydney and extends inland for distances of up to 90 miles. Its Permian and Triassic sediments attain a total thickness of at least 12,000 feet. Part of the basin lies beneath the Pacific Ocean to the east.Drilling has been confined to the onshore portion of the basin. Strong showings of natural gas have been encountered in some wells, but, to date, no commercial quantities of oil or gas have been located. Petroleum has been produced from the kerosene shales which occur in parts of the basin.
SUBMARINE GRAVITY SURVEYS IN ST. VINCENT GULF AND INVESTIGATOR STRAIT, SOUTH AUSTRALIA, IN RELATION TO OIL SEARCH
Authors: Sprigg C. , Stackler W. F.
Published: August 2017

A total of 476 submarine and 307 coastal (beach) stations has been observed in and about St. Vincent Gulf and Investigator Strait. These were observed from the oceanographic vessel 'Saori' by manned sea-floor diving chamber, and/or scuba-operated encapsuled meter. Location control was by theodolite fix as from the shore and/or by sextant fix.The survey has provided Bouguer gravity station data contourable on 1 milligal intervals with an estimated maximum error of ± 0.3 milligals in the more remote seaward situations (principally due to surveying), down to ± 0.1 in closer inshore situations.The survey hasdefined the principal structural elements in and about St. Vincent Gulf and Investigator Strait;defined the western margin of the Upper Proterozoic to Cambrian Adelaide Geosyncline;provided a more detailed understanding of coastal block-faulting about the western escarpment of the Mt. Lofty Ranges;defined a longitudinal series of gravitational maxima beneath the Orontes Platform which are predicted to relate primarily to Cambrian fold structures, and which are probably erosionally breached in the north;outlined the probable margin of the submarine portion of the Troubridge (Permian) infra-basin;located a gravitational cross-feature displaying a strong north-south gradient opposite Port Vincent that relates in part to the northern margin of the Troubridge Permian infra-basin, but which appears also to be a locus of transcurrent faulting displaying south-block-west movement;subdivided the St. Vincent Basin into two provinces via a north-west-south-east structure extending south-east from about Macintosh Bank. Possible faulting in this zone indicates downthrow to the north defining potential southern limits of deeper Tertiary basin development.
THE MARYBOROUGH BASIN
Authors: Ellis Peter L.
Published: August 2017

The Maryborough Basin, occupying an area of 9,500 square miles, developed as a structural entity in the Mesozoic. Onshore regional mapping has shown that subsidence is controlled by ancient lineaments which have a north-westerly trend. These structural lines are characterised by normal fault movements with downthrow to the east. The eastern margin of the basin has been interpreted from geophysical data as a shallow platform. The sediments of the basin were severely folded in a post-Aptian orogeny.A maximum thickness of 31,000 feet is known in the post-Permian section. Marine conditions prevailed in the Lower Triassic, and again in the Aptian when 7,000 feet of shallow-water quartzose sediments were deposited. The remainder of the section comprises continental sediments. Currents flowing from the east in Aptian time point to an emergent high in this direction. Such a high may have been downfaulted during the post-Aptian orogeny. Four thousand feet of trachyandesitic pyroclastics and tuffaceous sediments which were deposited during the Neocomian may have been derived from an oceanic eruptive zone. This possibly corresponds to the eastern margin of the basin, and also to an interpreted vental belt in the Swain Reefs area immediately to the north-west.Mesozoic and Tertiary marine rocks are possible sources of hydrocarbon. Porous Jurassic orthoquartzite has reservoir potential, but this unit may only be tested by very deep drilling. Much of the onshore Cretaceous section is known to be tight. In the offshore area, the flattening of the northwesterly plunge of the fold structures in the Cretaceous rocks, with the possibility of the development of closures, together with the known thickening of porous, marine Tertiary sediments, enhance the prospect of hydrocarbon accumulation in this area.
A REGIONAL INVESTIGATION TO DETERMINE TIME-DEPTH AND VELOCITY-DEPTH RELATIONSHIPS APPLICABLE IN CENTRAL AUSTRALIA
Authors: Hosking Alvin R.
Published: August 2017

Simple time-depth and velocity-depth relationships have been derived in the Western Great Artesian Basin which can be employed with seismic time information in the prediction of depth and instantaneous velocity.These relationships have been formed by using data from calibrated sonic logs and by combining a similarity between Acheson's velocity-depth equation and the “theoretical one-sixth power laws”.Variations, corresponding to horizons encountered, in the parameter “a” the equation t = aZ.83 enable the prediction of depths to the horizons C, P and Z.
THE COOPER'S CREEK BASIN
Authors: Kapel Adrian
Published: August 2017

Results of past surface and subsurface geological and geophysical surveys indicate that the Cooper's Creek area has been a sedimentary basin from Lower Palaeozoic time to at least the beginning of Cretaceous time.The Cooper's Creek Basin is bounded to the east by the Canaway Ridge, to the south by a basement ridge that runs from Naryilco to Kopperamanna, to the north by a folded trend that runs from Warbreccan to Kopperamanna.Sediments from Cambrian to Recent age have been encountered in wells drilled by Delhi-Santos. It is postulated that the present basin originated in post-Siluro-Devonian time after the Bowning orogeny.Physiographically the axis of the basin is reflected by the Cooper's Creek.
THE GREAT ARTESIAN BASIN — ORIGIN AND HISTORY
Authors: Williams G. D.
Published: August 2017

The Great Artesian Basin, occupying an area of nearly 700,000 square miles in eastern Australia, is a sedimentary basin which was initiated late in the Triassic period. Less than 9,000 feet of predominantly non-marine clastics make up the Great Artesian Sequence of Jurassic-Cretaceous age. This sequence, which includes one Lower Cretaceous marine interval, was deposited over an eroded surface of sedimentary, metamorphic, and igneous rocks of Triassic to Precambrian age between the Hunter-Bowen orogenic belt and the Australian Shield. Three, possibly four, primary dynamic basins are present within the limits of the Great Artesian Basin. One is the Surat Basin, two lie in the region known as the Eromanga Basin, and a fourth is probably present under the south-eastern Gulf of Carpentaria.
THE LAKE FROME EMBAYMENT AREA
Authors: Freeman Ralph N.
Published: August 2017

The Lake Frome Embayment Area occupies a position in the southernmost extension of the Great Artesian Basin. It is bounded on the west by the North Flinders limb of the Adelaide Geosyncline and on the east by the Tibooburra Block. It is limited on the south by the Olary Region and the arbitrary northern limits are taken at the south-eastern extension of the Muloorina Gravity Swell.The structural configuration of the area is fault controlled, and is believed to be related to block movements in the basement. A complex of evolved troughs is present. Two major troughs are especially evident, the Bancannia Trough in the east and the Lake Frome Gravity Depression in the west.Remnants of Cambro-Ordovician sediments are preserved on both sides of the Embayment, although outcrop is dominated by rocks of Proterozoic and older age. Devonian sediments are present in the eastern part of the area. Jurassic-Cretaceous sediments related to the Great Artesian Basin sequence are present.
GEOLOGICAL APPRAISAL OF THE MOOTWINGEE AREA, NEW SOUTH WALES
Authors: Wilson R. B.
Published: August 2017

The results of various photogeological, geological and geophysical programmes in the Mootwingee Area of northwestern New South Wales are discussed.In a structurally complex area, a central horst of outcropping Precambrian rocks trends north-northwestwards. This is flanked both to the east and west by basins containing considerable thicknesses of Palaeozoic sediments.The problem of whether the western structural basin, now represented by the Topar syncline, is coincident with the Cambro-Ordovician basin of sedimentation (?Bancannia Trough) is also discussed. The presence of infolded and down-faulted remnants of Cambro-Ordovician sediments within the Precanibrian basement, to the north of the area discussed, suggests that Cambro-Ordovician sedimentation may have extended further eastward than is now revealed in outcrop.The main source-potential of the area appears to be confined to the Cambro-Ordovician sequence with perhaps very limited potential in the thick Devonian sediments. The drilling of a stratigraphic well in each of the basinal areas respectively to the west and east of the centrally-outcropping Precambrian block, appears justified. Such drilling should resolve some of the above-mentioned problems of depositional limits, as well as assist in evaluating the petroleum potential of the region.
THE BARROW ISLAND OILFIELD
Authors: Parry J. C.
Published: August 2017

Barrow Island lies 35 miles off the northwest coast of Australia, 800 miles north of Perth, and has an area of 90 square miles. Miocene Trealla Limestone crops out over most of the island. Eocene Giralia Calcarenite is found in some valleys of the crestal region and Quaternary sand covers the island fringes.The Barron No. 1 well was located at the highest point in the sub-surface, as indicated by seismic refraction work, and in the crestal area of a gently dipping surface anticline. It was mapped as having at least 80 feet of vertical closure with an area of 24,000 acres. This well was completed as a new field discovery in August, 1964, with an initial production rate of 985 BOPD from sand in the Jurassic. In February, 1965, Barrow No. 4 was completed as a shallower pool discovery with an initial production rate of 125 BOPD from a Lower Cretaceous sand. By December, 1966, 33 wells had been drilled for a total footage of 155,409 feet.Barrow No. 1 is the deepest well at 9875 feet although it is considered that the sedimentary section may exceed 20,000 feet. The known sequence begins with Upper Jurassic siltstones. These pass upwards into a predominantly sandstone sequence containing minor shale and siltstone, and are followed by the dark-coloured marine shales and siltstones and minor sandstone of Lower Cretaceous age. In the Upper Cretaceous and Tertiary, fossiliferous, micro-crystalline Limestones and calcareous siltstones were deposited.The field contains two petroliferous intervals. The deeper interval is within the Upper Jurassic and contains a number of small irregular pools with good reservoir characteristics, these, however, are not commercial in themselves. The shallower interval contains the widespread "Windalia Sand" which has an average pay thickness of 44 feet and generally poor reservoir characteristics. Drilling is now developing the "Windalia Sand" pool which covers 24,700 acres and contains reserves currently estimated at 114 million barrels recoverable by primary methods. Structure at this pay horizon is a broad north plunging nose truncated at the south by a down-to-the- south fault. One hundred and forty-four development wells will he drilled in 1967.
THE TIMOR SEA-SAHUL SHELF AREA
Authors: Caye J. P.
Published: August 2017

Sediments of a total thickness estimated as exceeding 24,000 feet have accumulated in the Timor Sea-Sahul Shelf area. Onshore, the only sediments of significant thickness recorded from outcrops and wells have been Paleozoic; the main oil prospects, however, will be located in Mesozoic and Cenozoic sediments, which are expected to be of the Carnarvon Basin type. The Devonian and Carboniferous sediments probably occupy sub-basins which have evolved as the result of subsidence of a postulated north-eastern extension of the Kimberley Block, between fault zones associated with the "Halls Creek mobile zone".Three geophysical horizons have been correlated respectively with the top of the Lower Permian, the Cretaceous (probably Cenomanian), and probably the Tertiary. The structural pattern is generally unchanged through the Paleozoic into the Mesozoic, differences in the pattern becoming apparent in the Cretaceous. The present-day structure of the Sahul Shelf Basin evolved early in the Tertiary.In the Basin, faulting and subsidence only have been recognised, with no evidence of severe folding or overthrusting. Anomalous structures occur (sometimes domal in pattern) due to intrusions along fault zones.
GEOLOGICAL FRAMEWORK OF THE GREAT AUSTRALIAN BIGHT
Authors: Smith R. , Kamerling P.
Published: August 2017

Geophysical exploration carried out in the Great Australian Bight since 1966, combined with geological fieldwork in the adjacent land areas, has made it possible to outline the broad geological framework of the area.The "basement" consists of two major units, an offshore extension of the locally metamorphic Cambrian Kanmantoo Group in the south-east and the extension of the West Australian Archaean shield in the north-west. The boundary is thought to follow a trend extending westerly from the Cygnet-Snelling fault zone on Kangaroo Island.In two areas the basement has been downfaulted, thus creating depositional areas for thick sequences of sediments, namely the Elliston trough to the west of Eyre Peninsula and the Duntroon basin, south of Eyre Peninsula and west of Kangaroo Island.The geological setting of the Duntroon basin appears to be comparable with the Otway basin and a Jurassic- Cretaceous age is assumed for the folded sequence of sediments overlying the basement and underlying the Tertiary with angular unconformity. The basin was possibly partially and temporarily closed to the south and open to marine influences from the west.In the Elliston trough the lower part of the section which has low to medium velocity seismic character, is probably Mesozoic, as is evidenced by the Upper Jurassic encountered in its onshore extension. Proterozoic-Cambrian sediments may overlie the basement in the eastern part of the trough. Deformation of the Mesozoic is limited to the mouth of the trough where there is indication of a base- Tertiary unconformity. This trough was probably also open to marine influences to the west.Along the continental margin between the basins and also south of the Eucla basin a thin Mesozoic section, conformably underlying the Tertiary, is probably present, gradually thickening towards the continental slope.In the onshore area Tertiary sedimentation started with local deposition of clastics during the Middle Eocene, which also may have been the case off the Eucla basin, in the Elliston trough and in the Duntroon basin. Carbonate sedimentation took place from the Middle-Upper Eocene onwards, to reach its widest areal extent during the Lower Miocene. A hiatus during the Oligocene may have occurred in the western part of the Bight as is the case in the Eucla basin.Only weak deformation of the Tertiary in the offshore area has been observed. This generally occurs over Mesozoic structures in the Duntroon basin and as draping over topographic basement highs at the mouth of the Elliston trough.No significant hydrocarbon indications are known from the surrounding land areas, but the well-documented bitumen strandings along the coast point to offshore seepages indicating generation of hydrocarbons in the general area.At this stage prospects must be regarded as speculative.although a folded probable Mesozoic sequence forms an objective in the Duntroon basin while prospective Mesozoic-Tertiary section appears to be present in the Elliston trough, where structural evaluation is still at a relatively early stage.
OFFSHORE EXPLORATION OF THE SOUTHERN CARNARVON BASIN
Authors: Geary J. K.
Published: August 2017

A four-year offshore geophysical and geological exploration programme over the Southern Carnarvon Basin, which culminated in the recent drilling of Pendock ID No. 1, has filled a major gap in the geological knowledge of the Western Australian continental shelf.From aeromagnetic and seismic surveys, two north-south trending basins are now recognized with probable thickness of sediments of up to 20,000 ft. These are referred to as the North Gascoyne and South Gascoyne Basins and are separated by a large shallow basement platform rising west of the town of Carnarvon.In the North Gascoyne Basin, seismic mapping indicates two prominent north-easterly structural trends which may be offshore extensions of anticlinal features seen onshore. Pendock ID No. 1, which tested a closed structure along the western trend, was the first offshore well drilled in the Southern Carnarvon Basin.The well, after penetrating a normal Tertiary and Cretaceous section, passed through a major unconformity and entered Lower Carboniferous dolomite. The thick Jurassic, Triassic and Permian sequences occurring onshore were missing, probably due to a combination of truncation and non-deposition. Subsequently, the well penetrated over 2400 ft. of Devonian sediments which included over 1000 ft. of reef complex. This is the first recognized occurrence of Devonian reef in the (arnarson Basin. Total depth was reached at 8205 ft. in Upper Silurian dolomite. Virtually all of the section penetrated was marine. Minor shows of hydrocarbons were encountered in the Paleozoic.The drilling at Pendock has established attractive new exploration objectives and has enhanced the Paleozoic hydrocarbon potential over much of the Carnarvon Basin, both onshore and offshore.