SIMPSON DESERT SUB-BASIN—A PROMISING PERMIAN TARGET

1973 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 33
Author(s):  
George E. Williams
Keyword(s):  
Lower Jurassic ◽  
Source Rocks ◽  
Petroleum Exploration ◽  
Seismic Exploration ◽  
Upper Permian ◽  
Lower Permian ◽  
Geophysical Surveys ◽  
Carbonaceous Shales ◽  
Cap Rock ◽  
Simpson Desert

Sediments of three major basins occur in the Simpson Desert region of central Australia:Cambro -Ordovician dolomites and sandstones, and Siluro- Devonian conglomerates, sandstones and shales, related to the Amadeus Basin:Permian conglomerates, sandstones, shales and coals of the Simpson Desert Sub-basin, the extensive eastern lobe of the Pedirka Basin:Mesozoic sandstones and shales of the Eromanga Basin.Principal petroleum exploration interest is presently directed toward the Permian sediments, which have many features in common with the petroleum producing Permian section of the neighbouring Cooper Basin.Lower Permian sediments known from drilling in the Simpson Desert Sub-basin comprise glaciofluvial conglomerates and sandstones overlain by fluvial and lacustrine sandstones, silt-stones, shales and coals. The maximum thickness encountered in wells is 1,479 ft (448 m) in Mokari 1.Recent seismic exploration 50 to 100 mi (80-160 km) west of Poeppel Corner in the deeper part of the Simpson Desert Sub-basin indicates that an additional sediment package up to 1,500 ft (350 m) thick occurs at depths of 6,500 to 7,500 ft (2,000-2,300 m) between Lower Permian and Lower Jurassic sections. This sediment package, nowhere penetrated by drilling, may be Middle to Upper Permian and/or Triassic in age. It is of great significance to petroleum exploration in the sub-basin and substantially upgrades the hydrocarbon prospects of the region.Permian sediments in the Simpson Desert Sub-basin thin by onlap, wedge out and stripping over the crests of anticlinal growth structures. Crestal sediments probably comprise mainly porous sandstones, grading off-structure into thicker sequences containing carbonaceous shales and coals. Such carbonaceous potential source rocks are probably best developed in the deepest part of the sub-basin, where Triassic cap rock may also be present. Two particularly promising drilling targets—the Colson Anticline and the East Colson Anticline—have been revealed by recent geophysical surveys in this portion of the sub-basin. Wells drilled on these structures may intersect Permo-Triassic sediments up to 2,200 + ft (670 in) thick which are comparable in age and type with producing sections in the Cooper Basin.

PETROLEUM SYSTEMS IN TASMANIA'S FRONTIER ONSHORE BASINS

2000 ◽  
Vol 40 (1) ◽  
pp. 26
Author(s):  
M.R. Bendall C.F. Burrett ◽  
H.J. Askin
Keyword(s):  
Oil And Gas ◽  
Source Rocks ◽  
Petroleum Exploration ◽  
Late Triassic ◽  
Upper Permian ◽  
Lower Permian ◽  
Peak Oil ◽  
Petroleum Systems ◽  
Upper Proterozoic ◽  
Oil Seep

Sedimentary successions belonging to three petroleum su persy stems can be recognised in and below the Late Carboniferous to Late Triassic onshore Tasmania Basin. These are the Centralian, Larapintine and Gondwanan. The oldest (Centralian) is poorly known and contains possible mature source rocks in Upper Proterozoic dolomites. The Larapintine 2 system is represented by rocks of the Devonian fold and thrust belt beneath the Tasmania Basin. Potential source rocks are micrites and shales within the 1.8 km-thick tropical Ordovician Gordon Group carbonates. Conodont CAI plots show that the Gordon Group lies in the oil and gas windows over most of central Tasmania and probably under much of the Tasmania Basin. Potential reservoirs are the upper reefal parts of the Gordon Group, paleokarsted surfaces within the Gordon Group and the overlying sandstones of the Siluro-Devonian Tiger Range and Eldon Groups. Seal rocks include shales within the Siluro-Devonian and Upper Carboniferous-Permian tillites and shales.The Gondwanan supersystem is the most promising supersystem for petroleum exploration within the onshore Tasmania Basin. It is divided into two petroleum systems— the Early Permian Gondwanan 1 system, and the Late Permian to Triassic Gondwanan 2 system. Excellent source rocks occur in the marine Tasmanite Oil Shale and other sections within the Lower Permian Woody Island and Quamby Formations of the Gondwanan 1 system and within coals and freshwater oil shales of the Gondwanan 2 system. These sources are within the oil and gas windows across most of the basin and probably reached peak oil generation at about 100 Ma. An oil seep, sourced from a Tasmanites-rich, anoxic shale, is found within Jurassic dolerite 40 km WSW of Hobart. Potential Gondwanan 1 reservoirs are the glaciofluvial Faulkner Group sandstones and sandstones and limestones within the overlying parts of the glaciomarine Permian sequence. The Upper Permian Ferntree Mudstone Formation provides an effective regional seal. Potential Gondwanan 2 reservoirs are the sandstones of the Upper Permian to Norian Upper Parmeener Supergroup. Traps consisting of domes, anticlines and faults were formed probably during the Early Cretaceous. Preliminary interpretation of a short AGSO seismic profile in the Tasmania Basin shows that, contrary to earlier belief, structures can be mapped beneath extensive and thick (300 m) sills of Jurassic dolerite. In addition, the total section of Gondwana to Upper Proterozoic to Triassic sediments appears to be in excess of 8,500 m. These recent studies, analysis of the oil seep and drilling results show that the Tasmanian source rocks have generated both oil and gas. The Tasmania Basin is considered prospective for both petroleum and helium and is comparable in size and stratigraphy to other glaciomarine-terrestrial Gondwanan basins such as the South Oman and Cooper Basins.

scholarly journals Initiation of petroleum exploration in Jameson Land, East Greenland

1986 ◽  
Vol 128 ◽  
pp. 103-121
Author(s):  
F Surlyk ◽  
S Piasecki ◽  
F Rolle
Keyword(s):  
Lower Triassic ◽  
Scientific Work ◽  
Upper Jurassic ◽  
Source Rocks ◽  
Petroleum Exploration ◽  
Upper Permian ◽  
Lower Permian ◽  
Western Basin ◽  
East Greenland ◽  
Promising Source

Active petroleum exploration in East Greenland is of fairly recent date and was preceded by a much longer history of scientific work and mineral exploration. The discovery in 1948 of lead-zinc mineralisation at Mestersvig resulted in the formation of Nordisk Mineselskab AIS in 1952. In the beginning of the seventies Nordisk Mineselskab initiated cooperation with the American oil company Atlantic Richfield (ARCO) in order to undertake petroleum exploration in Jameson Land. The Jameson Land basin contains a very thick Upper Palaeozoic - Mesozoic sedimentary sequence. Important potential source rocks are Lower Permian lacustrine mudstone, Upper Permian black marine mudstone, Middle Triassic dark marine limestone, uppermost Triassic black marginal marine mudstone, Lower Jurassic black mudstone and Upper Jurassic deep shelf black mudstone. Tbe Upper Permian mudstone, which is the most promising source rock, is immature to weakly mature along the western basin margin and is expected to be in the oil or gas-generating zone when deeply buried in the central part of the basin. Potential reservoir rocks include Upper Permian bank and mound limestones, uppermost Permian fan delta sandstones, Lower Triassic aeolian and braided river sandstones, and Lower, Middle and Upper Jurassic sandstones. The most important trap types are expected to be stratigraphic, such as Upper Permian limestone bodies, or combination stratigraphic-structural such as uppermost Permian or Lower Triassic sandstones in Early Triassic tilted fault blocks. In the offshore areas additional play types are probably to be found in tilted Jurassic fault blocks containing thick Lower, Middle and Upper Jurassic sandstones and lowermost Cretaceous sandstones and conglomerates. The recognition of the potential of the Upper Permian in petroleum exploration in East Greenland has important implications for petroleum exploration on the Norwegian shelf.

scholarly journals Sedimentology and geochemistry of Middle–Upper Permian in northwestern Turpan–Hami Basin, China: Implication for depositional environments and petroleum geology

2018 ◽  
Vol 36 (4) ◽  
pp. 910-941
Author(s):  
Jian Song ◽  
Zhidong Bao ◽  
Xingmin Zhao ◽  
Yinshan Gao ◽  
Xinmin Song ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Depositional Environment ◽  
Saline Water ◽  
Depositional Environments ◽  
Source Rocks ◽  
Petroleum Exploration ◽  
Upper Permian ◽  
Late Permian ◽  
Humid Climate ◽  
Mountain Area ◽  
Volcanic Source

Studies have found that the Permian is another important stratum for petroleum exploration except the Jurassic coal measures within Turpan–Hami Basin recently. However, the knowledge of the depositional environments and its petroleum geological significances during the Middle–Late Permian is still limited. Based on the analysis about the sedimentological features of the outcrop and the geochemical characteristics of mudstones from the Middle Permian Taerlang Formation and Upper Permian Quanzijie Formation in the Taoshuyuanzi profile, northwest Turpan–Hami Basin, this paper makes a detailed discussion on the Middle–Late Permian paleoenvironment and its petroleum geological significances. The Middle–Upper Permian delta–lacustrine depositional system was characterized by complex vertical lithofacies assemblages, which were primarily influenced by tectonism and frequent lake-level variations in this area. The Taerlang Formation showed a significant lake transgression trend, whereas the regressive trend of the Quanzijie Formation was relatively weaker. The provenance of Taerlang and Quanzijie Formations was derived from the rift shoulder (Bogda Mountain area now) to the north and might be composed of a mixture of andesite and felsic volcanic source rocks. The Lower Taerlang Formation was deposited in a relatively hot–dry climate, whereas the Upper Taerlang and Quanzijie Formations were deposited in a relatively humid climate. During the Middle–Late Permian, this area belonged to an overall semi-saline water depositional environment. The paleosalinity values showed stepwise decreases from the Lower Taerlang Formation to the Upper Quanzijie Formation, which was influenced by the changes of paleoclimate in this region. During the Middle–Late Permian, the study area was in an overall anoxic depositional environment. The paleoenvironment with humid climate, lower paleosalinity, anoxic condition, and semi-deep to deep water during the deposition of the Upper Taerlang Formation was suitable for the accumulation of mudstones with higher TOC values.

scholarly journals Croonian lecture : The origin of mammals

1913 ◽  
Vol 87 (592) ◽  
pp. 87-88
Keyword(s):  
Single Case ◽  
Lower Jurassic ◽  
Upper Permian ◽  
Occipital Condyle ◽  
Steady Increase ◽  
Lower Permian ◽  
Secondary Palate ◽  
Middle And Upper Permian ◽  
Higher Types ◽  
Evolution Of Mammals

An endeavour is made to trace the evolution of mammals from Cotylosaurian ancestors through the carnivorous Therapsida. In Upper Carboniferous times the line probably passed through some primitive generalised Pelycosaurs; in Lower Permian through primitive, probably Therocephalian, Therapsids. In Middle and Upper Permian the line passed through the Gorgonopsia. In Triassic times the mammalian ancestors were small generalised Cynodonts. In Lower Jurassic the mammals are so Cynodont-like, and the Cynodonts so mammal-like, that in no single case are we absolutely certain which is which. In the Therocephalia, the Gorgonopsia, and the Cynodontia, the skull is very mammal-like. The zygomatic arch is, as in mammals, formed by the jugal and the squamosal. The teeth are divided into incisors, canines and molars. In the later Gorgonopsians there is an imperfect secondary palate; in Cynodonts a complete secondary palate as in mammals. In Permian Therapsids there is a single occipital condyle; in the Triassic Cynodonts there may he a single condyle slightly divided or two exoccipital condyles. There is, on passing from earlier to later types, a steady increase in the size of the dentary and decrease in the size of the other elements of the jaw. The quadrate also becomes much reduced in the higher types. In Gorgonopsians and probably all earlier types the arch of the atlas is a pair of bones; in Cynodonts, as in mammals, there is a single arch.

THE TECTONIC ELEMENTS OF THE PERTH BASIN

1972 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 17
Author(s):  
D.K. Jones ◽  
G.R. Pearson
Keyword(s):  
Lower Triassic ◽  
Upper Jurassic ◽  
Lower Jurassic ◽  
Tectonic Activity ◽  
Lower Permian ◽  
Fault Activity ◽  
The North ◽  
Basin Subsidence ◽  
Geophysical Surveys ◽  
Extreme North

Birth and growth of the highly faulted Perth Basin was dominated by the Darling Fault which down-throws an essentially elongate sedimentary trough against a Precambrian Shield to the east. The Precambrian Northampton and Leeuwin Blocks restrict the basin to the north and the south. The Perth Basin embraces four major sub- basins separated by intra-basin uplifts. These sub-basins are the Dandaragan and Sunbury Troughs and the Abrolhos and Vlaming Sub-basins. Major intra-basin uplifts include the Beagle, Turtle Dove and Harvey Ridges, and the Edwards Island Block.Surface outcrop is representative of only a small part of the total stratigraphic column. Deposition of Ordovician - Silurian sediments in only the extreme north of the basin was followed by a long period of non-deposition. Sedimentation recommenced in the Lower Permian and continued with minor breaks throughout the Mesozoic and into the Tertiary. The Permian had a widespread distribution, as did the Triassic and Jurassic which attained maximum thickness in the Dandaragan Trough. A major intra-Neocomian unconformity developed in the Vlaming Sub-basin where up to 20,000 ft. of pre-unconformity Neocomian and 5,000 ft. of post-unconformity marine Cretaceous sediments were deposited. Tertiary sediments were deposited in both the Vlaming and Abrolhos Sub-basins.Limited movement on the Darling Fault in Permian and Lower Triassic times led to gentle basin downwarp. Renewed fault activity in the Upper Triassic resulted in rapid basin subsidence, and less violent fault activity continued through the Lower Jurassic. The most severe tectonic activity and basin subsidence, with local uplift, occurred in the Upper Jurassic and Neocomian, at which time graben-collapse of a mid-basin arch offshore from Perth formed the Rottnest Trench. This intra-Neocomian tectonism was probably associated with .sea floor spreading, the westerly drift of India from Australia, and the break up of Gondwanaland.This structural synthesis of the Perth Basin is largely derived from geophysical surveys and deep drilling carried out over the past twenty-three years on the present leases of West Australian Petroleum Pty. Limited (WAPET).

Geology and petroleum prospectivity of the Sea of Hebrides Basin and Minch Basin, offshore northwest Scotland

2021 ◽  
pp. petgeo2021-003
Author(s):  
Laura-Jane C. Fyfe ◽  
Nick Schofield ◽  
Simon Holford ◽  
Adrian Hartley ◽  
Adrian Heafford ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Poor Quality ◽  
Lower Jurassic ◽  
Source Rocks ◽  
Petroleum Exploration ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Organic Carbon Content ◽  
Seismic Reflection Data ◽  
Reflection Data ◽  
Porosity And Permeability ◽  
Atlantic Margin

The Sea of Hebrides Basin and Minch Basin are late Palaeozoic-Mesozoic rift basins located to the northwest of the Scottish mainland. The basins were the target of small-scale petroleum exploration from the late 1960s to the early 1990s, with a total of three wells drilled within the two basins between 1989 and 1991. Although no commercially viable petroleum discoveries were made, numerous petroleum shows were identified within both basins, including a gas show within the Upper Glen 1 well in Lower Jurassic limestones. Organic rich shales have been identified throughout the Jurassic succession within the Sea of Hebrides Basin, with one Middle Jurassic (Bajocian-Bathonian) shale exhibiting a Total Organic Carbon content of up to 15 wt%. The focus of this study is to review the historic petroleum exploration within these basins, and to evaluate whether the conclusions drawn in the early 1990s of a lack of prospectivity remains the case. This was undertaken by analysis of seismic reflection data, gravity and aeromagnetic data and sedimentological data, from both onshore and offshore wells, boreholes and previously published studies. The key findings from our study suggest that there is a low probability of commercially sized petroleum accumulations within either the Sea of Hebrides Basin or the Minch Basin. Ineffective source rocks, likely due to low maturities (due to lack of burial) and the fact that the encountered Jurassic and Permian-Triassic reservoirs are of poor quality (low porosity and permeability) has led to our interpretation of future exploration being high risk, with any potential accumulations being small in size. While petroleum accumulations are unlikely within the basin, applying the knowledge obtained from the study could provide additional datasets and insight into petroleum exploration on other northeast Atlantic margin basins, such as the Rockall Trough and the Faroe-Shetland Basin.

scholarly journals Structural reconstructions of the Eastern Barents Sea at Meso-Tertiary evolution and influence on petroleum potential

Georesursy ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 23 (1) ◽  
pp. 78-84
Author(s):  
Anna A. Suslova ◽  
Antonina V. Stoupakova ◽  
Alina V. Mordasova ◽  
Roman S. Sautkin
Keyword(s):  
Barents Sea ◽  
Upper Jurassic ◽  
Lower Jurassic ◽  
Source Rocks ◽  
Petroleum Exploration ◽  
Seismic Profiles ◽  
Borehole Data ◽  
Petroleum Potential ◽  
Petroleum Systems ◽  
Novaya Zemlya

Barents Sea basin is the most explored and studied by the regional and petroleum geologists on the Russian Arctic shelf and has approved gas reserves. However, there are many questions in the petroleum exploration, one of them is the structural reconstruction. During its geological evolution, Barents Sea shelf was influenced by the Pre-Novaya Zemlya structural zone that uplifted several times in Mesozoic and Cenozoic. The main goal of the research is to clarify the periods of structural reconstructions of the Eastern Barents shelf and its influence on the petroleum systems of the Barents Sea shelf. A database of regional seismic profiles and offshore borehole data collected over the past decade on the Petroleum Geology Department of the Lomonosov Moscow State University allows to define main unconformities and seismic sequences, to reconstruct the periods of subsidence and uplifts in Mesozoic and Cenozoic. The structural reconstructions on the Eastern Barents Sea in the Triassic-Jurassic boundary led to intensive uplifts and formation of the huge inversion swells, which is expressed in erosional truncation and stratigraphic unconformity in the Upper Triassic and Lower Jurassic strata. In the Jurassic period, tectonic subsidence reigned on the shelf, when the uplifts including the highs of Novaya Zemlya were partially flooded and regional clay seal and source rocks – Upper Jurassic «black clays» – deposited on the shelf. The next contraction phase manifested itself as a second impulse of the growth of inversion swells in the Late Jurassic-Early Cretaceous. Cenozoic uplift of the Pre-Novaya Zemlya structural zone and the entire Barents Sea shelf led to significant erosion of the Mesozoic sediments, on the one hand, forming modern structural traps, and on the other, significantly destroying the Albian, once regional seal.

THE GEOLOGICAL EVOLUTION OF THE SOUTHERN TAROOM TROUGH AND THE OVERLYING SURAT BASIN

1974 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 50 ◽  
Author(s):  
N. F. Exon
Keyword(s):  
Late Jurassic ◽  
Lower Triassic ◽  
Stream Sediments ◽  
Lower Jurassic ◽  
Late Triassic ◽  
Upper Permian ◽  
Lower Permian ◽  
Early Triassic ◽  
The South ◽  
The North

Isopach, structure contour, and palaeo-geological maps illustrate the geological development of the southern Taroom Trough and the lower part of the Surat Basin sequence.The meridional southern Taroom Trough, 50,000 km2 in area, is a southerly subsurface extension of the outcropping Bowen Basin. It is fault-bounded to the east and plunges northward. The maximum thickness of sedimentary fill increases northward from less than 400 m to 10,000 m, and consists of Lower Permian marine sediments, Upper Permian coal measures, Lower Triassic redbeds, and Middle Triassic stream sediments. The trough's present western margin is depositional, but the faulted eastern margin started to form in the Late Permian in the south and in the Early Triassic in the north; movement ceased in the Early Triassic in the south and in the Late Triassic in the north. Tectonic movements did not recur until Late Jurassic time.Late Triassic erosion preceded deposition of Surat Basin sediments. These sediments extended over ever wider areas, even the basal sands spreading far beyond the Taroom Trough. The fully-developed Surat Basin is 300,000 km2 in area, and contains up to 2500 m of dominantly continental Jurassic sediments and dominantly marine Lower Cretaceous sediments. Lower Jurassic stream sediments (the main petroleum producers of the basin) are thickest and coarsest above the Taroom Trough, suggesting steady subsidence and compaction of the trough sediments.By the Late Jurassic this compaction had virtually ceased, and epeirogenic uplift had given the basin its present shape, with the Mimosa Syncline (above the Taroom Trough) and the south-westerly-trending Dirranbandi Syncline (above a basement depression) being major structural features.Petroleum, which is probably derived from both Permian and Jurassic sources, is most abundant in the Lower Jurassic sandstone on either side of the Mimosa Syncline. Some aspects of the migration and trapping of Permian petroleum are discussed, and it is suggested that the Lower Jurassic Hutton Sandstone in the virtually unexplored Bollon area could be prospective.

PALYNOLOGIC CONTRIBUTIONS TO PETROLEUM EXPLORATION IN THE PERMIAN FORMATIONS OF THE COOPER BASIN, AUSTRALIA

1969 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 79
Author(s):  
R. J. Paten
Keyword(s):  
Petroleum Exploration ◽  
Upper Permian ◽  
Lower Permian ◽  
Hydrocarbon Accumulation ◽  
Early Permian ◽  
Sufficient Data ◽  
Spores And Pollen ◽  
Eastern Australia ◽  
Biostratigraphic Subdivision ◽  
Cooper Basin

From 1959, when Permian spores and pollen were first identified from Delhi-Santos wells in the Cooper basin until 1967, appreciation of the palynologic succession was impeded by problems associated with the severe carbonization of the microfossils. By 1966, sufficient data had been accumulated for the elucidation of the broad palynologic framework. The Merrimelia Formation was identified as early Permian (palynologic unit Plb of Evans), the Lower and Middle Members of the Gidgealpa Formation as Lower Permian (units Plc-P3a) and the Upper Member of the Formation as Upper Permian (units P3b-P4). Breaks in the microfloral succession were noted above the Merrimelia Formation and between the Middle and Upper Members of the Gidgealpa Formation corresponding with observed litho-stratigraphic hiatuses.Well-preserved microfloras were recovered from four wells in late 1967 and early 1968, and produced a dramatic advance in knowledge of the Permian biostratigraphy. It became possible to relate the microfloral succession to the Permian palynologic stages proposed by Evans (1967), for eastern Australia. The Merrimelia Formation was referred to stage 2, while stages 3, 4 and 5 were recognised within the Gidgealpa Formation. In addition, two units of apparently short duration were recognised in each of stages 4 and 5. A six-fold biostratigraphic subdivision of the entire Permian sequence was thus possible.Palynology is finding wide application to problems encountered in current drilling and stratigraphic investigations. It has shown particular value when applied to those problems associated with the mid-Gidgealpa Formation disconformity, which is an important feature relative to hydrocarbon accumulation in the Gidgealpa Field.

Permian source rocks of the onshore and nearshore Carnarvon Basin

2021 ◽  
Vol 61 (2) ◽  
pp. 726
Author(s):  
Charmaine M. Thomas
Keyword(s):  
Source Rocks ◽  
Upper Permian ◽  
Lower Permian ◽  
Potential Source ◽  
Sampling Program ◽  
Data Points ◽  
Northern Carnarvon Basin ◽  
Rock Eval ◽  
Existing Data ◽  
Carnarvon Basin

A new sampling program of Permian potential source rocks was undertaken to improve knowledge of the Permian petroleum prospectivity in new parts of the Southern Carnarvon and inboard Northern Carnarvon Basins. Presented here are new Rock-Eval data from previously unsampled wells, drillholes and outcrop and new infill sampling between existing data points. Kerogen assemblages of selected intervals were also determined from palynofacies analysis or organic petrography, which suggests the good Permian source rocks are generally dominated by gas-prone kerogens. Possibly terrestrial-derived oil-prone kerogen can also be frequently found in thin intervals of the upper Permian and more rarely in lower Permian in the onshore northern Carnarvon Basin.

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