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Journal of Australian Energy Producers
RESEARCH ARTICLE (Non peer reviewed)

Browse to Bonaparte stratigraphic evaluation

Marcus Lemberger A , James Stockley A and Tim Gibbons A
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TGS.

The APPEA Journal 53(2) 483-483 https://doi.org/10.1071/AJ12094
Published: 2013

Abstract

After an initial 2010 stratigraphic, depositional environment and facies determination study of 75 wells in the Browse Basin, TGS has pushed this high-resolution project north into the Bonaparte Basin area. The study incorporates a further 165 wells located across the Ashmore Platform, Vulcan Sub-basin, Londonderry High, Malita and Calder Grabens, Sahul and Flamingo synclines, Laminara and Flamingo highs, Sahul Platform, Troubadour Terrace, and offshore Petrel Sub-basin areas.

This multi-basin project has combined all the selected relevant public data into one interpretation study and is delivered in an integrated environment—wells are standardised and sequences interpreted. Once depositional environment and facies are allocated, multi-element maps are produced showing how the basin environments change through time and structural evolution. Stratigraphic interpretation has determined 37 sequences and 32 associated facies maps.

Both Browse Basin (140,000 km2) and Bonaparte Basin (270,000 km2) are relatively less explored and at different ages in their exploration life-cycle. Both have proved to be oil and gas bearing across numerous different stratigraphic ages with a wide range of trapping and reservoir methods. This study aims to further aid North West Shelf exploration by delineating, among other facets, the presence or otherwise of rocks with reservoir and seal potential and by identifying structural elements such as the Petrel Sub-basin salt diapirs.

This regional well data stratigraphic approach has been used across all the UK and Norway continental shelf hydrocarbon provinces. TGS sees the Australian North West Shelf as a province where this approach will further assist sub-surface understanding, and hence exploration success.

After graduating from Imperial College, London, Marcus has been working as a geologist at TGS for five years.

He has mainly worked on mult–client sequence stratigraphic studies, and he has a range of experience from offshore North West Europe to Brazil and now in Australia.

James Stockley is a geologist with 33 years’ upstream and midstream oil & gas experience. After graduating in 1975 from Imperial College, London, with an MSc (petroleum geology), he worked for 13 years in many countries with Chevron, including two years in research at La Habra, California. He subsequently spent seven years employed by Oryx UK Energy as a geologist, geological supervisor, and team Leader.

For the past 10 years, he was exploration manager for CIECO UK, a subsidiary of the Japanese trading house, Itochu. He has gained wide experience in North Africa, the Middle East, the Americas, and northwest Europe working in exploration through to production plus A&D, including six years in export distribution at the Brent System/Sullom Voe Terminal in the Shetland Isles.

In 2001 he obtained an MBA from Henley Management College.

An experienced account manager and sales manager with a track record of growth, both in revenue and client numbers through business development and marketing activities.

I have managed a variety of teams during this time and developed a great team ethos and job satisfaction amongst the people who have worked for me.

I have very good interpersonal skills and an ability to get on with people. Client satisfaction is always very important to me and I work hard to ensure that this is achieved.


References

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