Detection of palaeo-oil columns in the offshore northern Perth Basin: extension of the effective Permo-Triassic charge system
Richard Kempton A , Se Gong B , John Kennard C , Herbert Volk B , David Mills A , Peter Eadington A and Keyu Liu AA CSIRO
B CSIRO Earth Science and Resource Engineering
C Geoscience Australia
The APPEA Journal 51(1) 377-396 https://doi.org/10.1071/AJ10024
Published: 2011
Abstract
A widespread charge system for oil accumulation in the offshore northern Perth Basin, Western Australia, is revealed by specialised fluid inclusion technologies. Palaeo-oil columns are detected in about three of four exploration wells, including those at the Cliff Head, Dunsborough, Frankland and Perseverance fields, and in dry wells at Flying Foam–1, Hadda–1, Houtman–1, Leander Reef–1, Lilac–1, Livet–1, Mentelle–1 and Morangie–1. A high incidence of palaeo-oil charge into Permian reservoirs below the Kockatea Shale confirms that the conventional oil shows are, in part, residues of palaeo-oil. Oil migration is suggested at Vindara–1 and Leander Reef–1 and is below detection limits in Batavia–1, Charon–1, Fiddich–1 Geelvink–1A, Gun Island–1 and South Turtle Dove–1B, Twin Lions–1 and Wittecarra–1.
New geochemical data from fluid inclusion oil at Hadda–1 shows evidence for a contribution from the Hovea Member of the Kockatea Shale, including: high wax content; low pristane/phytane ratio; high abundance of extended tricyclic terpanes; and, the highly diagnostic C33 n-alkylcyclohexane biomarker. This key component of the petroleum system acted as both source and seal, and extends further offshore than previously realised. Possible co-sourcing from terrestrial organic matter is indicated by high abundances of C29 steranes and diasteranes, C19 tricyclic, and C24 tetracyclic terpanes, which may be sourced from Permian rocks.
The high incidence of palaeo-oil and residual columns suggests that trap integrity is likely to be an important preservation risk, with elements of gas displacement. Screening of prospects for structural and hydrocarbon charge characteristics, which are favourable for retention of oil, is key in future exploration of the offshore northern Perth Basin.
Richard Kempton obtained a BSc (Hons) in geology from the University of Melbourne (1992) and a PhD in geology from UWA (2000). Richard is a research scientist with the Fluid History Analysis group at CSIRO Earth Science and Resource Engineering in Perth, with 10 years of experience of charge history reconstruction in Australasian basins using fluid inclusions. Richard has worked as an exploration geologist for Queensland Gas Company and gold exploration companies in WA. Member: PESA, GSA. Richard.Kempton@csiro.au |
Se Gong obtained a BSc in chemical engineering from Xi’an University of Mining and Technology (1999), an MSc from China University of Mining and Technology (2002), and a PhD in organic geochemistry from the Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences (2006). She commenced working with the CSIRO as an organic geochemist in 2007. Her main research interests are focused on the molecular composition of fluid inclusions and the genetic characterisation of oils, gases and source rocks. Member: PESA. Se.Gong@csiro.au |
John Kennard obtained a BSc (Hons) in geology from ANU (1974) and a PhD in geology from Memorial University of Newfoundland, Canada (1989). John is a senior geoscientist at Geoscience Australia, with over thirty years experience in geological mapping, sedimentary basin analysis, petroleum geology and natural hydrocarbon seepage studies, including twelve years petroleum systems analysis of Australia’s North West Shelf (Browse and Bonaparte basins). John is presently the project leader of Geoscience Australia’s Southwest Margin Frontiers Project, focusing on petroleum systems analysis of the offshore northern Perth Basin. John.Kennard@ga.gov.au |
Herbert Volk was awarded an MSc (1996) in geology from the University of Erlangen, Germany, and a PhD (2000) from the University of Aachen, Germany. He works at CSIRO since 2000, where he leads the stream petroleum systems and a team of organic geochemists. He has experience with oils, source rocks and organic matter from the Proterozoic to the Holocene, fluid inclusion oil geochemistry, petroleum microbiology and basin modelling. Member: AAPG, EAOG, SPE, PESA. Herbert.Volk@csiro.au |
David Mills is a research project scientist at CSIRO Earth Science and Resource Engineering. He obtained a BSc degree in Physics from the University of Newcastle, (2001) and joined the Fluid History Analysis group at CSIRO in 2007 working on the quantitative grain fluorescence (QGF) project. He is presently undertaking an undergraduate course in geoscience at Curtin University. David.Mills@csiro.au |
Peter Eadington is a principal research scientist and group leader of Geofluid Sciences at CSIRO Earth Science and Resource Engineering in Perth. He has developed new technologies that use fluid inclusion and related techniques for evaluation of exploratory wells to investigate oil migration and accumulation. He engages with industry to conduct investigations in a range of basin styles and reservoir types internationally and in Australia. He is also part of a team developing nanochemical sensors for hydrocarbons. He worked in minerals divisions in CSIRO, BHP and Geophysical Service International. He has a PhD from Newcastle University, a DipBusAdmin from Macquarie University and was the recipient of the 2007 Gibb Maitland Medal. Member: PESA, FESAus, AAPG and GSA. Peter.Eadington@csiro.au |
Keyu Liu is a principal research scientist and research team leader of the Fluid History Analysis group at CSIRO Earth Science and Resource Engineering in Perth. His principal research areas are clastic sedimentology, hydrocarbon migration and charge history of petroleum reservoirs and laboratory experiments on enhanced oil recovery. Keyu obtained a BSc from China Ocean University, an MSc from the University of Sydney, and a PhD from the Australian National University. Member: AAPG, SPE, AGU, IAS, PESA. Keyu.liu@csiro.au |
