Emerging continuous gas plays in the Cooper Basin, South Australia
S. Menpes A and A. Hill ADepartment for Manufacturing, Innovation, Trade, Resources and Energy [DMITRE]—Energy Resources Division.
The APPEA Journal 52(2) 671-671 https://doi.org/10.1071/AJ11085
Published: 2012
Abstract
Recent off-structure drilling in the Nappamerri Trough has confirmed the presence of gas saturation through most of the Permian succession, including the Roseneath and Murteree shales. Basin-centred gas, shale gas and deep CSG plays in the Cooper Basin are now the focus of an escalating drilling and evaluation campaign.
The Permian succession in the Nappamerri Trough is up to 1,000 m thick, comprising very thermally mature, gas-prone source rocks with interbedded sands—ideal for the creation of a basin-centred gas accumulation. Excluding the Murteree and Roseneath shales, the succession comprises up to 45% carbonaceous and silty shales and thin coals deposited in flood plain, lacustrine, and coal swamp environments.
The Early Permian Murteree and Roseneath shales are thick, generally flat lying, and laterally extensive, comprising siltstones and mudstones deposited in large and relatively deep freshwater lakes. Total organic carbon values average 3.9% in the Roseneath Shale and 2.4% in the Murteree Shale. The shales lie in the wet gas window (0.95–1.7% Ro) or dry gas window (>1.7% Ro) over much of the Cooper Basin.
Thick Permian coals in the deepest parts of the Patchawarra Trough and over the Moomba high on the margin of the Nappamerri Trough are targets for deep CSG. Gas desorption analysis of a thick Patchawarra coal seam returned excellent total raw gas results averaging 21.2 scc/g (680 scf/ton) across 10 m. Scanning electron microscopy has shown that the coals contain significant microporosity.
Sandra Menpes joined DMITRE’s Energy Resources Division as a principal geoscientist in March 2010. Prior to joining DMITRE, she worked for 20 years exploring for oil, gas, and coal in proven and frontier Australian basins. She enjoys research, in particular basin history analysis and petroleum play development using the integration of geological and geophysical data. Her present research focus is unconventional oil and gas plays in South Australian basins. She holds a BSc (petroleum geology and geophysics) (hons) from the University of Adelaide and a graduate diploma (applied finance and investment). |
Tony Hill graduated with a BSc (applied geology) from RMIT in 1980. He has 30 years of experience in petroleum system analysis and has also worked in hydrogeology and geothermal energy. He is presently principal geologist in the energy division of DMITRE. Member: PESA. |
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