Petroleum migration in the Bight Basin: a fluid inclusion approach to constraining source, composition and timing
Richard Kempton A D , Julien Bourdet A , Se Gong B , Andrew Ross A and Jacques Pironon CA CSIRO, 26 Dick Perry Avenue, Kensington, WA, 6151, Australia.
B CSIRO, 11 Julius Avenue, North Ryde, NSW, 2113, Australia.
C Université de Lorraine, CNRS, CREGU, GeoRessources lab, BP 70239, F-54506 Vandœuvre-lès-Nancy, France.
D Corresponding author. Email: Richard.Kempton@csiro.au
The APPEA Journal 57(2) 762-766 https://doi.org/10.1071/AJ16222
Accepted: 17 March 2017 Published: 29 May 2017
Abstract
The Bight Basin in southern Australia is a vast under-explored offshore area with promise of, but as of yet, limited proof for hydrocarbons. Fluid inclusions (FIs) offer a unique method to test for petroleum migration, composition and timing, which would otherwise remain hidden in the rocks, and more direct evidence to calibrate basin models.
A reconnaissance-scale FI study, using CSIRO’s Grain with Oil Inclusion (GOI™) technique, was undertaken to detect liquid hydrocarbons in Jurassic to Cretaceous sandstones. Oil-bearing, and in some cases gas-rich, inclusions were detected at low abundance, and their presence provides proof of oil generation and migration in the Ceduna Sub-basin.
Geochemical fingerprinting of FI oil was undertaken using the Molecular Composition of oil Inclusions (MCI) technique on an intra-Coniacian interval in Gnarlyknots-1A and a Cenomanian interval in Greenly-1. The results show differences in the type of organic matter input, with algal co-sourcing significant for the central Ceduna Sub-basin.
The timing of oil migration from pressure-temperature (PT) reconstructions was interpreted in Gnarlyknots-1A, Greenly-1, Duntroon-1 and Potoroo-1. The results indicate oil charge during the Late Cretaceous in the basin depocentres, explained by sediment loading of the Upper Cretaceous succession by the Hammerhead Supersequence and oil, gas-condensate and gas charge to the depocentres and basin margins during the Miocene.
The Great Australian Bight Research Program is a collaboration between BP, CSIRO, the South Australian Research and Development Institute (SARDI), the University of Adelaide and Flinders University. The Program aims to provide a whole-of-system understanding of the environmental, economic and social values of the region, providing an information source for all to use.
Keywords: Bight Basin, Ceduna Sub-basin, fluid inclusions, geochemistry, Great Australian Bight, migration, oil and gas, palaeo-pressure and temperature, petroleum exploration, petroleum systems, source rocks, timing.
Richard Kempton is a senior research scientist with the CSIRO Energy business unit and is currently leading the Petroleum Systems team. He has more than 15 years’ experience in FI research with CSIRO and undertakes charge history analysis for industry and government organisations. Prior to this, Richard held a positon with Queensland Gas Co. Richard has a BSc (Hons) (University of Melbourne) and a PhD (UWA) in geology. He is a member of PESA and the Geological Society of Australia. |
Julien Bourdet is a senior research scientist with the CSIRO Energy business unit, and a specialist in oil and gas FIs. His interests focus on better understanding the physical conditions of oil and gas migration and accumulation processes and how geofluids originate and evolve in basins. Julien has a PhD from GeoRessource laboratory (Université de Lorraine-CNRS-CREGU) in Nancy (France), and a Master’s degree from the University Pierre and Marie Curie (Paris) and Bourgogne University, Dijon (France). |
Se Gong was awarded a BSc degree in chemical engineering in Xi’an University of Mining and Technology in 1999, completed a MSc in organic geochemistry in 2002 at the China University of Mining and Technology and obtained a PhD (2006) in geochemistry at Guangzhou Institute of geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences. She commenced work with CSIRO Division of Petroleum Resources in Australia in 2007 as an organic geochemist. Her main research interests focus on molecular composition of FIs and genetic characterisation of oils, gases and source rocks. Se Gong is a member of PESA. |
Dr Andrew Ross is a research scientist based at CSIRO. He leads research projects focussed on marine geology, the development of new hydrocarbon sensor devices and baseline and oil spill monitoring. Dr Ross and his team have been involved in seep surveys both in Australian basins and in the Gulf of Mexico. More recently, Dr Ross has commenced a series of research projects to characterise the geology of the Great Australian Bight. Dr Ross joined CSIRO in 2004 and has qualifications in marine biology, oceanography and petroleum geoscience. |
Jacques Pironon is a Senior Research Fellow at the CNRS (French National Centre of Sciences) and Director of GeoRessources laboratory (Université de Lorraine-CNRS-CREGU). His research topics mainly concern petroleum fluids for the reconstruction of migration conditions in sedimentary basins and sustainable development with a focus on acid gas and greenhouse gas sequestration. He developed methods for characterisation and quantification of aqueous and petroleum fluids in mineral-trapped inclusions using molecular microspectrometries and confocal microscopy. He acts as an expert for the oil and gas industry. |
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