SEISMIC STRATIGRAPHIC EVALUATION OF A NEOCOMIAN SUBMARINE FAN SYSTEM, BROWSE BASIN, NORTH WEST SHELF

Abstract

A possible submarine fan system of Valanginian age occurs in the south of the western half of Permit WA-212-P in the Browse Basin. Seismic mapping and interpretation have allowed the recognition of five seismic facies which are considered representative of this fan system.

The five seismic facies are the upper-middle fan braided channel facies, the upper-middle fan braided interchannel facies, the lower fan channel facies, the lower fan sheet facies, and the lower fan lobe fringe facies. The reflections of the upper-middle braided channel fan facies are discontinuous, disrupted, convex up, low amplitude and high frequency. The interchannel facies has reflections that are concave up, continuous, low frequency and moderate to high amplitude. The lower fan channel facies are recognised by convex up, discontinuous, high frequency and low amplitude reflections. The lower fan sheet facies is noted by mounded configurations with continuous, moderate to high amplitude, moderate frequency reflections. The lower fan lobe fringe facies reflections are flat, often shingled reflections with moderate discontinuity, moderate to high amplitude and low to moderate frequency.

Since no wells penetrate the submarine fan, the interpretation is based on seismic reflection configurations which are considered typical of submarine fan segments. The interpreted ancient submarine fan occurs on the basin floor adjacent to a probable ramp type margin, and manifests shape and setting consistent with known submarine fans, such as the Eocene Frigg Fan of the North Sea, and the Lower Cretaceous Barrow Group turbidites in the Carnarvon Basin.

Seismic facies mapping, in conjunction with sequence stratigraphy concepts, is particularly useful in areas such as the Browse Basin where considerable marine shale sections exist with little structure, and sequences with reservoir potential continue to be a problem to locate. For instance, in Caswell-1, a well drilled in 1977 immediately north of the permit area, 200 barrels of oil flowed from thin sands within a shale sequence of Albian age. Results of this study indicate that local seismic reflection signatures may be indicative of potential sandstone reservoirs in the vicinity of the study area.