A new structural analysis of the Browse Basin, Australian North West Margin
Sophie Lawrence A , Mark Thompson A , Adrian Rankin A , Joanna Alexander A , Daniel Bishop A and Ben Boterhoven ABP
The APPEA Journal 54(1) 1-10 https://doi.org/10.1071/AJ13001
Published: 2014
Abstract
A new structural analysis is presented for the Browse Basin of the Australian North West Margin, integrating new observations based on a regional 2D seismic data-set and potential field data. Previously published plate reconstructions and gravity inversion modelling were used to understand the mega-regional context of this interpretation and propose a new history of basin evolution.
Key basin-forming northeast to southwest structural elements were developed during Carboniferous to Permian rifting, inherited fabrics from relaxed Proterozoic fold belts. Long-lived highs formed during this time delineated the structure of the basin through later Mesozoic rifting. Rifting was accommodated initially by inheritance of large basin-bounding Paleozoic listric faults and then development of new planar faults in the basin. This led to the formation of both rotated syn-rift sediment wedges and tilted fault block geometries. Structures related to several phases of inversion have been mapped, including a previously little-documented Early Cretaceous event. The influence of inherited structural trends and location of inversion structures is discussed.
This work provides a new understanding of structural inheritance and rift architecture, and highlights the complexity of the inversion history of the Browse Basin. It has implications for petroleum systems development and the timing of potential hydrocarbon trap formation.
Sophie Lawrence studied earth sciences (MESci) at the University of Oxford from 2006–10. She joined BP in 2010 and has worked on projects in deepwater Angola and the Gulf of Suez in Egypt. She is presently working as an exploration geologist in the Australia North West Margin team. sophie.lawrence@bp.com |
Mark Thompson was educated at Cambridge University (MA in natural sciences). He has worked his entire career for BP, for some 36 years. He is presently a senior advisor in play fairway and prospect analysis. mark.thompson@uk.bp.com |
Adrian Rankin received his BSc (Hons) in geology and petroleum geology from the University of Aberdeen in 2004, and MSc in basin evolution and dynamics from Royal Holloway College, University of London, in 2005. He began his career at Robertsons in 2005 as a geoscientist, and worked on a wide variety of basins across Europe, North Africa, Asia and the Middle East. In 2011 Adrian joined BP as a geologist in the Australian exploration team. Member: Petroleum Exploration Society of Great Britain (PESGB), AAPG, and Aberdeen Geology Alumni (AGA). Adrian.Rankin@uk.bp.com |
Joanna Alexander studied earth sciences (MESci) at the University of Oxford from 1999–2003. Following an internship with ExxonMobil she joined BP in 2004 where she has worked on a wide range of projects, from exploration in the UK North Sea and North Africa to drilling development wells in the Middle East. In 2012 Joanna delivered an exploration strategy and prospect inventory across multiple plays for BP’s acreage in the Sirte Basin, offshore Libya, which will commence drilling in 2014. After this, Joanna worked on the regional geology of the North West Margin of Australia, ultimately focusing on the plays of the Browse Basin. Joanna.Alexander@uk.bp.com |
Daniel Bishop completed his undergraduate degree in geology at the University of Oxford, and a PhD in structural geology and basin evolution at Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand. He went on to conduct post-doctoral research on the southern North Sea at the University of Edinburgh, and the Taranaki Basin at Victoria University of Wellington. Dan was then employed as an exploration and development geoscientist at Woodside Energy for more than ten years, working on various Australian, Asian and African basins. Since 2006 Dan has been at BP, leading the technical evaluation of exploration opportunities in Australasia. Dan is presently team leader within the Australian exploration team. Daniel.Bishop@se1.bp.com |
Ben Boterhoven received his BSc (Hons) in Applied Geology degree from Curtin University of Technology in 2000. He joined Woodside later that year working as a geoscientist on exploration and appraisal projects across Australia’s North West Margin. In 2007, Ben joined BP to work as a development geoscientist in Block 31, Angola. His latest roles are as the North West Shelf Venture Exploration and Appraisal TCM Representative and as a Senior Geoscientist within BP’s Australian Exploration team in Perth, WA. Ben.Boterhoven@bp.com |
