A regional chronostratigraphic framework for play-based resource assessments in the Eromanga Basin
Barry E. Bradshaw A * , Nadege Rollet A , Jeremy Iwanec A and Tom Bernecker AA Geoscience Australia, GPO Box 378, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia.
The APPEA Journal 62 S392-S399 https://doi.org/10.1071/AJ21097
Accepted: 10 March 2022 Published: 13 May 2022
© 2022 The Author(s) (or their employer(s)). Published by CSIRO Publishing on behalf of APPEA. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY).
Abstract
Geoscience Australia is undertaking a series of basin-scale assessments to identify the ‘yet-to-find’ resource potential for hydrocarbons, as well as for groundwater resources and carbon capture and storage (CCS) opportunities in central Australia under the Exploring for the Future (EFTF) Program. A play-based exploration approach is being used to systematically evaluate the key risk elements for each resource type through the analysis of drilling results and spatial data to map ‘sweet spots’ for exploration. These assessments aim to reduce the risks and uncertainties for explorers by providing spatially enabled assessments of energy resources and CCS potential. The work will also improve the understanding of existing groundwater resources which may be impacted by future energy resource developments or provide feedstock for future green hydrogen projects. A key requirement for undertaking such play-based resource assessments is to apply a common regional chronostratigraphic framework across all the resource types that link different geological unit nomenclatures through defining the assessed reservoir and seal intervals and their associated sequence stratigraphic surfaces (sequence boundaries, transgressive surfaces and maximum flooding surfaces). A Mesozoic chronostratigraphic framework has been developed for the Eromanga Basin, which defines nine regional play intervals that host the known hydrocarbon and groundwater resources, or represent potential CCS targets. The Mesozoic play framework is now being applied to undertake play-based low-carbon energy resource assessments in the western Eromanga Basin, with initial work focussing on the interpretation and correlation of the nine play intervals in wells for post-drill analysis.
Keywords: carbon capture and storage, chronostratigraphy, conventional hydrocarbons, groundwater, low-carbon energy resources, play mapping, regional play intervals, unconventional hydrocarbons.
Dr Barry Bradshaw is a Geoscientist with over 30 years experience undertaking geological and geophysical studies and play-based prospectivity studies for conventional and unconventional hydrocarbon resources, geological storage projects, and sediment-hosted mineral deposits. Barry is currently employed as the Energy Resources and Advice activity leader at Geoscience Australia, and has previously worked as a Principal Geologist at CGSS consultants, Senior Research Scientist at AGSO/Geoscience Australia and Research Scientist at Texas A&M University (USA). Barry graduated from the University of Sydney in 1988, and completed a PhD in Earth Sciences at the University of Waikato (New Zealand) in 1991. |
Nadege Rollet is a Geoscientist with over 20 years of geoscience research and application experience who graduated from the University of Paris – Pierre et Marie Curie, France where she obtained a MSc and a PhD in Geology and Geophysics. Her studies focused on structural framework and geodynamic of the Ligurian Sea, Western Mediterranean. Since joining Geoscience Australia, she contributed to assessments of the petroleum prospectivity, seepage studies, CO2 storage, hydrogen, groundwater and cover mapping of Australian sedimentary basins. Nadege is currently investigating depositional framework and groundwater systems in the Great Artesian Basin. |
Jeremy Iwanec is a Geoscientist with over 15 years of petroleum industry experience identifying, maturing and delivering exploration, appraisal and development opportunities. Jeremy completed a BSc (Honours) in Applied Geology from the University of New South Wales in 2002, before joining Oil Search Limited in 2003. At Oil Search, he worked on various projects across onshore and offshore Papua New Guinea, Yemen and Kurdistan, undertaking play-based exploration studies, 2D and 3D seismic interpretation, structural and stratigraphic modelling, well planning and delivery, and resource assessments. In 2021, Jeremy joined Geoscience Australia as an Energy Resource Geoscientist where he is currently conducting geological and geophysical studies to assess Australia’s conventional and unconventional hydrocarbon resources and carbon capture and storage potential. |
Dr Thomas (Tom) Bernecker is a sedimentologist/petroleum geologist who holds an MSc from the University of Aachen (RWTH), Germany and a PhD from Melbourne’s La Trobe University. His research work focussed on the development of models for siliciclastic and carbonate depositional systems in NW Europe and in Australia. After a lectureship at the University of Melbourne, Tom joined the Victorian Department of Natural Resources and Energy where his work was focused on the hydrocarbon prospectivity of the Gippsland and Otway Basins. Tom joined Geoscience Australia as the team leader for the onshore hydrocarbon project in 2007 and from 2009 onwards has managed the offshore acreage release program, including the promotion of investment opportunities in Australia’s oil and gas sector. Tom is currently the Director of the Energy Resources Advice and Promotion section in GA’s Minerals, Energy and Groundwater division. He is a member of PESA, SEPM and SEAPEX. |
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