Structural framework of the Caswell Sub-basin, North West Shelf, Australia
Kosuke Tsutsui A B * , Simon Holford A , Mark Bunch A , Rosalind King A , Ken McClay A and Nick Schofield CA
B
C
Kosuke Tsutsui is a PhD student in the Discipline of Earth Sciences, University of Adelaide. He graduated with a BSc (2011) and MSc (2013) from Waseda University, Tokyo, Japan. His research interests are tectono-magmatism of rifted margins and seismic geomorphologies. Kosuke is a member of AAPG, ASEG, GSA and PESA. |
Simon Holford is the South Australian State Chair of Petroleum Geoscience in the Discipline of Earth Sciences, University of Adelaide. He graduated with a BSc-Hons from Keele University in 2001 and a PhD from the University of Birmingham in 2006. His research interests are passive margins, deformation, uplift, magmatic evolution of rifted margins, sedimentary basins, and continental interiors and their impact on hydrocarbon exploration. Simon is a member of the AAPG, AGU, GSA, GSL and PESA. |
Mark Bunch is a Senior Lecturer in the Discipline of Earth Sciences, University of Adelaide. He graduated with a BSc (Hons) from Durham University in 2000, before completing an MSc in 2001 then a PhD in 2006 at the University of Birmingham, UK. His research interests include the application of AI and machine learning to petroleum industry problems, formation evaluation and seismic geomorphology. Mark is a member of AAPG, ASEG and PESA. |
Rosalind C. King is an associate professor and head of the Department of Earth Sciences, University of Adelaide. She graduated with a BSc-Hons (2001) and a PhD (2006) from the University of Liverpool. Her research interests include structural geology, deepwater fold-thrust belts, detachments, fault and fracture mechanics, fault-controlled permeability and petroleum geomechanics. |
Ken McClay is an Adjunct Professor of the Discipline of Earth Sciences, University of Adelaide. He graduated with an Honours degree in Economic Geology from the University of Adelaide in 1970, and following MSc and PhD degrees from Imperial College London, he spent 27 years as Professor of Structural Geology at Royal Holloway, before returning to Adelaide early in 2019. |
Nick Schofield is a Reader in Igneous and Petroleum Geology at the University of Aberdeen. He gained his undergraduate degree in Geology from the University of Edinburgh, before undertaking a PhD at the University of Birmingham investigating the emplacement of sill intrusions. Nick has worked and published extensively on intrusive and extrusive volcanism within sedimentary basins globally and works closely with the petroleum industry. |
Abstract
The Caswell Sub-basin, situated within the Browse Basin in the North West Shelf constitutes one of Australia’s primary hydrocarbon producing regions, with notable gas-condensate producing fields including Ichthys and Prelude. Jurassic syn-rift sandstones are extensively distributed across the basin and serve as one of the major reservoirs. However, reservoir sequences are typically intensely faulted and exhibit heterogeneity in thickness and lithofacies, with some areas experiencing localised erosion on uplifted fault blocks (e.g. Northern Caswell Sub-basin). Hence, understanding the nature of the 3D fault patterns and their growth history is crucial for evaluating the reservoir characteristics for field development and additional exploration activities. This study, therefore, aims to evaluate the structural framework and the tectonic evolution of the Caswell Sub-basin. Detailed structural interpretation of Paleozoic and younger sequences was conducted using multiple 3D seismic datasets extending over Ichthys, Prelude, Lasseter, and Crown fields. Our study focuses mainly on Mesozoic faulting patterns and kinematics evaluated from interpreted structural maps, thickness changes of each stratigraphic interval and fault throw profiles of major bounding faults. The extensional phase during the Early–Middle Jurassic triggered the development of NE–SW trending faults and the deepening of the Brewster Graben. While, from the Late Jurassic to the Early Cretaceous, the development of E–W trending faults in the north of the Crown and Lasseter fields indicate a shift in the regional stress regime. We highlight the importance of evaluating the structural linkage from basement to cover sequences to achieve a comprehensive understanding of reservoirs and associated petroleum systems.
Keywords: Australian North West Shelf, Browse Basin, fault throw analysis, hydrocarbon exploration, Ichthys Field, rift basin, structural framework, tectonic evolution.
Kosuke Tsutsui is a PhD student in the Discipline of Earth Sciences, University of Adelaide. He graduated with a BSc (2011) and MSc (2013) from Waseda University, Tokyo, Japan. His research interests are tectono-magmatism of rifted margins and seismic geomorphologies. Kosuke is a member of AAPG, ASEG, GSA and PESA. |
Simon Holford is the South Australian State Chair of Petroleum Geoscience in the Discipline of Earth Sciences, University of Adelaide. He graduated with a BSc-Hons from Keele University in 2001 and a PhD from the University of Birmingham in 2006. His research interests are passive margins, deformation, uplift, magmatic evolution of rifted margins, sedimentary basins, and continental interiors and their impact on hydrocarbon exploration. Simon is a member of the AAPG, AGU, GSA, GSL and PESA. |
Mark Bunch is a Senior Lecturer in the Discipline of Earth Sciences, University of Adelaide. He graduated with a BSc (Hons) from Durham University in 2000, before completing an MSc in 2001 then a PhD in 2006 at the University of Birmingham, UK. His research interests include the application of AI and machine learning to petroleum industry problems, formation evaluation and seismic geomorphology. Mark is a member of AAPG, ASEG and PESA. |
Rosalind C. King is an associate professor and head of the Department of Earth Sciences, University of Adelaide. She graduated with a BSc-Hons (2001) and a PhD (2006) from the University of Liverpool. Her research interests include structural geology, deepwater fold-thrust belts, detachments, fault and fracture mechanics, fault-controlled permeability and petroleum geomechanics. |
Ken McClay is an Adjunct Professor of the Discipline of Earth Sciences, University of Adelaide. He graduated with an Honours degree in Economic Geology from the University of Adelaide in 1970, and following MSc and PhD degrees from Imperial College London, he spent 27 years as Professor of Structural Geology at Royal Holloway, before returning to Adelaide early in 2019. |
Nick Schofield is a Reader in Igneous and Petroleum Geology at the University of Aberdeen. He gained his undergraduate degree in Geology from the University of Edinburgh, before undertaking a PhD at the University of Birmingham investigating the emplacement of sill intrusions. Nick has worked and published extensively on intrusive and extrusive volcanism within sedimentary basins globally and works closely with the petroleum industry. |
References
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| Crossref | Google Scholar |
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