Exploring for unconventional hydrocarbon plays in the Glyde Basin, Northern Territory, using FALCON® airborne gravity gradiometry (AGG) data
Peter Kovac A , Luke Titus B , Carlos Cevallos A and Josh Bluett BA CGG Aviation Australia.
B Armour Energy.
The APPEA Journal 54(2) 519-519 https://doi.org/10.1071/AJ13092
Published: 2014
Abstract
A FALCON® AGG and magnetic survey in the Glyde Sub-basin aims to define the structural pattern to identify unconventional hydrocarbon plays. The survey area consists of variable thick fluvial and lacustrine to shallow marginal marine carbonate-siliciclastic sequences and lesser volcanic rocks. The dominant tectonic feature identified on the AGG data is the Emu Fault Zone: a major structure of the central-southern part of the McArthur Basin. Seismic and surface geology suggest its overall sub-vertical strike-slip nature with positive flower structure geometry. In the north, a regional size pop-up structure, reverse, transpressional and strike-slip faults, and abundant synclines and anticlines identified in the AGG data indicate sinistral transpression. In the south, a transtensional segment of the Emu Fault Zone formed several regularly oriented, fault-controlled depocentres. A geological cross-section across the Glyde Sub-basin supported by gravity modelling indicates a system of inverted transtensional faults. Offsets and bifurcations are common, forming local-scale transtensional or transpressional areas. The relationship between dolomitic carbonaceous siltstone, fault-related hydrothermal dolomite (HTD) and the tectonic pattern strongly suggests that the Emu Fault Zone controlled fluid migration and fault-related HTD deposition. Brecciated HTD reservoirs are best developed where a combination of strike-slip movement and extension allowed dolomitising and porosity-generating fluids to migrate along fracture networks, especially in transtensional pull-apart structures and along the principal faults bounding elevated parts of the basement. This is consistent with the results of the Glyde–1 ST1 exploration well, which drilled 122 m of gas charged dolomitic breccia.
Peter Kovac is a Senior Interpreting Geologist at CGG Aviation Pty Ltd in Perth, Australia. His primary field of interest is structural geology and compilation of regional and prospect scale geological models. He holds an MSc in geology and palaeontology and a PhD in structural geology from the Comenius University at Bratislava, Slovakia. Member: PESA and AusIMM. |
Luke Titus is the Chief Geologist for Armour Energy. Luke received a Bachelor of Science in geology in 1997 from Fort Lewis College in Colorado. He has 16 years of exploration and development experience in major US and international petroleum basins. Luke has worked carbonate, tight sands, coalbed methane plays and shale plays throughout the Rocky Mountain and Mid-Continent Basins in the US before being hired in 2010 with QGC as a Principal Geologist in Upstream Subsurface Developments where he was responsible for reserve growth in the Surat Basin in Queensland, Australia. Member: AAPG. |
Carlos Cevallos is a Senior Interpreting Geophysicist at CGG Aviation Pty Ltd in Perth, Australia. His previous work was at the Geological Survey of NSW, Noranda and The University of Queensland. He is a physicist whose interests are to integrate geological and geophysical data and find new ways to interpret potential field data. He holds a BSc degree from UNAM, Mexico, a MSc degree from CICESE, Mexico, and a PhD degree from Macquarie University in Australia. |
Josh Bluett is a Petroleum Geologist at Armour Energy and holds a Bachelor degree in geoscience from the Queensland University of Technology. He has four years’ petroleum exploration experience, working for MBA Petroleum Consultants (now AWT International) before joining Armour Energy. Josh has undertaken geological and geophysical analysis on a large number of Australian onshore hydrocarbon plays, and has been involved with the definition and maturation of Armour Energy’s exploration portfolio since the company’s inception. Member: PESA, AAPG and SPE. |
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