BIRKHEAD REVISITED: FETROLOGICAL AND GEOCHEMICAL STUDIES OF THE BIRKHEAD FORMATION, EROMANGA BASIN

Abstract

Significant discoveries of oil have been made in Middle Jurassic sandstone reservoirs of the Birkhead Formation, Eromanga Basin, Australia.

Some, or all, of this oil has been generated within the Birkhead Formation. A large proportion of the oil appears to be in relatively subtle traps. The source rock characteristics of the Birkhead Formation have been rated as fair to very good. In an attempt to improve the success rate in searching for less obvious reservoirs, a rating system based on the factors that control the location of hydrocarbon source rocks has been applied to many wells within the Birkhead Formation. The variables measured, which relate to source potential and maturation, were (1) thickness of shale units; (2) volume and type of dispersed organic matter; (3) volume and type of coal occurrences; and (4) rank.

High values of source potential as measured by this rating system occur in the Birkhead Formation overlying the southwestern and northeastern parts of the Nappamerri Trough of the Cooper Basin. These areas include, or are close to, the known discoveries within the Birkhead Formation.

In addition, investigation of the nature of the hydrocarbons produced from the Birkhead Formation using pyrolysis-gas chromatography (Py-GC) of whole rock samples and GC analysis of solvent extracts from the rocks indicates a terrestrial origin for the organic matter in most cases. Waxy oils could be expected from these samples under appropriate maturation conditions.