THE PETROLEUM PROSPECTIVITY OF THE JOSEPH BONAPARTE GULF AREA, NORTHWESTERN AUSTRALIA

Abstract

The Joseph Bonaparte Gulf area of northwestern Australia contains a Devonian- Tertiary depocentre whose origins and subsequent history can be related to an episode of Devonian rifting. Three decades of petroleum exploration have delineated large offshore gas accumulations. However, despite the apparent existence of all the factors necessary for oil generation and entrapment, only traces of liquid hydrocarbons have been found to date. The location of good- quality sealed reservoirs is the main challenge facing continued oil exploration.