Lithofacies analysis and sequence stratigraphy of the Roseneath-Epsilon-Murteree gas plays in the Cooper Basin, South Australia
Fengtao Guo A B and Peter McCabe AA Australian School of Petroleum, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia. Postal address: Santos Petroleum Building, Gate 6, Frome Road, Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia.
B Corresponding author. Email: fengtao.guo@adelaide.edu.au
The APPEA Journal 57(2) 749-754 https://doi.org/10.1071/AJ16202
Accepted: 21 March 2017 Published: 29 May 2017
Abstract
The early–middle Permian Roseneath-Epsilon-Murteree (REM) strata of the Cooper Basin, South Australia, has conventional and unconventional gas plays. To better understand the sedimentary evolution of the strata, eight key cored wells for the REM in the South Australia were selected and more than 1400 m cores have been characterised to study the lithofacies, facies associations and associated stacking patterns. Twelve lithofacies are identified and further categorised into eight facies associations: (1) open lacustrine, (2) lacustrine shoreface, (3) flood plain/interdistributary bay/channel fill, (4) fluvial channel/distributary channel, (5) crevasse channel/splay/natural levee, (6) distributary mouth bar, (7) prodelta, and (8) mire/swamp.
Cyclic stacking patterns are distinguished both in cores and well logs. X-ray diffraction analysis indicates the lower and middle parts of the Murteree Shale mainly consist of claystone and are characteristic of deep water sediments. The upper Murteree Shale has a larger percentage of silt and sand, which suggests an overall regressive process. The Epsilon Formation displays three stages of deposition: (1) a lower, thin, upward-coarsening package of beach and lacustrine shoreline deposits with a continued regression from the underlying Murteree Shale; (2) a coaly, middle unit deposited by distributary channels, crevasse splays, mires and delta mouth bars; and (3) an upper unit of cyclic coarsening-upward claystone, siltstone and sandstone, deposited in shoreline environments with fluvial modifications. The Roseneath Shale resulted from transgression after deposition of the upper Epsilon Formation with a relatively rapid rise of lake level marked by transgressive lags. A final coarsening-upward sequence of shoreline deposits indicates an ending phase of regression.
Keywords: Cooper Basin, Epsilon Formation, facies association, lithofacies, Murteree Shale, Roseneath Shale, sedimentology, sequence stratigraphy.
Fengtao Guo is currently a PhD candidate at the Australian School of Petroleum, University of Adelaide. His primary research focuses on sequence stratigraphy, sedimentology and petroleum geology. He graduated with a Bachelor Degree of Engineering in Petroleum Geology from the China University of Petroleum (East China) in 2011. He then received a Master Degree of Engineering in Petroleum Geology from the China University of Petroleum (Beijing) in 2014. |
Peter McCabe obtained his PhD in Geology at the University of Keele in the UK. After graduating, he moved to North America where he worked for various organisations including Exxon Production Research Co. in Houston and the Alberta Research Council in Edmonton. He worked for 20 years with the US Geological Survey and headed up the Asia Pacific part of their World Energy Assessment that was released in 2000. In 2007 he moved to Australia and worked with the CSIRO where he headed up their oil and gas exploration team. He joined the Australian School of Petroleum at the University of Adelaide in 2014 as the State Chair in Petroleum Geology and became Head of School in February 2016. His research interests are in unconventional petroleum resources, stratigraphy and resource assessments. |
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