SIMPSON BASIN Links Tenements (PDF; contains a link to the DSD website for the latest information)
Summary Age Triassic. Area in South Australia ~50 000 km2 (~19 300 sq. miles). Depth to target zones 2000–2600 m. Thickness Up to 300 m. Hydrocarbon shows Peera Peera Formation (shows in 5 wells). First commercial discovery None. Identified reserves Nil. Undiscovered resources (50% prob.) Not determined. Production Nil. Basin type Intracratonic. Depositional setting Non-marine. Reservoirs Meandering fluvial sandstone. Regional structure N–S faulted anticlines in sag basin. Seals Lacustrine and overbank sediments. Source rocks Underlying Pedirka Basin siltstone and shale; Peera Peera Formation siltstone and shale. Depth to oil/gas window 1250 m (oil). Number of wells 6. Seismic line km 7228 2D.
Structural setting The Simpson Basin extends over ~100 000 km2 in South Australia and the Northern Territory (approximately half lies in South Australia). It is a circular, poorly defined depression with one major depocentre, the Poolowanna Trough (Fig. 1). The basin overlies Palaeozoic and older basins and is overlain by the Eromanga Basin (Jurassic to Cretaceous; Figs 2, 3).
During the Triassic, the western Pedirka Basin area remained elevated and was eroded, while the eastern portion subsided to form a depocentre, the Poolowanna Trough. Regional uplift and erosion terminated deposition in the Simpson Basin at the end of the Early to Middle Triassic. The main episode of structuring occurred in the Early Tertiary, when E–W compression produced major meridional faulted anticlines.
1 Simpson Basin
Exploration history A seismic survey in 1971 revealed an eastward thickening sediment package between the eastern Pedirka Basin and the Eromanga Basin. The postulated Triassic age for these sediments was confirmed when Poolowanna 1 recovered oil from this sequence in 1977. Six petroleum wells have penetrated the basin and over 11 000 km of seismic acquired in the 1970s and 1980s by Delhi–Santos (Fig. 1). The area was relinquished in 1989–90. A number of licence applications are current.
Stratigraphy The Simpson Basin contains ?Early to Middle Triassic Walkandi Formation overlain conformably by Late Triassic Peera Peera Formation (Fig. 3). Walkandi Formation is restricted to the Poolowanna Trough depocentre. The Peera Peera Formation extends westwards and onlaps the Dalhousie–McDills Ridge and eastwards where it onlaps the Birdsville Track Ridge.
Walkandi Formation consists of interbedded shale, siltstone and minor sandstone redbeds deposited in a shallow ephemeral lacustrine environment. The unit correlates with the Tinchoo Formation of the Cooper Basin to the east. Peera Peera Formation consists of grey shale and siltstone at the base with minor thin sandstone and coal, a fining upward sandy middle unit and a black, silty highly carbonaceous shale at the top — reflecting deposition on a floodplain crossed by meandering fluvial streams with lacustrine development. It is correlated with the Cuddapan Formation of the Cooper Basin region.
Source rocks The oxidised nature of the Walkandi Formation redbeds downgrades source potential. However, the overlying Peera Peera Formation is rich in organic matter (TOC up to 5%) and should be oil mature in the Poolowanna Trough. The Peera Peera Formation is considered to be gas-prone with modest oil yields.
Reservoirs and seals Limited drilling indicates that sandstone interbeds in the Walkandi Formation are fine grained, with low porosity and permeability. The Peera Peera Formation also suffers from laterally variable, poor quality reservoirs (maximum measured porosity 7.8%). Reservoir quality is thought to improve updip from the Poolowanna Trough.
Seals consist of intraformational siltstone and shale of the Walkandi and Peera Peera formations.
Traps Potential trapping mechanisms are dominantly structural (faulted anticlines).
Undiscovered resources There is no estimate of undiscovered resources.
Current projects There are no current projects.
Exploration access The Simpson Basin is overlain by the Simpson Desert Regional Reserve where exploration is permitted (fig. 1, Environment in the ‘Land access’ section of this USB), and the Simpson Desert Conservation Park where exploration is not permitted (Fig. 1).
Petroleum and Geothermal in South Australia 2 Simpson Basin
Licence status Four PELs were granted to Senex Energy Ltd, in June 2013. Licence activity in the previous year is discussed in the ‘Exploration and development’ section of this USB, and Figure 4 shows the licence status at the time of publication. Use this link for further information on holders of petroleum tenements in South Australia.
Key references Cotton, T.B., Scardigno, M.F. and Hibburt, J.E. (Eds), 2006. The petroleum geology of South Australia. Vol. 2: Eromanga Basin. 2nd edn. South Australia. Department of Primary Industries and Resources. Petroleum Geology of South Australia Series.
Moore, P.S., 1986. Jurassic and Triassic stratigraphy and hydrocarbon potential of the Poolowanna Trough (Simpson Desert Region), northern South Australia. In: Gravestock, D.I, Moore, P.S. and Pitt, G.M. (Eds), Contributions to the geology and hydrocarbon potential of the Eromanga Basin. Geological Society of Australia. Special Publication, 12:39-51.
Powis, G.D., 1989. Revision of Triassic stratigraphy at the Cooper Basin to Eromanga Basin transition. In: O’Neil, B.J. (Ed.), The Cooper and Eromanga basins, Australia. Proceedings of the Cooper and Eromanga Basins Conference, Adelaide, 1989. Petroleum Exploration Society of Australia, Society of Petroleum Engineers, Australian Society of Exploration Geophysicists (SA Branches), pp.265-277.
Wiltshire, M.J., 1989. Mesozoic stratigraphy and palaeogeography, eastern Australia. In: O’Neil, B.J. (Ed.), The Cooper and Eromanga basins, Australia. Proceedings of the Cooper and Eromanga Basins Conference, Adelaide, 1989. Petroleum Exploration Society of Australia, Society of Petroleum Engineers, Australian Society of Exploration Geophysicists (SA Branches), pp.279-291.
Petroleum and Geothermal in South Australia 3 Simpson Basin
FIGURES 1. Eromanga Basin and infrabasins, South Australia. Wells and seismic lines. (204548-056) 2. Schematic section across the Eromanga, Pedirka and Simpson basins. (204548-057) 3. Geological summary of the Arckaringa, Pedirka and Simpson basins. (204548-025) 4. Eromanga Basin and infrabasins, South Australia. Petroleum and geothermal tenements. (204548-0062)
Petroleum and Geothermal in South Australia 4
134°0'E 135°0'E 136°0'E 137°0'E 138°0'E 139°0'E 140°0'E 141°0'E NORTHERN TERRITORY
ª¨ 26°0'S ª ª
Simpsonª Desert (RR) Simpson Desert (CP) 26°0'S ª ª ª ª Simpson Desert (CP) Witjiraª (NP) ª ª ª ¨ ª ª ª ª¨ ª¨ ªª ª ª ª¨ ª ª ª ª¨ª ¨ ª Pedirka Basin ª ª Eringa Trough Simpson Basin
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27°0'S ª ª¨ Eromanga Basin : ª:' ª : PL20 ª ª¨ : ª ª prospective outline Malkumba-Coongie Lakes (NP) :ª'*
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ª ª TARCOOLA ALICE SPRINGS ' ''' ª **ª**ª'ª i¨ i * ª '': ¨' i* ''':ª i PL18
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SOUTH AUSTRALIAª
Marree NEW SOUTH WALES 134°0'E 135°0'E 136°0'E 137°0'E 138°0'E" 139°0'E ª Â 140°0'E 141°0'E
ªª ª ' * ¨ i¨ ª i ' " * : ADELAIDE *¨
Eromanga Basin and infrabasins
 South Australia Ø Ú Figure 1 ¿ WELLS and SEISMIC LINES DSD 204548-056 A 200 km 430 km 230 km B NT/SA VARIABLE HORIZONTAL SCALE SA/QLD MUSGRAVE BLOCK Mount Alexander INNAMINCKA Sandstone Member SIMPSON DOME DESERT 0 QUATERNARY AND TERTIARY Mount Howie Sandstone C oo rik ia Winton Formation na EROMANGA S a n d s to n e
-1 Ma laru Mudstone ckunda Formation Al Wo old Oodnadatta Fm ridg oolebuc ion e Li T Format mesto Coorikiana ERINGA ne Member Sa tone B BASIN nds u allumbilla Formatio le TROUGH ll O W n Bu Sha do odna lldog g datta Formation Sh DALHOUSIE – ale Murta Fm
KILOMETRES (AHD) McDILLS Adori Namur Sst Sst WestbourneMcKinlay Cadn B RIDGE a-owie Fm irkhea Mbr d F -2 ? Hutton m Sa Fm ? nd Alge ? st bucki one ? on na Sanst e PEDIRKA BIRDSVILLE BASIN Poo nna Fm TRACK RIDGE Pe lowa era Pee NAPPAMERRI ra Fm SIMPSON GROUP Wa Fm lkandi BASIN COOPER -3 POOLOWANNA TROUGH PRE-PERMIAN BASIN PEDIRKA NT QLD BASIN A Sediments with significant SIMPSON Craton-derived materials (reservoirs) BASIN PATCHAWARRA Sediments with significant TROUGH volcanic-arc-derived material (seals) B NAPPAMERRI Western margin of 0 100 200 COOPER GIDGEALPA – TROUGH Eromanga Basin KILOMETRES BASIN MERRIMELIA – Drn T.McK INNAMINCKA RIDGE 204548-057 Figure2b Schematic section across the Eromanga, Pedirka and Simpson asins. DEPOSITIONAL AGE ROCK UNIT LITHOL- COMMENTS OGY ENVIRONMENT
Maximum Thickness 800m Average Thickness (570m) Braided fluvial Reservoirs rely on overlying marine shale seal. ALGEBUCKINA Small anticlinal traps requiring SANDSTONE close seismic grid. Mid-Late Intraformational seals rare. 290m Meandering or Uneconomic oil in POOLOWANNA (191m) anastomosing fluvial, Poolowanna 1 FORMATION minor associated
JURASSIC floodplain deposits.
Early
EROMANGA BASIN
Lacustrine and low Thickness and extent strongly energy, meandering structurally controlled requiring Late 190m fluvial. close seismic coverage. (192m) PEERA PEERA Variable quality, discontinuous FORMATION reservoirs.
TRIASSIC 130m Shallow, ephemeral Tight, potential seal to Middle (107m) lacustrine. underlying Permian where WALKANDI present. Possible local FORMATION reservoir development as for Arrabury Formation.
Early (See Cooper Basin)
Late SIMPSON BASIN
MT TOONDINA Lacustrine, Fair + good gas - and oil - FORMATION meandering fluvial prone source rocks, thermally PURNI 600m and back swamp. mature for oil generation. FORMATION (420m)
PERMIAN STUART 350m Marginal Stuart Range Formation Early (192m) RANGE FM marine. could provide excellent seal. 490m(158m) CROWN POINT BOORTHANNA Shallow marine- Reservoir sands may be FORMATION FORMATION fluvial periglacial. developed in Crown Point 600m + ? 420m (112m) (276m) and Boorthanna Formations
LATE CARB PEDIRKA ARCKARINGA BASIN BASIN
UNDIFFERENTIATED WARBURTON, Flat to steeply dipping. OFFICER AND Locally highly structured.
DEVONIAN
CAMBRIAN- AMADEUS BASIN SEDIMENTS 204548-025 Figure 3 Geological summary of the Arckaringa, Pedirka and Simpson asins.b Simpson Desert (CP)
134°0'E 135°0'E 136°0'E 137°0'E 138°0'E 139°0'E 140°0'E 141°0'E NORTHERN TERRITORY 26°0'S
77 Simpson Desert (RR) 26°0'S 619 Simpson Desert (CP) 568 Witjira (NP) 332 569 88 159 160 87 Pedirka Basin Eringa Trough 290 620 Simpson Basin 613 570 612 616 617 191 424 289 333 621 444 110 27°0'S PL20 Eromanga Basin 288 192 prospective outline Malkumba-Coongie
382 27°0'S Lakes (NP) 90 618 " 615 193 100 614 652 604 182 652 638 499 Officer Basin 625 386 Oodnadatta 101652652 CO 117 " 334 Warburton Basin Eromanga Basin 630 2009-C 335 512 103 91 QUEENSLAND 331 624 316 605 623 648 138 Innamincka (RR) CO2009-C TARCOOLA ALICE SPRINGS 622 Cooper Basin PL5 267 532 633 PL18 CO2009-B
500 517STUART 634 268
28°0'S 645 320 646 513 211 121 71 Moomba 107 " 28°0'S CO2009-B 653 269 PL17 604 561 378 320 112 PL15 CO 639 273 2009-E PL9 Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre (NP) 637 CO 118 Arckaringa Basin 93 317 Lake Eyre North 317 2009-DCO2009-D 122 HIGHWAY 641 636 516 566 E Elliot Price (CP) RAILWAY 95 PLs7,8 635 Breakaways (CP) 94 Coober Pedy 580 515 " 560
29°0'S 393 394 395 396 642 Strzelecki (RR) Tallaringa (CP) 29°0'S 123 608 397 398 399 Moomba 400 ZONE 1 " Lake Eyre South 96 511 640 Wabma Kadarbu 575 119 Mound Springs (CP) 401 402 403 404 PL2 PL1 635 SOUTH AUSTRALIA 582 579
134°0'E 135°0'E 136°0'E 137°0'E Marree138°0'E 139°0'E 140°0'E 141°0'E NEW SOUTH WALES 517 539518 124 581 "405 406 607 146 643 0 25 50 75 km Petroleum tenements Geothermal tenements South Australian Lamberts Pipeline licence Exploration licence application (PELA) Exploration licence application (GELA) Gas pipeline Exploration licence (PEL) Exploration licence (GEL) " Gas and liquids pipeline ADELAIDE Production licence application (PPLA) Retention licence (GRL) Liquids pipeline Eromanga Basin and infrabasins Production licence (PPL) South Australia Gas storage tenements Parks with petroleum Petroleum retention licence application (PRLA) exploration access Retention licence (PRL) Exploration licence application (GSELA) Parks with no petroleum PETROLEUM and GEOTHERMAL Figure 4 Exploration licence (GSEL) exploration access ENERGY ACT TENEMENTS DSD 204548-062