Department of Primary Industries and Energy Bureau of Resource Sciences Australian Petroleum Accumulations Report 8 Carnarvon Basin, W.A. E.A. Felton, S. Miyazaki, L. Dowling, L. Pain, V. Vuckovic and S.R. le Poidevin Petroleum Resource Branch © Commonwealth of Australia, 1993 This work is copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of study, research, criticism or review, as permitted under the Copyright Act, no part may be reproduced without the written permission of the Executive Director, Bureau of Resource Sciences. Inquiries should be directed to the Principal Information Officer, Bureau of Resource Sciences, P.O. Box E11, Queen Victoria Terrace, Parkes ACT 2600, Australia. ISBN 0 642 19547 1 ISSN 0817-9263 Bibliographic citation: Felton, E.A., Miyazaki, S., Dowling, L., Pain, L., Vuckovic, V., and le Poidevin, S.R., 1992 - Carnarvon Basin, W.A., Bureau of Resource Sciences, Australian Petroleum Accumulations Report 8. Cover: Two Biggadas (the Euro Macropus robustus) at the flowlines in the L block separator station, Barrow Island, May 1986. Photograph: Barry West The Bureau of Resource Sciences is a professionally independent bureau within the Department of Primary Industries and Energy. It was established in October 1992 and was formed from the former Bureau of Rural Resources and the resource assessment branches of the former Bureau of Mineral Resources, Geology and Geophysics. Its role is to provide professionally independent and timely scientific and technical analyses, assessments, advice and information to government, industry and the community, and to facilitate the formulation and implementation of policies and programs directly relevant to Australia's agricultural, minerals, petroleum, forestry and fishing industries. ii FOREWORD This report on the Carnarvon Basin, Western Australia, is the eighth in the Australian Petroleum Accumulations (APA) series. The series presents data on Australia's identified petroleum resources, and an appraisal of the geological setting and characteristics of those resources, their size and, in the case of developed accumulations, details of their development and production history. The APA database, on which this publication series is based, was developed in cooperation with petroleum companies and State and Northern Territory mines departments. It was released in digital format in 1991, and is available as ASCII files or Oracle tables. It is linked to PEDIN, the petroleum publicly available exploration information database maintained by the Bureau of Resource Sciences (BRS) and the Australian Geological Survey Organisation (AGSO). The offshore part of the Carnarvon Basin contains the largest number of known petroleum accumulations of any offshore Australian basin and the basin presents excellent prospects for further discoveries. The information contained in this report is essential to petroleum explorers and developers alike. Paul E. Williamson Director Petroleum Resource Branch Bureau of Resource Sciences iii In the Australian Petroleum Accumulations series: Report 1 Amadeus Basin (Northern Territory) (1986) Report 2 Bass Basin (Victoria and Tasmania) (1987) Report 3 Gippsland Basin (Victoria) (1987) Report 4 Adavale Basin (Queensland) (1988) Report 5 Bonaparte Basin (Northern Territory and Western Australia) (1989) Report 6 Otway Basin (Victoria and South Australia) (1990) Report 7 Browse Basin (Western Australia) (1991) Report 8 Carnarvon Basin (Western Australia) (1993) Report 9 Canning Basin (Western Australia) (in preparation) Report 10 Perth Basin (Western Australia) (in preparation) iv ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The Carnarvon Basin Report, the eighth in the Australian Petroleum Accumulations Series, is a product of many contributors, including the Western Australian Department of Minerals and Energy, and the petroleum companies which supplied current information on their operations and checked data. Thanks are particularly due to West Australian Petroleum Ltd., Hadson Energy Ltd., Doral Resources, and Esso Australia Ltd. The digital version of the Australian Petroleum Accumulations database, previously maintained as hard copy, was developed and implemented in late 1991 with assistance from Robert De Nardi. v TABLE OF CONTENTS Page ABSTRACT . 1. INTRODUCTION . 1 2. BASIN SUMMARY . 2 2.1. BASIN SETTING . 2 2.2. EXPLORATION HISTORY . 5 2.3. RESERVOIR SUMMARY . 6 3. HYDROCARBON-BEARING AREAS OF THE CARNARVON BASIN 7 3.1. DAMPIER SUB-BASIN . 7 3.1.1. Geological summary . 7 3.1.2. Hydrocarbon Habitat . 10 3.1.2.1. Reservoir geology . 10 3.1.2.2. Source rocks and maturation . 11 3.1.3. Hydrocarbon Accumulations . 12 3.1.3.1. Commercial accumulations . 12 North Rankin . 12 Talisman . 13 Goodwyn . 13 3.1.3.2. Non-commercial accumulations (Rankin Trend) . 14 Eaglehawk . 14 Rankin (includes Echo/Yodel and Dockrell) . 14 Wilcox . 14 West Tryal Rocks . 15 North Tryal Rocks . 15 Gorgon . 15 3.1.3.3. Non-commercial accumulations (Kendrew Trough) 15 Lambert . 15 Egret . 15 Montague . 16 Dixon . 16 Haycock . 16 3.1.3.4. Commercial accumulations (Madeleine Trend) . 16 Wanaea . 16 Cossack . 16 3.1.3.5. Non-commercial accumulations (Madeleine Trend)17 Angel . 17 vi 3.1.3.6. Non-commercial accumulations (Legendre Trend) 17 Legendre . 17 Rosemary . 17 3.1.3.7. Non-commercial accumulations (Enderby Terrace) 17 Wandoo . 17 Hampton . 18 3.1.4. Hydrocarbon types . 18 3.2. BARROW SUB-BASIN . 19 3.2.1. Geological summary . 19 3.2.2. Hydrocarbon habitat . 22 3.2.2.1. Structure and hydrocarbon traps . 22 3.2.2.2. Reservoir geology . 23 Barrow Group . 23 Muderong Shale . 23 Birdrong . 24 Windalia Radiolarite . 24 Gearle Siltstone . 24 3.2.2.3. Source rocks and maturation . 24 3.2.3. Hydrocarbon accumulations . 25 3.2.3.1. Commercial accumulations . 25 Barrow Island . 25 Saladin/Yammaderry . 25 Cowle . 27 Roller, Skate . 27 Harriet . 27 South Pepper, North Herald, Chervil . 28 3.2.3.2. Non-commercial accumulations . 28 Chinook/Scindian, Griffin/Hilda/Ramillies . 28 Spar . 29 Elder . 29 Bambra, Campbell . 29 Rosette, Tanami . 29 South Chervil . 30 Sinbad . 30 Bowers . 30 Flinders Shoal . 30 Pepper . 30 Pasco . 30 Basil . 31 Koolinda . 31 Flag . 31 Rosily . 31 vii 3.2.4. Hydrocarbon types . 31 3.3. BARROW ISLAND . 32 3.3.1. Geological summary . 32 3.3.2. Hydrocarbon habitat . 32 3.3.2.1. Structure and hydrocarbon traps . 32 3.3.2.2. Reservoir geology . 33 3.3.2.3. Source rocks and maturation . 33 3.3.2.4. Hydrocarbon types . 34 3.4. EXMOUTH SUB-BASIN . 35 3.4.1. Geological summary . 35 3.4.2. Hydrocarbon habitat . 35 3.4.2.1. Reservoir geology . 35 3.4.2.2. Source rocks and maturation . 38 3.4.3. Hydrocarbon accumulations . 39 3.4.3.1. Commercial accumulations . 39 Rough Range . 39 3.4.3.2. Non-commercial accumulations . 39 Novara . 39 Leatherback . 39 Parrot Hill . 39 3.4.3.3. Other discoveries . 39 Cape Range . 39 Outtrim . 40 Rivoli . 40 3.4.4. Hydrocarbon types . 40 3.5. PEEDAMULLAH/ONSLOW SHELF . 41 3.5.1. Geological summary . 41 3.5.2. Hydrocarbon habitat . 41 3.5.2.1. Structure and hydrocarbon traps . 41 3.5.2.2. Reservoir geology . 43 3.5.2.3. Source rocks and maturation . 44 3.5.3. Hydrocarbon accumulations . 44 3.5.3.1. Commercial accumulations . 45 Tubridgi . 45 3.5.3.2. Non-commercial accumulations . 45 Thringa . 45 East Somelim . 45 3.5.3.3. Other discoveries . 46 Carnie . 46 Windoo . 46 Mardie . 46 Mulyery . 46 viii Myanore . 46 3.5.4. Hydrocarbon types . 46 3.6. EXMOUTH PLATEAU . 47 3.6.1. Geological summary . 47 3.6.2. Hydrocarbon habitat . 47 3.6.2.1 Structure and petroleum traps . 47 3.6.2.2. Reservoir geology . 49 3.6.3. Hydrocarbon accumulations . 49 3.6.3.1. Non-commercial accumulations . 49 Scarborough . 49 3.6.3.2. Other discoveries . 50 Jupiter . 50 Eendracht . 50 Vinck . 50 Investigator . 50 Sirius . 50 Zeepaard . 50 Zeewulf . 50 Resolution . 50 3.6.4. Hydrocarbon types . 50 4. PETROLEUM ACCUMULATIONS SUMMARIES . 75 DAMPIER SUB-BASIN 1 Talisman . 77 2 North Rankin . 80 3 Goodwyn/Goodwyn South/Pueblo/Tidepole . 84 4 Wanaea . 87 5 Cossack . 88 6 Egret . 89 7 Angel . 90 8 Eaglehawk . 92 9 Lambert . 94 10 Montague . 96 11 Wilcox . 97 12 Gorgon . 99 13 West Tryal Rocks . 102 14 Rankin/Dockrell . 104 15 Echo/Yodel . 106 16 Dixon . 108 17 Legendre . 110 ix 18 Wandoo . 111 19 Hampton . 112 20 Rosemary . 113 21 Haycock . 115 22 North Tryal Rocks . 117 BARROW SUB-BASIN 23 Barrow Island . 118 24 Saladin/Yammaderry . 121 25 Cowle . 123 26 South Pepper . 125 27 North Herald . 128 28 Chervil . 130 29 Harriet . 132 30 Rosette . 134 31 Campbell . 136 32 Sinbad . 138 33 Tanami . 139 34 Bambra . 140 35 Spar . 143 36 Griffin/Hilda/Ramillies .. 145 37 Chinook/Scindian . 147 38 Roller . 149 39 Skate . 150 40 South Chervil . 151 41 Elder . 153 42 Bowers . 154 43 Flinders Shoal . 155 44 Pepper . 156 45 Pasco . 157 46 Basil . 159 47 Koolinda . 161 48 Flag . 163 49 Rosily . 164 EXMOUTH SUB-BASIN 50 Rough Range . 165 51 Parrot Hill . 166 52 Novara . 167 53 Leatherback . 168 x 54 Cape Range . 169 55 Outtrim . 170 56 Rivoli . 171 EXMOUTH PLATEAU 57 Scarborough . 172 58 Eendracht . 173 59 Investigator . 174 60 Jupiter . 175 61 Sirius . 176 62 Vinck . 177 63 Zeepaard . 178 64 Zeewulf . 179 65 Resolution . 180 PEEDAMULLAH/ONSLOW SHELF 66 Tubridgi . 181 67 Thringa . 183 68 East Somelim . 184 69 Carnie . 185 70 Windoo . 186 71 Mardie . 187 72 Mulyery . 188 73 Myanore . 189 BEAGLE SUB-BASIN 74 Nebo . 190 5. PETROLEUM DEVELOPMENTS . 191 5.1. DEVELOPMENTS IN THE DAMPIER SUB-BASIN . 191 5.1.1. Development: Talisman . 191 5.1.2. Development: North Rankin . 193 5.1.3. Development: Goodwyn. 196 5.2. DEVELOPMENTS IN THE BARROW SUB-BASIN . 198 5.2.1. Development: Barrow Island . 198 5.2.2. Development: Saladin . 200 5.2.3. Development: Yammaderry . 202 5.2.4.