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  • Brumbys 1 was an appraisal well drilled and cored through Brumbys Fault at the CO2CRC Otway International Test Centre in 2018. The Otway Project is located in South West Victoria, on private farming property approximately 35 km southeast of Warrnambool and approximately 10 km northwest of the town of Peterborough. Total measured depth was 126.6 m (80 degrees). Sonic drilling enabled excellent core recovery and the borehole was completed as a groundwater monitoring well. Brumbys 1 cores through the upper Hesse Clay, Port Campbell Limestone and extends into the Gellibrand Marl. This dataset compiles the extensive analysis undertaken on the core. Analysis includes: Core log; Foram Analysis; Paleodepth; % Carbonate (CaCO3); X-Ray Fluorescence Spectrometry (XRF); Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS); X-Ray Diffraction (XRD); Grain Size; Density; Surface Area Analysis (SAA); Gamma. Samples were taken at approximately 1-2 m intervals.

  • <div>Exploring for the Future (EFTF) is a program dedicated to exploring Australia’s resource potential and boosting investment. This program is designed to produce pre-competitive information to assist with the evaluation of the hydrocarbon resource potential of onshore basins and attract exploration investment to Australia. This record presents geochemical analyses of natural gases sampled from Nangwarry 1, located in the onshore Otway Basin, undertaken in partnership with the Department for Energy and Mining – Energy Resources, Government of South Australia, as part of the EFTF program Natural Hydrogen module. The Nangwarry Joint Venture drilled Nangwarry 1 to investigate the potential for the development of food grade, carbon dioxide production from this well. The results of the molecular and stable carbon and hydrogen isotopic analyses undertaken by Geoscience Australia are released in this report. The molecular data show that the gas composition in this well has an average of 96 mol% CO2 with an isotopic signature indicative of a magmatic origin, being comparable with previously produced gases from onshore Otway Basin wells (e.g. Boggy Creek 1, Caroline 1) for use by the food industry. The carbon and hydrogen isotopic composition of the C1–C5 hydrocarbon gases from Nangwarry 1 are suggestive of a source from within the Crayfish Supersequence.</div>

  • In 2017, 21 new offshore petroleum exploration areas have been released. The majority of the areas are located along the North West Shelf spanning the Westralian Superbasin from the Bonaparte Basin in the north-east to the Northern Carnarvon Basin in the south-west. New areas have been released in offshore south-eastern Australia with new opportunities provided in the Otway, Bass and Gippsland basins. Two large areas in the northern Perth Basin, an offshore frontier, complete the 2017 Acreage Release. All Release Areas are supported by industry nominations and one new cash bid area has been offered in the Dampier Sub-basin. Geoscience Australia continues to support industry activities by acquiring, interpreting and integrating pre-competitive datasets that are made freely available as part of the agency’s regional petroleum geological studies. A new regional 2D seismic survey was acquired in the Houtman Sub-basin of the Perth Basin, forming the basis of the latest prospectivity study carried out by Geoscience Australia. The results of the study are presented in the technical program of the 2017 APPEA conference. A wealth of seismic and well data, submitted under the Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage Act 2006 (OPGSSA) are made available through the National Offshore Petroleum Information Management System (NOPIMS). Additional datasets are accessible through Geoscience Australia’s data repository. Presented at the 2017 Australian Petroleum Production & Exploration Association (APPEA) Conference.

  • <div>Geoscience Australia (GA) has produced a folio of 32 wells across the central and southeast regions. This folio covers the areas from Normanby 1 on the Normanby Terrace, through the Shipwreck Trough and Nelson Sub-basin, to Whelk 1 in the southeast. Composite logs for each well in the folio include wireline logs, petrophysical analysis, interpreted lithology, organic geochemical data, organic petrology data, and sequence stratigraphic markers. This folio also includes core-based depositional environment (DE) and gross depositional environment (GDE) interval interpretations which were used to constrain wireline interpretation of DE/GDE away from core control. The folio includes the digital data package used to construct each well composite. The new folio complements a recently published folio of northeast offshore Otway Basin wells, and both were designed as resource for exploration in the offshore Otway Basin.</div>

  • The Shipwreck and Sherbrook supersequences together constitute the upper Cretaceous succession in the Otway Basin that was deposited during an extensional basin phase. In the Shipwreck Trough, where the upper Cretaceous succession is well explored, gas fields are hosted by the Shipwreck Supersequence (SS). Elsewhere, the upper Cretaceous interval is lightly explored, and the deep-water area is considered an exploration frontier. We present regional gross depositional environment (RGDE) maps for the LC1.1 and LC1.2 sequences of the Shipwreck SS, and the LC2 Sherbrook SS. Fluvial Plain, Coastal-Delta Plain and Shelf RGDEs were interpreted from wireline logs, cores, and seismic facies. The Fluvial Plain and Coastal-Delta Plain RGDEs are mostly restricted to the inboard platform areas and the inner Morum Sub-basin. The mud-prone Shelf RGDE is widespread across the deep-water Morum and Nelson depocentres. The extent of the Fluvial and Coastal-Delta Plain belts progressively increases up-section, imparting a regressive aspect to the succession, and delineating a large fluvial-deltaic complex in the north-west of the basin. Thick seal development across the greater Shipwreck Trough, potentially mature source rocks in the deep-water basin, and thick reservoir development in the hanging wall of growth faults in the inner Morum Sub-basin are insights derived from this study, and will inform area selection for detailed gross depositional environment mapping, formulation of new hydrocarbon and carbon dioxide storage plays, and inputs for petroleum systems modelling. Presented at the Australian Energy Producers (AEP) Conference & Exhibition (https://energyproducersconference.au/conference/)

  • An elemental chemostratigraphic study of the offshore Otway basin has been undertaken as part of a collaboration between Chemostrat and Geoscience Australia (GA). The main aim of which is to better constrain the sequence boundaries of, and within, the Sherbrook Supersequence. This comprehensive study includes the elemental analysis of 1185 cuttings samples from the Sherbrook Supersequence (and overlying stratigraphy) in 13 wells, located offshore Otway Basin. Sampling of cuttings for this project was particularly challenging as many of the targeted wells have a paucity of material available for destructive analysis. Lithological and well log interpretation in the basin is often inadequate for constraint of sequence boundaries. Nonetheless the use of Inductively Coupled Plasma-Optical Emission Spectrometry and Mass Spectrometry (ICP-OES and MS) analysis was undertaken to complete a regional elemental chemostratigraphic study of the Sherbrook Supersequence, Otway Basin. The resultant chemostratigraphic framework, with nomenclature adapted from Forbes et al (2020) comprises of two chemostratigraphic sequences, eight chemostratigraphic packages and seventeen chemostratigraphic units. It is important to note that in some wells the chemostratigraphic correlation differs extensively from the lithostratigraphy, highlighting areas for closer examination. From the 13 wells analysed at least three, Crayfish-1A, Copa-1 and Breaksea Reef-1, indicate necessary changes to markers for LC2 (base Sherbrook). Additionally, within the Sherbrook Supersequence, there is scope for correlation between wells despite their separation, and seismic ties can now be better constrained. Presented at the Australian Energy Producers (AEP) Conference & Exhibition

  • Geoscience Australia has undertaken a regional seismic mapping study of the offshore Otway Basin extending across the explored inner basin to the frontier deep-water region. Seismic interpretation covers over 18,000 line-km of new and reprocessed data acquired in the 2020 Otway Basin seismic program, over 40,000 line-km of legacy 2D seismic data and GA’s new 2023 Otway 3D post-stack Mega Merge seismic dataset. This work provides a new perspective on regional structural architecture and basin evolution and has important implications for hydrocarbon prospectivity of this region. This seminar was two short talks centring on the Otway Basin. <u>Post-stack 3D merging to fast-track regional interpretation - offshore Otway Basin case study, presented by Merrie-Ellen Gunning</u> This case study was to produce a regularised and seamless 3D dataset of the highest possible quality, for the offshore Otway Basin, within two-months. The input migrated volumes varied by data extent, migration methodology, angle range and grid orientation. Fourteen input volumes totalling 8,092 km2 were post-stack merged and processed to produce a continuous and consistent volume, enabling more efficient and effective interpretation of the region. The surveys were regularised onto a common grid, optimised for structural trend, prior to survey matching. A mis-tie analysis algorithm, applied over a time window optimised for interpretation of key events, was used to derive corrections for timing, phase and amplitude, using a reference. This was followed by time-variant spectral and amplitude matching to improve continuity between volumes. Additional enhancements including noise removal and lateral amplitude scaling were also applied. The final merged volume offers significant uplift over the inputs, providing better imaging of structure and events and dramatically improving the efficiency and quality of interpretation. This enables rapid reconnaissance of the area by explorers. <u>Structural architecture of the offshore Otway Basin presented by Chris Nicholson</u> We present new basin-scale isochore maps that show the distribution of the Cretaceous depocentres. Maps for the Lower Cretaceous Crayfish and Eumeralla supersequences, together with those recently published for the Upper Cretaceous Shipwreck and Sherbrook Supersequences, completes the set of isochore maps for the main tectonostratigraphic basin intervals. Mapping of basement involved faults has revealed structural fabrics that have influenced depocentre development. The tectonostratigraphic development of depocentres and maps of deep crustal units delineate crustal thinning trends related to late Cretaceous extension phases. This work highlights the need to review and update structural elements. For example, the boundary between the Otway and Sorell basins is now geologically constrained. The refinements to the tectonostratigraphic evolution of the Otway Basin presented here have important implications for the distribution and potential maturity of petroleum systems, especially with regard to heat flow associated with crustal extension.

  • <div>Ideally when combining different 3D seismic surveys differences in acquisition parameters warrant full pre-stack reprocessing from field data. However, there are occasions where this is not possible due to time, financial or data access constraints; a valuable alternative is post-stack merging and enhancement of existing migrations. The offshore Otway Basin was the subject of such a project, the objective of which was to produce a regularised and seamless 3D dataset of the highest possible quality, within a two-month turnaround time. The input migrated volumes varied by data extent, migration methodology, angle range and grid orientation. 14 input volumes totalling 8,092 km2 were post-stack merged and processed to produce a continuous and consistent volume, enabling more efficient and effective interpretation of the region. The surveys were regularised onto a common grid, optimised for structural trend, prior to survey matching. DUG’s mis-tie analysis algorithm, applied over a time window optimised for interpretation of key</div><div>events, was used to derive corrections for timing, phase and amplitude, using the Investigator North survey as a reference. This was followed by time-variant spectral and amplitude matching, with gain corrections applied, to improve continuity between volumes. Additional enhancements including noise removal and lateral amplitude scaling were also applied. The final merged volume offers significant uplift over the inputs providing better imaging of structure and event and dramatically improving the efficiency and quality of interpretation. This enables rapid reconnaissance of the area by explorers. Presented at the Australian Energy Producers (AEP) Conference & Exhibition

  • Geoscience Australia has undertaken a regional seismic mapping study of the offshore Otway Basin extending across the explored inner basin to the frontier deep-water region. Seismic interpretation covers over 18000 line-km of new and reprocessed data acquired in the 2020 Otway Basin seismic program and over 40000 line-km of legacy 2D seismic data. We present new basin-scale isochore maps that show the distribution of the Cretaceous depocentres. Maps for the Lower Cretaceous Crayfish and Eumeralla supersequences, together with those recently published for the Upper Cretaceous Shipwreck and Sherbrook Supersequences, completes the set of isochore maps for the main tectonostratigraphic basin intervals. Mapping of basement involved faults has revealed structural fabrics that have influenced depocentre development. The tectonostratigraphic development of depocentres and maps of deep crustal units delineate crustal thinning trends related to late Cretaceous extension phases. This work highlights the need to review and update structural elements. For example, the boundary between the Otway and Sorell basins is now geologically constrained. The refinements to the tectonostratigraphic evolution of the Otway Basin presented here have important implications for the distribution and potential maturity of petroleum systems, especially with regard to heat flow associated with crustal extension. Presented at the 2024 Australian Energy Producers Conference & Exhibition (AEP) (https://energyproducersconference.au/conference/)

  • <div>The Sherbrook Supersequence (Campanian–Maastrichtian) is the youngest of four Cretaceous supersequences in the Otway Basin and was deposited during a phase of crustal extension. Supersequence thickness is typically less than 1000 ms TWT across the inboard platform. Beyond the platform edge up to 2 800 ms TWT of Sherbrook sediments were deposited in the deep-water Morum and Nelson sub-basins. Analysis of wireline-logs and cores from wells yielded fluvial, deltaic, coastal shelf gross depositional environments (GDEs). As the number of regionally mappable seismic facies is much less than the number of well-based GDEs, the integration of well-based environmental interpretations with seismic facies resulted in three main regional GDE (RGDE); Fluvial Plain, Coastal/Delta Plain, and Shelf. The Fluvial Plain and Coastal/Deltaic RGDEs are almost entirely restricted to the inboard platform areas of the basin. The mud-prone Shelf RGDE is widespread across the deep-water part of the basin where it forms the depocentres of the Morum and Nelson sub-basins. The Shelf RGDE is well imaged on the Otway 2020 2D seismic data that was acquired over the deep-water Otway Basin. In the Morum Sub-basin, the Shelf RGDE is strongly influenced by growth on extensional faults. In contrast, the Shelf RGDE in the Nelson Sub-bsin is a relatively unstructured progradational complex. The presence of mass-transport and incision complexes are consistent with active tectonism during Sherbrook deposition. Reservoir rocks in the deep-water basin are best developed in the Coastal/Deltaic RGDE where it encroaches into the Morum Sub-basin, and where the Austral 3 petroleum system was potentially active within the Sherbrook Supersequence.&nbsp;</div> This presentation was given at the 2023 Australasian Exploration Geoscience Conference (AEGC) 13-18 March, Brisbane (https://2023.aegc.com.au/)