Australia’s Future Energy Resources (AFER) Project - Regional Geology of the Pedirka and western Eromanga basins

Authors / CoAuthors

Bernecker, T. | Bradshaw, B. | Jeremy Iwanec | Bradey, K. | Owens, R.

Abstract

<div>As part of the Exploring For The Future (EFTF) program, the Australia’s Future Energy Resources (AFER) project has investigated the potential of energy resource commodities in the Pedirka/western Eromanga basins region targeting conventional and unconventional hydrocarbons as well as evaluating the suitability of sedimentary sections to store carbon dioxide.</div><div>The interpretation of new biostratigraphic and reprocessed seismic data provided new insights into the regional geology of this previously explored region. The Permian, Triassic and Jurassic depositional history of the study area is largely recorded by extensive fluvial-lacustrine sediments, including changes from braided to meandering river systems and sustained periods of flood-plain environments in which thick sequences of coal-bearing strata developed. During the Cretaceous, expanding shallow marine environments were established in the western part of the Pedirka/western Eromanga region.</div><div>Age-control obtained from palynological analysis and the mapping of key seismic horizons yielded an improved understanding of the extent and character of unconformities which define breaks and changes in depositional processes. Results from new regional stratigraphic correlations initiated a comprehensive review of previously established basin definitions in the greater Pedirka/western Eromanga area. </div><div>While confirming the stacked nature of these basins which hold sedimentary records from the early Paleozoic to the Late Cretaceous, changes to stratigraphic basin boundaries have been applied to more correctly reflect the impact of unconformity related depositional breaks. As a result, the Lower and Middle Triassic Walkandi Formation is now assigned to the upper section of the Pedirka Basin, while the Upper Triassic Peera Peera Formation represents commencement of deposition in the western Eromanga Basin, thereby abandoning the recognition of the Simpson Basin as a separate Triassic depocenter. </div><div><br></div><div><br></div>

Product Type

document

eCat Id

149701

Contact for the resource

Resource provider

Point of contact

Commonwealth of Australia (Geoscience Australia)
Cnr Jerrabomberra Ave and Hindmarsh Dr GPO Box 378
Canberra
ACT
2601
Australia

Point of contact

Digital Object Identifier

https://dx.doi.org/10.26186/149701

Keywords

( Project )

EFTF – Exploring for the Future

( Project )

Australia’s Future Energy Resources

( Project )

Energy Resource Assessment Module

Pedirka Basin

western Eromanga Basin

Stratigraphy

Chronostratigraphy

structural architecture

theme.ANZRC Fields of Research.rdf

Stratigraphy (incl. biostratigraphysequence stratigraphy and basin analysis)

Published_External

Publication Date

2024-07-31T05:53:20

Creation Date

2024-06-19T20:00:00

Security Constraints

Australian Government Security Classification System

Classification - unclassified

Legal Constraints

Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International Licence

Use - license otherRestrictions

Status

completed

Purpose

The product provides a high-level overview of the AFER Project's geological analysis of the Pedirka and western Eromanga Basin to inform regulators and policy makers at State/Territory and Federal government levels, as well as energy industry stakeholders.

Maintenance Information

notPlanned

Topic Category

geoscientificInformation

Series Information

GA Record 2024/38

Lineage

<div>The report summarises the previous and new geological understanding of the Pedirka and western Eromanga basins, which are related to the results recorded in digital data package (ECAT 149501).</div>

Parent Information

Extents

[-44, -9, 112, 154]

Reference System

Spatial Resolution

Service Information

Associations