Authors / CoAuthors
Norvick, M.S. | Langford, R.P. | Rollet, N. | Hashimoto, T. | Earl, K.L. | Morse, M.P.
Abstract
New seismic, gravity and magnetic data over the Capel and Faust basins have allowed improved resolution of the basin architecture and a better appreciation of the stratigraphy, terrane evolution and palaeogeography. Preliminary interpretation suggests that the Capel Basin contains several depocentres with up to 4 seconds two-way time (s TWT) sediment thickness, up to 150 km long and 40 km wide. Grabens appear to contain Lower Cretaceous syn-rift volcanics, Turonian-Maastrichtian syn-rift clastic megasequences and a Maastrichtian-Recent bathyal post-rift phase. There may also be a Lower-Middle Jurassic pre-rift sequence, possibly an equivalent of the Clarence-Moreton coal measures. Total Jurassic-Recent sediment thickness may be as much as 6-7 km. A number of smaller grabens characterise the Faust Basin to the east and the southern part of the Capel Basin. Stratigraphic complexity was driven by multiple extension events. Subsequent discrete seafloor spreading events resulted in the sequential formation of the Tasman Sea, and possibly the Middleton Basin, proto-Loyalty Basin, and central New Caledonia Basin. Plate reconstructions indicate that the Capel Basin was located adjacent to the northern edge of the Sydney Basin prior to breakup. The junction between the Capel and Faust Basins is a major fault system, which may have exploited a Middle Triassic collision suture between the New England Orogen and equivalents of the Maitai Murihiku terranes of New Zealand. The interpreted Lower Cretaceous volcanics are expected to correlate with the Lower Cretaceous igneous complexes and associated volcanogenic sediments in Queensland, Bass Strait and New Zealand. Sediment analogues of the mid-Cretaceous rift fill in the Capel-Faust area can possibly be found in Gippsland and the Great South Basin, but exact correlations will be difficult because of the diachronous breakup of Tasman continental ribbons. The Capel Basin in particular may contain sediments capable of generating gas and perhaps some liquids such as those seen in Clarence-Moreton and Great South basins.
Product Type
nonGeographicDataset
eCat Id
65688
Contact for the resource
Custodian
Point of contact
Cnr Jerrabomberra Ave and Hindmarsh Dr GPO Box 378
Canberra
ACT
2601
Australia
Keywords
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- External Publication
- ( Theme )
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- stratigraphy
- ( Theme )
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- plate tectonics
- ( Theme )
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- palaeogeography
- ( Theme )
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- petroleum exploration
- ( Theme )
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- marine
- Australian and New Zealand Standard Research Classification (ANZSRC)
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- Earth Sciences
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- Published_Internal
Publication Date
2008-01-01T00:00:00
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unknown
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geoscientificInformation
Series Information
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Unknown
Parent Information
Extents
[-40.0, -20.0, 150.0, 170.0]
Reference System
Spatial Resolution
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