Authors / CoAuthors
Smith, E.R.
Abstract
The Bureau of Mineral Resources has again'extended its geophysical programme in the search for oil to the continental shelf area of Australia by carrying out a combined gravity, and seismic survey in the Timor Sea/Joseph Bonaparte Gulf area of northwest Australia. The survey investigated the capabilities of the surface marine gravity meter for reconnaissance gravitywork at sea, and the penetration and quality of seismic reflections obtainable using a spark discharge source consisting of an array of electrodes. The possibility of operating the two methods simultaneously was also investigated. The seismic reflection sections recorded were much better than expected, with good-quality reflections being recorded to 1.6.sec. the gravity meter and seismic'equiPment were operated simultaneously at boat speeds of 8 to 9 miles per hour. The-seismic results have shown that a large Permian and Mesozoic sedimentary basin exists in the Joseph Bonaparte Gulf and extends to the north and north-west into the Timor Sea. It is an offshore extension of the Bonaparte Gulf Basin, and contains at least 10,000 feet of post-Permian sediments. .Although the trends of the gravity anomalies agree with the general shape of the basin as defined by the seismic results, a large positive anomaly occupies the central deep part of the basinand does not seem to be related to basement relief.
Product Type
dataset
eCat Id
76451
Contact for the resource
Custodian
Owner
Custodian
Cnr Jerrabomberra Ave and Hindmarsh Dr GPO Box 378
Canberra
ACT
2601
Australia
Keywords
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- Seismic Dataseismic survey
- ( Theme )
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- seismic reflection
- ( Theme )
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- geophysics
- ( Theme )
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- seismic velocity
- ( Theme )
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- petroleum exploration
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- AU-WA
- Australian and New Zealand Standard Research Classification (ANZSRC)
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- Seismology and Seismic Exploration
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- Published_External
Publication Date
1966-01-01T00:00:00
Creation Date
Security Constraints
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Status
Purpose
Maintenance Information
asNeeded
Topic Category
geoscientificInformation
Series Information
Record
Lineage
In recent years the search for Oil in Australia has been extended to the continental shelf, and in line with this trend, the Bureau of Minera Resources considered it desirable to extend its surface geophysical reconnaissance programme to offshore areas. As an initial experiment, a combined surface marine gravity and seismic sparker survey was conceived. Both of these methods are relatively new as exploration techniques and are still being developed. They required testing to see whether each was suitable for the type of reconnaissance work envisaged, and whether they could be operated simultaneously. The area selected for the survey was the Timor. Sea/Joseph Bonaparte Gulf area in north-west Australia, covering the probable seaward extension of the Bonaparte Gulf Basin. On land this Basin is known to contain up to 15,000 feet of marine Palaeozoic sediments, and appears to be plunging to the north-north-west beneath the Joseph Bonaparte Gulf. The survey was aimed at revealing the major tectonic features of the shelf and in particular to outline the margins of the Bonaparte Gulf Basin.
Parent Information
Extents
[-15.0, -9.5, 127.0, 137.0]
Reference System
Spatial Resolution
Service Information
Associations
Source Information
Source data not available.