Woomera Bore 1 was drilled to a depth of 2,005 feet. Four formations were penetrated believed to be of Cambrian and/or Proterozoic age. The nature of these beds suggests that the area has no petroleum prospects. The age of the strata penetrated is uncertain, as no fossils have been observed. No results were obtained from a formation test carried out with the packer set at 1,445 feet.

Kaufana No. 1 Bore was drilled to a depth of 3,380 feet. Thin Pliocene calcareous greywacke unconformably overlies Miocene "f-3" siltstone; this in turn disconformably overlies Miocene "fl-2" siltstone, shale, and greywacke. The Miocene "f-3" Bokama Limestone was not encountered, but may have been represented by a stratigraphic equivalent with a different lithology. No shows of hydrocarbons were observed.

The rig and ancillary gear were shipped by the 300-ton landing barge "Wewak" from Kaufana, Papua, to Wilson Island, a distance of approximately 1,000 miles. They were thence transferred to Wreck Island by the drilling company's landing barge "Tamona" of 47.38 registered tonnage. All stores, supplies, and fresh water were transported 58 miles from Gladstone by the "Tamona". Communications were maintained by an A.W.A. 5A Transceiver with OTC Station VIR Rockhampton. The bore was spudded in at 1400 hours, 7th May, 1959. 12-1/4 inch hole was drilled to 493 feet. Owing to lost circulation, no cuttings could be recovered from the hole, and a laborious system of bailing was resorted to. The 12-1/4 inch pilot hole was opened to 17-1/2 inches, and 13-3/8 inch J55x54.5 lb. STC casing was run to 480 feet. 12-1/4 inch hole was drilled to 1,170 feet, but owing to porous unconsolidated sediments and lost circulation in higher zones it was decided to run and cement 9-5/8 inch J55x40 lb. STC casing at 1,110 feet. 8-1/2 inch hole was then drilled to total depth, 1,898 feet. Recent, Pleistocene, Pliocene, and Miocene sediments were penetrated; basement was encountered at 1,795 feet. Fourteen cores were cut during the drilling of the bore, using a 20-foot Reed K500 "Kor-King" barrel. Both hard and soft formation 5-5/8 inch core heads were used. The hole was logged to total depth with a Failing Logmaster, giving the self-potential, 16 and 63 inch normal and single point resistivity, and gamma ray curves. No shows of oil or gas were noted, and in consequence no drill stem tests were carried out. Three deviation surveys were made; the maximum deviation was 1/2 degree at 1,580 feet. The bore was abandoned as a dry hole by placing cement plugs from 1,160 to 1,060 feet and from 50 feet to surface; a metal name plate affixed to a projecting pipe was welded on to the cap sealing the bore.

The completion report of A.A.O. No. 8, (Karumba) has been wrttten by A.C.M. Laing* and contributions on Petrology by N.C. Stevens,*** Micropalaeontology by I. Crespin,** and Electrical Logging by D.F. Dyson** are appended. The report is one of a series of reports published on bores subsidized under the Petroleum Search Subsidy Act, 1957-58. The hole was put down to determine the stratigraphical sequence of the south-eastern part of the Carpentaria Basin, an extension of the Great Artesian Basin, and to evaluate the significance of a gravity high. The significance of the bore is that the stratigraphical sequence of the area and the depth of hasement are now actually known from drilling evidence. It is the third test bore recently drilled in the Gulf of Carpentaria, on geophysical indications. The other two are Wyaaba No. 1 (Frome-Broken Hill Co. pty Ltd), and Weipa No. 1 (Zinc Corporation Ltd). The stratigraphy encountered in these bores is shown on the correlation chart, Plate 2. A composite well log of A.A.O. No. 8 is attached (Plate I). It is surprising to note from the log that no separate tests were made of the intervals 760-900 feet and 1540-1630 feet. The electrical log for both intervals suggests possibilities of oil, gas, or salt water; a small gas show was actually observed at 1595 feet. * Mines Administration Pty Ltd, Brisbane. ** Bureau of Mineral Resources, Canberra. *** University of Queensland.

A Seismic reflection survey was conducted by the Bureau of Mineral Resources during 1955 7 in the La Grange area of Western Australia. The object orthe Survey was to investigate the sedimentary development of the Canning Basin south of the Fenton Fault. A sedimentary section of at least 4,400 feet and possibly as much as 7,000 to 8,000 feet was indicated. Although no evidence of an angular unconformity was obtained, there is probably a change in the type of sedimentation at 2,760 feet.

In March and April 1959, a seismic party from the Bureau of Mineral Resources extended a seismic survey carried out in 1958 in the Latrobe Valley. A seismic reflection traverse was run across the Latrobe Syncline between Tyers and Traralgon South to determine the structure of the coal measures, the depth of basement and, if possible, the type of basement. Results indicated that the Latrobe Syncline (the structural feature which coincides with the Latrobe River Valley) is a broad syncline in which the strata are more or less horizontally bedded. The maximum thickness of coal measures is about 2200 ft. The survey provided information on the structures of the limbs of the Latrobe syncline and on several minor structures superimposed on the main syncline. It did not, however, show for certain what type of basement rock underlies the coal measures. The survey provided information on the structure of the formations beneath the coal measures; and although some of the seismic data is of poor quality, there is probably an unconformity in the stratigraphic section between 5000 and 9000 ft. Reflections recorded at times as great as 2700 millisec, show that the sediments in the Latrobe Valley are probably between 10,500 and 15,000 ft. deep.

In October and November 1959 a seismic party from the Bureau of Mineral Resources carried out a seismic survey in the Surat Basin, Queensland at the request of Australian Oil and Gas Corporation Ltd. A traverse extending from Surat eastward to within 10 miles of Tara was shot in five-mile sections of continuous reflection profiling with approximately five-mile intervals between the sections.^In addition two refraction traverses were shot near Surat to record velocities and depths of as many horizons as possible. Reflections were of fair to good quality throughout the survey and it was possible to correlate bands of reflections from one five-mile section to the next with considerable certainty. Over most of the traverses four reflecting horizons were followed, and in a few places reflections were obtained from a still deeper fifth horizon. The reflection survey revealed a wide basin between Surat and Cabawin (about 70 miles east of Surat), with its maximum thickness of sediments under Meandarra. The sediments there appear to be at least 19,000 ft thick. A marked anticline was discovered near Cabawtin. The refraction survey, using the "Depth Probing" method, revealed a refractor with a calculated velocity of 20,180 ft/sec situated about 1000 ft below the fourth reflecting horizon.

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These documents have been scanned by the GA Library. Please refer to the document for contents.

These documents have been scanned by the GA Library. Please refer to the document for contents.