Resource potential of the Proterozoic−Paleozoic Carrara depocentre, South Nicholson region, Australia  


Authors / CoAuthors

Grosjean, E. | Jarrett, A.J.M | Boreham, C.J. | Wang, L. | Johnson, L. | Hope, J.M. | Ranasinghe, P. | Brocks, J.J. | Bailey, A. H. E. | Butcher, G.A. | Carson, C.J.

Abstract

A comprehensive geochemical program was carried out on rock samples collected in the NDI Carrara 1 drill hole, the first stratigraphic test of the newly discovered Carrara Sub-basin located in the South Nicholson region of northern Australia. The drill hole recovered continuous core from 284 m to total depth at 1750 m and intersected approximately 1120 m of Proterozoic sedimentary rocks, unconformably overlain by 630 m of Cambrian Georgina Basin carbonate-rich rocks. Total organic carbon (TOC) contents from Rock-Eval pyrolysis highlight the potential for several thick black shales to be a source of petroleum for conventional and unconventional plays. Cambrian rocks contain an organic-rich section with TOC contents of up to 4.7 wt.% and excellent oil-generating potential. The Proterozoic section is overmature for oil generation but mature for gas generation, with potential for generating gas in carbonaceous mudstones showing TOC contents up to 5.5 wt.% between 680 and 725 m depth. A sustained release of methane (up to 2%) recorded during drilling from 1150 to 1500 m suggests potential for an unconventional gas system in the Proterozoic rocks from 950 to 1415 m depth, which exhibit favourable organic richness and thermal maturity. The Proterozoic rocks, which are comparable in age to the sediment-hosted deposits of the Century Mine, contain local occurrences of lead, zinc and copper sulfide minerals providing hints of mineralisation. The combined geochemical results offer the promise of a potential new resource province in northern Australia. <b>Citation:</b> E. Grosjean, A.J.M. Jarrett, C.J. Boreham, L. Wang, L. Johnson, J.M. Hope, P. Ranasinghe, J.J. Brocks, A.H.E. Bailey, G.A. Butcher, C.J. Carson, Resource potential of the Proterozoic–Paleozoic Carrara depocentre, South Nicholson region, Australia: Insights from stratigraphic drilling, <i>Organic Geochemistry</i>, Volume 186, 2023, 104688, ISSN 0146-6380, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.orggeochem.2023.104688.

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document

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147498

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Commonwealth of Australia (Geoscience Australia)  
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Keywords

( Project )
  • EFTF – Exploring for the Future
( Project )
  • MinEx CRC – Mineral Exploration Cooperative Research Centre
( Project )
  • South Nicholson National Drilling Initiative
  • petroleum exploration
  • Carrara Sub-basin
  • NDI Carrara 1
  • South Nicholson region
theme.ANZRC Fields of Research.rdf
  • Inorganic GeochemistryOrganic GeochemistryExploration Geochemistry
  • Published_External
( Project )
  • Barkly-Isa-Georgetown

Publication Date

2023-12-06T04:01:45

Creation Date

2022-12-03T05:00:00

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Australian Government Security Classification System    

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Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International Licence    

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completed

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Publication for submission to Organic Geochemistry Journal

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geoscientificInformation

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Organic Geochemistry Volume 186, December 2023, 104688

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<div>Publication for an international peer-reviewed journal using data acquired during the EFTF South Nicholson National Drilling Initiative</div>

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[22.00, 17.00, 134.00, 140.00]

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