AGSO Marine Survey 176: Hydrocarbon Seepage Data from North-West Australia (1996)

North-west Australian continental margin data was collected by the Australian Geological Survey Organisation from 28 July to 02 September 1996. The survey acquired 3535 line km of water column geochemical 'sniffer' data to detect natural hydrocarbon seepage on the Yampi Shelf, southern Vulcan Sub-basin, and Sahul Platform. It also tested a new high-resolution seismic cable and collected eight gravity cores.

Use Cases

• Mapping hydrocarbon seepage intensity based on the reported concentrations of thermogenic and methane gas.
• Correlating seepage locations with geological features like the thinning regional seal on the Kimberley Block basement.
• Analyzing gas composition (dry vs. wet) to infer subsurface processes around known fields like Skua, East Swan, and Eclipse.

Strengths

• Covers a significant survey area with 3535 line km of acquired data.
• Includes multi-modal data from sniffer measurements, seismic cable tests, and eight gravity cores.
• Provides specific, localized findings on seepage areas, such as very high gas concentrations on the Yampi Shelf.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
• Data may reflect geographic and temporal bias inherent to the 1996 survey period.

Provenance

Source

Australian Geological Survey Organisation (AGSO), via Australian Ocean Data Network.

Collection Method

Marine survey using the RV Rig Seismic, employing a water column geochemical 'sniffer' program, high-resolution seismic cable, and gravity coring.

Time Range

28 July to 02 September 1996.

Freshness

Last updated 2026-06-05 07:56:14.062591; freshness should be verified.

Geography

North-west Australian continental margin, specifically the Yampi Shelf, southern Vulcan Sub-basin, and Sahul Platform.