AGSO Marine Survey 207: Hydrocarbon Seepage Data from NW Australia (1998)

The NW Australian Margin, from Dampier to west of Darwin, was surveyed for water column hydrocarbons between 21 September and 23 October 1998. The Australian Geological Survey Organisation (AGSO) acquired 4788 line km of 'sniffer' data across 160 survey lines, targeting the Northern Carnarvon Basin, Yampi Shelf, and Southern Bonaparte Basin. The data recorded concentrations of methane and ethane to detect natural hydrocarbon seepage.

Use Cases

• Mapping hydrocarbon seepage probability based on detected methane and ethane concentrations.
• Calibrating seismic interpretation for seal integrity based on areas of confirmed hydrocarbon leakage.
• Analyzing temporal consistency of seepage by comparing 1998 data with earlier 1996 survey results mentioned in the description.
• Modeling regional seal effectiveness in offshore basins based on the correlation between seepage and basement topography.

Strengths

• Covers 4788 line km of geochemical survey data.
• Includes 160 individual survey lines for detailed spatial analysis.
• Provides specific concentration levels (weak to strong) for methane and ethane at named locations like Wandoo B Platform.
• Offers temporal validation with noted repeatability of measurements between 1996 and 1998 surveys 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/temporal bias inherent to the specific 1998 survey campaign.

Provenance

Source

Geoscience Australia Data

Collection Method

Acquired via a regional water column geochemical 'sniffer' program using the contract vessel TSMV Pacific Conquest.

Time Range

21 September to 23 October 1998

Freshness

Last updated 2026-04-20 02:28:29.572053; freshness should be verified.

Geography

NW Australian Margin, including the Northern Carnarvon Basin, offshore Canning Basin, Yampi Shelf, and Southern Bonaparte Basin.