BMR Cruise 067: Marine Geology and Hydrocarbon Data from Otway Basin

130 sampling stations from a 1987 research cruise provide geological, geochemical, and heatflow data from the Otway and Sorell Basins. Heatflow calculations from 20 stations indicate the zone of thermal maturation for hydrocarbons is 2-4 km deep. Headspace gas analyses show widespread thermogenic hydrocarbons, suggesting mature source rocks are common in the region.

Use Cases

• Modeling hydrocarbon maturation zones based on heatflow measurements from 20 stations.
• Correlating rock sample lithology and age with seismic profiles for regional geological framework integration.
• Assessing petroleum source rock potential using headspace gas analysis results from sediment cores.
• Developing sedimentation models for the continental slope using recovered Quaternary sediments.

Strengths

• Data is spatially referenced to 130 distinct sampling stations along seismic profiles.
• Includes specific quantitative findings, such as a 2-4 km depth for the hydrocarbon maturation zone.
• Samples cover a wide temporal range, from Palaeozoic to Quaternary geological periods.

Limitations

• Column names and specific data structure are unknown, limiting immediate analytical use.
• Key metadata such as license, author, and precise row counts are not provided.
• The dataset's primary format is listed as PDF/HTML, suggesting it may be a report rather than structured data.

Provenance

Source

Australian Ocean Data Network, likely originating from Geoscience Australia (GA Publication).

Collection Method

Sampling during a 29-day marine research cruise using dredges, corers, grabs, and a heatflow probe.

Time Range

1987 (cruise date). Samples represent rocks from Palaeozoic to Quaternary periods.

Freshness

Last updated metadata dates range from 2026-04-10 to 2026-06-04, but the underlying data is from 1987.

Geography

Otway Basin and Sorell Basin of the west Tasmanian margin, Australia.