Hydrocarbon Seepage Features on the Yampi Shelf, Northwest Australia

Active present-day hydrocarbon seepage has been imaged for the first time in Australia on the tropical carbonate Yampi Shelf, in 50 and 90 m water depth. The dataset, from the Australian Ocean Data Network, describes seabed features like gas plumes, reflective blocks, pockmarks, and mounds, and their correlation with subsurface geophysical data. It was last updated on 2026-06-04.

Use Cases

• Correlating seabed seepage features with subsurface seismic anomalies like signal attenuation and bright spots.
• Analyzing the influence of macro-tidal cycles on seepage activity and intensity.
• Modeling hydrocarbon migration pathways controlled by reactivated basement fractures and dykes.
• Studying the preservation of seepage features in high-energy, coarse bioclastic sediment environments.

Strengths

• Describes the first imaging of active hydrocarbon seepage in Australia on a tropical carbonate shelf.
• Includes observations at two specific water depths: 50 and 90 meters.
• Correlates multiple data types: seabed features, water column plumes, and subsurface geophysical data.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count and dataset scale are unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.

Provenance

Source

Australian Ocean Data Network

Collection Method

Geophysical imaging and analysis of seabed and subsurface features.

Time Range

Present-day (time of study not specified)

Freshness

Last updated 2026-06-04 06:38:12.820078; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Yampi Shelf, Northwest Australia