Geochemical Evidence for Photic Zone Euxinia in the Late Devonian Canning Basin

Geoscience Australia provides geochemical data from the Canning Basin in Western Australia, focusing on the Givetian–Frasnian stages of the Late Devonian period. The dataset includes biomarker assemblages such as hopane, sterane, and carotenoids from rock extracts and oils, used to study photic zone euxinia and its implications for petroleum source rock formation. The data underpins research published in the journal Marine and Petroleum Geology in 2018.

Use Cases

• Correlating oil samples to source rocks based on biomarker assemblages like hopane and sterane.
• Modeling paleoenvironmental conditions of photic zone euxinia in the Fitzroy Trough.
• Assessing the petroleum generation potential of Devonian shales in the Canning Basin.
• Studying the relationship between nutrient supply, algal activity, and episodic anoxia on the Lennard Shelf.

Strengths

• Data is linked to a peer-reviewed publication in Marine and Petroleum Geology (Volume 93, 2018).
• Geographic scope is specific to the Canning Basin, with analysis from distinct margins (Lennard Shelf, Barbwire Terrace).
• Includes biomarker data (hopane, sterane, carotenoids) used for oil-source rock correlation.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
• Data freshness should be verified; the last metadata update is listed as 2026-04-20.

Provenance

Source

Geoscience Australia Data

Collection Method

Geochemical analysis of rock extracts and oils, likely involving biomarker and isotopic measurements.

Time Range

Givetian–Frasnian stages of the Middle to Late Devonian period.

Freshness

Last updated 2026-04-20 02:55:21.285707; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Canning Basin, Western Australia, specifically the Lennard Shelf and Barbwire Terrace margins of the Fitzroy Trough.