Late Devonian Photic Zone Euxinia and Oil Source Rock Data from Canning Basin

2018 research data from the Canning Basin in Western Australia analyzes photic zone euxinia (PZE) and oil source rock correlations during the Givetian–Frasnian stages of the Middle–Late Devonian period. The study provides geochemical evidence for PZE on the northern Lennard Shelf and southern Barbwire Terrace margins of the Fitzroy Trough, linking biomarker assemblages from rock extracts to specific oil fields. It examines the extent and persistence of PZE and its implications for petroleum source rock formation.

Use Cases

• Correlate hopane, sterane, and carotenoids abundances from rock extracts to specific oil fields like Blina-1 for source rock identification.
• Analyze geochemical evidence for photic zone euxinia (PZE) to model anoxic conditions across the Lennard Shelf and Barbwire Terrace margins.
• Compare biomarker assemblages from the Gogo Formation and Barbwire Terrace extracts to assess genetic affinity of oils like Mirbelia-1.
• Investigate the relationship between episodic PZE pulses, high algal activity, and nutrient supply on the Lennard Shelf for paleoenvironmental reconstruction.

Strengths

• Data is derived from a peer-reviewed 2018 publication in Marine and Petroleum Geology, providing authoritative geochemical analysis.
• Study covers two distinct geographical margins within the Canning Basin: the Lennard Shelf and the Barbwire Terrace.
• Analysis includes specific biomarker assemblages (hopane, sterane, carotenoids) for detailed oil-to-source rock correlations.

Limitations

• The dataset is presented as an HTML publication page; underlying raw geochemical measurements or tabular data are not directly provided.
• Focus is limited to the Canning Basin during the Middle–Late Devonian, restricting geographical and temporal generalizability.
• Source rock correlations for the Mirbelia-1 oil are described as not definitive, indicating unresolved genetic links.

Provenance

Source

Geoscience Australia Data via data.gov.au, originating from a 2018 research article in Marine and Petroleum Geology.

Collection Method

Geochemical analysis of rock extracts and oils, including biomarker (hopane, sterane, carotenoids) assessments.

Time Range

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

Freshness

Metadata last updated March 2026, but the core research data is from the 2018 publication.

Geography

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