Onshore Canning Basin Geology and Resource Assessment

Geological data for the onshore Canning Basin, a large intracratonic basin in Western Australia. The dataset describes five major periods of sedimentation, including Devonian reef-carbonates and Jurassic sandstones, with sequences up to 18 km thick. Compiled by the Australian Ocean Data Network, the metadata was last updated in April 2026.

Use Cases

• Identify hydrocarbon source and reservoir rocks within the described Phanerozoic sedimentary sequences.
• Map potential petroleum trap structures, specifically Devonian reefs and the overlying Fairfield Group.
• Assess groundwater prospects in Jurassic sandstones, Tertiary valley calcrete, and Quaternary alluvium features.
• Study basin evolution through five major sedimentation periods and associated tectonic events like the Fenton Fault System.
• Analyze the Cainozoic palaeodrainage system and sediment deposition in response to fluctuating sea levels.

Strengths

• Describes sedimentary rock sequences up to 18 km thick.
• Covers five major periods of sedimentation from the Early Ordovician to the Cainozoic.
• Identifies specific resource prospects including Devonian reefs and Jurassic sandstones.

Limitations

• Specific row counts, column names, and sample data are unavailable.
• Primary data formats are PDF and HTML, not machine-readable tabular data.
• Geographic coverage is limited to the onshore portion of the Canning Basin.

Provenance

Source

Australian Ocean Data Network.

Collection Method

Compiled from reconnaissance mapping, drilling, and geophysical data.

Time Range

Covers geological periods from the Early Ordovician to the Cainozoic.

Freshness

Metadata was last updated in April 2026.

Geography

Onshore Canning Basin, located between the Halls Creek Province and the Pilbara Block in Western Australia.