Australian Borehole Database for Resource Exploration

Geoscience Australia's BOREHOLE database consolidates header and directional survey data from thousands of boreholes. It includes offshore Commonwealth resource exploration holes, onshore mineral, groundwater, and geothermal bores, and some international research holes. The data is curated by Geoscience Australia from state, territory, and Commonwealth regulatory authorities for research purposes.

Use Cases

• Map subsurface stratigraphy using borehole header location and depth data.
• Model groundwater aquifer extent by analyzing onshore borehole records.
• Plan directional drilling paths for offshore energy exploration using directional survey data.
• Identify regions for mineral exploration by correlating borehole data with geological formations.

Strengths

• Includes data from Australian Commonwealth offshore jurisdictions, a key area for resource exploration.
• Sourced from multiple government regulatory authorities, providing official records.
• Contains directional survey data, enabling 3D modeling of borehole paths.

Limitations

• Sample size and total row count are unknown, limiting assessment of coverage.
• Contains a selection of onshore boreholes, not a complete national census.
• Data freshness is unclear as the update date is far in the future (2026-04-04), suggesting a placeholder.

Provenance

Source

Geoscience Australia and predecessor organisations (BMR, AGSO), plus state, territory, and Commonwealth regulatory authorities.

Collection Method

Compiled from boreholes drilled by GA and data sourced from various government regulatory authorities for research.

Geography

Primarily Australian onshore and Commonwealth offshore marine jurisdictions, with some international research holes.