Great Artesian Basin 3D Vshale Model for Aquifer Geometry

2,310 wells across four Australian basins were analyzed to calculate volume of shale (Vshale) values for this 3D geological model. The data package, produced by Geoscience Australia's National Groundwater Systems Project, provides a refined architecture of aquifer and aquitard geometry across 18 hydrogeological units. It helps assess the impact of water use and climate change on groundwater systems.

Use Cases

• Modeling aquifer and aquitard geometry based on 3D Vshale values.
• Identifying potential preferential groundwater flow paths based on sand body development.
• Mapping groundwater knowledge at a basin-wide scale to identify areas for long-term monitoring.
• Assessing the impact of water use and climate change on groundwater systems based on the integrated 3D framework.

Strengths

• Model is based on data from 2,310 wells across four major basins.
• Provides a refined 3D architecture for 18 distinct hydrogeological units.
• Builds upon a previous iteration with additional borehole, airborne electromagnetic, and seismic data.

Limitations

• Description metadata is limited; actual data quality requires manual inspection after download.
• Data gaps and the need to integrate petrophysics and hydrogeological data are noted as limitations.
• Incorporating major faults and other structures is noted as a needed enhancement.

Provenance

Source

Geoscience Australia's National Groundwater Systems Project.

Collection Method

Vshale values calculated from well data, integrated with 3D geological and hydrogeological surfaces.

Freshness

Last updated 2026-06-17 01:44:03.057313; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Great Artesian Basin and Lake Eyre Basin in Eastern Australia, specifically covering the Surat, Eromanga, Carpentaria, and Lake Eyre basins.