Great Artesian Basin Vshale Model: 3D Hydrogeological Surfaces for Eastern Australia

Eastern Australia's Great Artesian and Lake Eyre Basins are covered by this 3D geological model populated with volume of shale (Vshale) values calculated from 2,310 wells. The data package, produced by Geoscience Australia's National Groundwater Systems Project, provides a refined architecture of 18 hydrogeological units. It builds on a first iteration and infills previous data gaps with additional borehole, airborne electromagnetic, and seismic interpretation.

Use Cases

• Refining aquifer and aquitard geometry based on 3D Vshale modelling.
• Mapping sand body development and hydraulic characteristics within aquifers and aquitards.
• Identifying potential preferential groundwater flow paths based on regional sand-rich extents.
• Assessing aquifer compartmentalisation within and between the Great Artesian and Lake Eyre Basins.
• Supporting groundwater management decisions and climate impact assessments using the common 3D framework.

Strengths

• Vshale values calculated from a substantial sample of 2,310 wells.
• Covers four major basins: Surat, Eromanga, Carpentaria, and Lake Eyre.
• Models 18 distinct hydrogeological units for detailed structural analysis.
• Builds on previous work and infills data gaps with multiple data sources (borehole, AEM, seismic).

Limitations

• Description metadata is limited; actual data quality requires manual inspection after download.
• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• The description notes inherent limitations requiring further study, including data gaps and the need to integrate petrophysics and major faults.

Provenance

Source

Geoscience Australia's National Groundwater Systems Project, part of the Exploring for the Future program.

Collection Method

3D geological and hydrogeological modelling based on well data, airborne electromagnetic, and seismic interpretation.

Time Range

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Freshness

Last updated 2026-04-10 17:04:16.679799; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Eastern Australia, covering the Great Artesian Basin and Lake Eyre Basin.