Hydrocarbon Families of the NW Shelf: Molecular and Isotopic Composition of Oils and Gases

A 2006 regional synthesis documents biomarker and isotopic analyses of approximately 300 North West Shelf oil and condensate samples, statistically characterized into genetically related families. The dataset also includes carbon and hydrogen isotopic signatures for about 50 gas samples and existing molecular data for roughly 1000 gas samples. It was presented at the 2006 AAPG International Conference and Exhibition and is hosted by the Australian Ocean Data Network.

Use Cases

• Classify oil and gas samples into genetic families based on biomarker signatures mentioned in the description.
• Model regional trends in gas composition based on wetness and non-combustible gas data.
• Correlate petroleum accumulations to source rocks of specific geological ages (e.g., Triassic–Jurassic).
• Study the effects of maturity differences and secondary alteration processes on hydrocarbon signatures.

Strengths

• Includes biomarker data for approximately 300 oil/condensate samples.
• Incorporates isotopic and molecular data for a combined total of about 1050 gas samples.
• Provides a regional synthesis covering multiple major basins (Bonaparte, Browse, Carnarvon).

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
• Data is presented in a PDF format, which may complicate direct computational analysis.

Provenance

Source

Australian Ocean Data Network

Collection Method

Laboratory analysis (biomarker and isotopic) of collected samples, combined with statistical characterization.

Time Range

Samples likely collected over the 50+ years of exploration prior to 2006; analysis presented in 2006.

Freshness

Last updated 2026-06-05 07:12:59.784839; freshness should be verified.

Geography

North West Shelf of Australia, specifically the Bonaparte, Browse, and Carnarvon basins.