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

North West Shelf petroleum accumulations from the Bonaparte, Browse, and Carnarvon basins are analyzed. The dataset includes biomarker and isotopic analyses of approximately 300 oil/condensate samples and isotopic signatures for about 50 gas samples, with existing molecular data for around 1000 gas samples. The synthesis was presented at the 2006 AAPG International Conference and Exhibition.

Use Cases

• Classify genetically related oil families based on biomarker signatures mentioned in the description
• Model regional trends in gas wetness and non-combustible gas abundance based on molecular data
• Identify source rock age and depositional environment (e.g., marine rift-fill, fluvio-deltaic) from geochemical characteristics
• Assess the impact of maturity differences, multiple charging, and secondary alteration processes on oil signatures

Strengths

• Includes biomarker and isotopic analyses for approximately 300 oil/condensate samples
• Incorporates carbon and hydrogen isotopic signatures for about 50 gas samples and existing molecular data for around 1000 gas samples
• Provides a regional synthesis covering three major basins (Bonaparte, Browse, Carnarvon) over a fifty-year discovery period

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment
• Data may reflect geographic bias inherent to the North West Shelf region

Provenance

Source

Geoscience Australia Data

Collection Method

Statistical characterization of geochemical analyses from petroleum accumulations

Time Range

Samples collected over the last fifty years prior to 2006

Freshness

Last updated 2026-03-25 16:12:00.765622; freshness should be verified

Geography

North West Shelf of Australia, including Bonaparte, Browse, and Carnarvon basins