Forty-two major Mesozoic lithofacies types were recovered from an extensive dredging program in 1990. The Australian Ocean Data Network hosts this geological dataset from offshore northwest Australia. Rocks indicate Late Triassic shelf carbonates and volcanics, with depositional conditions similar to other southern Tethyan margins.
Use Cases
- Interpret seismic data based on geological control from dredged samples
- Model Late Triassic reefal petroleum reservoir potential based on described facies
- Compare depositional conditions across Neo-Tethys margins using described facies and microfaunas
- Study the transition from fluvial-paralic siliciclastics to deeper-water deposits during Jurassic-Cretaceous margin subsidence
Strengths
- 42 distinct lithofacies types were identified and recovered
- Provides direct geological control for seismic interpretations
- Describes a clear temporal sequence from Late Triassic to Early Cretaceous
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/temporal bias inherent to data_gov_au
Provenance
- Source
- Australian Ocean Data Network
- Collection Method
- Dredging program undertaken by AGSO in 1990
- Time Range
- Mesozoic era, specifically Late Triassic to Early Cretaceous
- Freshness
- Last updated 2026-04-16 13:52:30.873089; freshness should be verified
- Geography
- Northern Exmouth Plateau and Rowley Terrace, offshore northwest Australia