ODNL Penola No 1 Well: Geological Log of a 1961 South Australian Exploration Bore

4985 feet deep, the O.D.N.L. Penola No. 1 well was drilled between 7th February and 5th May 1961 to test the Coonawarra subsurface structure for petroleum. It documents a geological sequence from Oligocene to probable Upper Jurassic, including the Gambier Limestone, Compton Conglomerate, and formations within the Runnymede and Merino Groups. Minor gas showings were recorded, but the well was abandoned as a dry hole.

Use Cases

• Stratigraphic analysis based on detailed formation depths and lithologies described in the log.
• Historical reconstruction of petroleum exploration activities in the Penola region during the 1960s.
• Assessment of non-commercial hydrocarbon shows for regional basin modeling.
• Study of drilling techniques and contractor history using specified rig and company details.

Strengths

• Provides highly specific operational details, including exact start/end dates, total depth (4985 feet), and drilling contractor.
• Contains a detailed stratigraphic column with formation names, thicknesses (e.g., 215 feet of Gambier Limestone), and interpreted ages.
• Cross-platform presence on data.gov.au suggests it is a recognized geological record.

Limitations

• Core data structure is unclear; columns are listed as 'unknown', suggesting the primary data may be an unstructured text report.
• Metadata is incomplete, with no specified row count, file size, license, or definitive author.
• Conflicting 'last updated' dates (2026-06-04 and 2026-05-04) create uncertainty about versioning.

Provenance

Source

Australian Ocean Data Network, likely originating from a GA (Geoscience Australia) or other publication.

Collection Method

Data was gathered through a drilling program that included electric and mud logging, testing, and coring.

Time Range

1961 (drilling period). The log describes geological formations from the Oligocene to the Upper Jurassic.

Freshness

Last updated: 2026-06-04 08:00:32.632968

Geography

North-east corner of Section 500, Hundred of Penola, South Australia.