South Australia's O.D.N.L. Penola No. 1 Well was drilled in 1961 to a depth of 4,985 feet to test the petroleum potential of the Coonawarra subsurface structure. The operation, conducted by Oil Development N.L., included electric and mud logging, testing, and coring, and documented a sequence of Tertiary and Mesozoic rocks. The well was abandoned as a dry hole on May 5, 1961, after encountering only minor, non-commercial gas showings.
Use Cases
- Analyze historical drilling operations and outcomes based on the detailed description of the well's timeline and abandonment.
- Study subsurface stratigraphy and geological formations based on the described sequence of Oligocene to Upper Jurassic rocks.
- Model petroleum potential in the Coonawarra region based on the seismic reflection traverse and structural testing described.
- Compare drilling technologies and logging practices from the early 1960s based on the specified rig and contractor details.
Strengths
- Provides specific operational details including exact start date (7th February, 1961), end date (5th May, 1961), and total depth (4985 feet).
- Contains detailed geological descriptions with formation names, thicknesses, and interpreted ages down to the foot level.
Limitations
- Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
- Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
- Data may reflect geographic/temporal bias inherent to data_gov_au as a single, historical well log.
Provenance
- Source
- Australian Ocean Data Network
- Collection Method
- Drilling operation with electric and mud logging, testing, and coring.
- Time Range
- Drilling occurred from February 7, 1961 to May 5, 1961.
- Freshness
- Last updated 2026-06-23 04:00:47.451011; freshness should be verified.
- Geography
- Penola No. 1 Well, located in the north-east corner of Section 500, Hundred of Penola, South Australia.