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

Drilled between 7th February and 5th May 1961, this dataset documents the O.D.N.L. Penola No. 1 Well, a dry hole drilled to 4985 feet in South Australia. The operation was conducted by Oil Development N.L. under a farm-out agreement, with logging by Geoscience Australia. The description details the geological sequence penetrated, from Oligocene Gambier Limestone to probable Upper Jurassic Mocamboro Member.

Use Cases

• Stratigraphic correlation based on the detailed geological sequence from Oligocene to Jurassic.
• Analyzing historical drilling outcomes and dry hole characteristics based on the well's abandonment details.
• Studying seismic interpretation efficacy based on the structure first detected by a single reconnaissance seismic traverse.
• Researching minor gas showings in non-commercial contexts as described in the log.

Strengths

• Provides precise operational dates (7 Feb - 5 May 1961) and total depth (4985 feet).
• Contains a detailed lithostratigraphic column with formation names and thicknesses (e.g., 215 feet of Gambier Limestone).
• Documents specific equipment used (Failing 2500 - Holemaster rig) and the drilling contractor.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
• Data is contained in PDF/HTML reports, not in a structured, machine-readable tabular format.

Provenance

Source

Geoscience Australia Data

Collection Method

Drilling and subsequent geological logging during the well operation, including electric and mud logging, testing, and coring.

Time Range

1961 (drilling period)

Freshness

Last updated 2026-04-20 03:45:46.252228; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Penola, South Australia, specifically the north-east corner of Section 500, Hundred of Penola.