Geoscience Australia's Oracle organic geochemical database comprises analytical results for samples relevant to petroleum exploration, including source rocks, crude oils and natural gases collected across the Australian continent. The data are produced by a wide range of analytical techniques, such as programmed pyrolysis, gas chromatography, and mass spectrometry. Sample data originate from industry submissions under legislation, geological surveys by Geoscience Australia and state organizations, and open file publications.
Use Cases
- Correlating petroleum fluids to their source rock based on organic chemical analyses.
- Mapping total petroleum system extent based on derived datasets and interpretations.
- Typing petroleum fluids into families based on molecular and isotopic content.
- Determining depositional environment, age, and migration distances from source rock correlations.
Strengths
- Data originates from a wide range of analytical techniques, including programmed pyrolysis, GC, GCMS, and GC-TC-IRMS.
- Sample data are sourced from industry submissions under the OPGGSA 2006 and PSLA 1967, geological surveys, and open file publications.
- The database enables digital discoverability and accessibility to key petroleum geochemical datasets via web services.
Limitations
- Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
- Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
- Freshness should be verified; last metadata update was 2026-04-16.
Provenance
- Source
- Geoscience Australia and the Australian Ocean Data Network.
- Collection Method
- Analytical results from laboratory analysis of physical samples, well completion reports, and destructive analysis reports.
- Geography
- Australian continent.