Canning Basin Paleo-Reconstruction Using Carotenoid Biomarkers from Crude Oils

Geochemical biomarker data from crude oils and source rocks in the Paleozoic Canning Basin, a large frontier province of approximately 720,000 km². The study analyzes carotenoid-derived compounds to reconstruct paleo-depositional environments and water stratification, extending prior work by Edwards et al. (2013) and Spaak et al. (2017, 2018). Data is hosted by the Australian Ocean Data Network and was last updated in April 2026.

Use Cases

• Characterize paleo-depositional environments based on biomarker hydrocarbon distributions.
• Assess water column stratification using aromatic carotenoid signatures from green sulphur bacteria.
• Model source rock distribution for petroleum exploration based on the association of saturated and aromatic compounds.
• Compare organic matter diversity across Ordovician, Devonian, and Carboniferous-sourced oils.

Strengths

• Focuses on a large frontier province of approximately 720,000 km².
• Extends prior published geochemical studies, providing continuity.
• Analyzes a diverse range of biomarkers, including both saturated and aromatic C40 carotenoid-derived compounds.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
• Data is provided in PDF format, which may require extraction for analysis.

Provenance

Source

Australian Ocean Data Network

Collection Method

Study of diagnostic biomarker hydrocarbons derived from carotenoid pigments, implemented by GeoMark Research.

Freshness

Last updated 2026-04-16 15:59:34.074004; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Canning Basin, Australia, including the Lennard Shelf and Fitzroy Trough.