Carotenoid Biomarker Data for Paleo-Reconstruction of the Canning Basin

A study of diagnostic carotenoid-derived biomarkers from crude oils and source rocks in the Canning Basin, a frontier petroleum province covering approximately 720,000 km2. The research, implemented by GeoMark Research and published via the Australian Ocean Data Network, extends prior geochemical work on Ordovician to Carboniferous-sourced oils. The dataset includes analyses of compounds like beta-carotane, paleorenieratane, and isorenieratane to clarify paleo-depositional environments.

Use Cases

• Classify paleo-depositional environments (e.g., oxygenated vs. euxinic) using the presence and ratios of biomarkers like beta-carotane and paleorenieratane.
• Correlate oils to specific source rock intervals (Ordovician, Devonian, Carboniferous) based on aromatic carotenoid distributions such as isorenieratane and chlorobactane.
• Assess water column stratification in ancient seaways by analyzing the co-occurrence of biomarkers from algae, cyanobacteria, and green sulphur bacteria.
• Identify secondary alteration processes in reservoirs by examining the preservation of saturated versus aromatic C40 carotenoid-derived compounds across different oil fields.

Strengths

• Analysis includes a diverse range of biomarkers, including both saturated and aromatic C40 carotenoid-derived compounds.
• Geographic focus on a specific, large basin (~720,000 km2) with multiple sampled oil fields (e.g., Ungani, Blina, Terrace).
• Builds upon and extends previously published geochemical studies, providing contextual continuity.

Limitations

• Sample size and specific row/column counts are not provided, limiting reproducibility and statistical assessment.
• Data is presented in a PDF format, requiring extraction to a structured format for computational analysis.
• Temporal coverage of the actual sample collection dates is unspecified, though it references studies from 2013-2018.

Provenance

Source

Australian Ocean Data Network, referencing work implemented by GeoMark Research.

Collection Method

Geochemical analysis of diagnostic biomarker hydrocarbons derived from carotenoid pigments in crude oil and source rock samples.

Time Range

Focus on Paleozoic eras (Ordovician, Devonian, Carboniferous); analysis publication referenced up to 2018.

Freshness

null

Geography

Canning Basin, Western Australia, including specific fields like Lennard Shelf and Fitzroy Trough.