Great Artesian Basin Palynology Data Review for 706 Wells

Geoscience Australia's report compiles reviewed palynology data from 407 wells and includes new sampling results from 20 wells in the Great Artesian Basin. The study standardizes biostratigraphic zonation schemes and updates stratigraphic charts across the Surat, Eromanga, and Carpentaria basins. It was conducted by MGPalaeo to support a consistent geological framework for groundwater management.

Use Cases

• Map Jurassic–Cretaceous succession correlations across the Surat, Eromanga, and Carpentaria basins using standardized palynology zonation schemes.
• Refine regional chronostratigraphic frameworks by integrating legacy and newly sampled palynology data from 407 reviewed wells.
• Identify data gaps and target new sampling in specific formations like the Evergreen Formation or Hutton Sandstone across 13 key Surat Basin wells.
• Link lithostratigraphic units with different nomenclature to key regional chronostratigraphic markers for aquifer boundary modeling.

Strengths

• Data review covers 706 wells across the Great Artesian Basin, with detailed palynology data compiled for 407 wells.
• Includes new sampling data from 20 wells in Queensland and South Australia to address identified knowledge gaps.
• Standardizes multiple historic palynology zonation schemes into a single consistent framework for basin-wide correlation.

Limitations

• Primary data formats are PDF and ZIP reports, limiting direct machine-readability and requiring manual extraction for analysis.
• Sample data and specific columnar structure are unavailable, complicating quantitative tabular analysis.
• The dataset's focus is on specific Jurassic–Cretaceous formations, not the entire stratigraphic column of the basin.

Provenance

Source

Geoscience Australia, produced by MGPalaeo under the 'Assessing the Status of Groundwater in the Great Artesian Basin' project.

Collection Method

Compilation and review of historic palynology data from well records, combined with new targeted sampling and analysis.

Time Range

Jurassic–Cretaceous succession.

Freshness

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Geography

Great Artesian Basin, covering the Surat, Eromanga, and Carpentaria basins in Queensland and South Australia, Australia.