Hydrocarbon Gas Geochemistry in Offshore Otway and Gippsland Basin Sediments, 1988

The Australian Ocean Data Network hosts a preliminary post-cruise report from Project 9131.20 BMR Fossil Fuels Project. It contains data on light hydrocarbon gases (C1-C6) measured in sediments at 342 locations on the continental shelf and upper slope during a 21-day research cruise in April/May 1988. Thermogenic hydrocarbons were identified in near-surface sediments at forty-two locations across the Otway and Gippsland Basins.

Use Cases

• Modeling hydrocarbon source rock maturity based on wet gas content (C2-C4/C1-C4) data.
• Identifying potential hydrocarbon seepage zones based on thermogenic gas presence in near-surface sediments.
• Correlating gas concentration anomalies with subsurface faulting structures mentioned in the description.
• Integrating geochemical data with thermal maturation models to assess liquid vs. gas-prone source rocks.

Strengths

• Data is based on measurements from 342 specific sampling locations.
• Report provides detailed analysis of results from distinct geological features like the Crayfish Platform, Mussel Platform, and Voluta Trough.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
• Data may reflect geographic/temporal bias inherent to a single 1988 research cruise.

Provenance

Source

Australian Ocean Data Network

Collection Method

Data was gathered during a 21-day geochemical and sedimentological research program aboard the BMR research vessel 'Rig Seismic'.

Time Range

April/May 1988

Freshness

Last updated 2026-06-27 19:05:02.663013; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Offshore Otway and Gippsland Basins, Australia (continental shelf and upper slope)