Hydrocarbon Gas Geochemistry in Otway and Gippsland Basin Sediments, 1988

342 sediment sampling locations were surveyed during a 21-day research cruise in April/May 1988. The report, from Geoscience Australia's predecessor BMR, identifies thermogenic hydrocarbons at 42 sites across the Otway and Gippsland Basins. It provides data on light hydrocarbon gases (C1-C6) and integrates findings with thermal maturation modeling.

Use Cases

• Identify potential hydrocarbon source rocks based on thermogenic gas evidence in near-surface sediments.
• Assess hydrocarbon source type and maturity based on wet gas content ratios (C2-C4/C1-C4).
• Model subsurface faulting intensity using total C1-C4 gas concentration patterns.
• Correlate surface geochemical anomalies with deeper geological structures mentioned in the report.

Strengths

• Data from 342 specific sampling locations provides spatial density for analysis.
• Report identifies 42 locations with evidence of thermogenic hydrocarbons.
• Analysis includes specific geological features: 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 is from a single cruise in 1988; temporal coverage is limited.

Provenance

Source

Geoscience Australia Data

Collection Method

Ship-based geochemical and sedimentological sampling during the BMR 'Rig Seismic' research cruise.

Time Range

April/May 1988

Freshness

Last updated 2026-04-30 14:05:02.021428; freshness should be verified.

Geography

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