Barnicarndy 1 Well: Lower Ordovician Microfossils from 42 Core Samples

42 core samples from the Lower Ordovician Nambeet Formation in the Barnicarndy 1 well were analyzed for acid-resistant organic-walled microfossils. The study, part of Geoscience Australia's Exploring for the Future Energy program, identified a diverse suite including acritarchs, cryptospores, and graptolites. Digital images of the microfossils accompany the record.

Use Cases

• Biostratigraphic correlation based on identified acritarch species like Rhopaliophora pilata and Athabascaella playfordii
• Assessing thermal maturity of organic matter based on described palynomorph color variations
• Studying early life diversity in marine environments based on the described suite of microfossils
• Evaluating microfossil preservation and yield for dating rock units, as mentioned in the study's purpose

Strengths

• Includes digital images of all described microfossil types
• Covers a significant core interval from 1354.80 to 2435.04 meters
• Identifies a diverse suite of microfossils including acritarchs, cryptospores, and graptolites

Limitations

• Microfossil yield per sample is described as mostly low
• Preservation ranges from poor to good, often within the same sample
• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download

Provenance

Source

Australian Ocean Data Network, Geoscience Australia's Exploring for the Future program

Collection Method

Palynological reconnaissance study of acid-resistant organic-walled microfossils from core samples

Time Range

Lower Ordovician

Freshness

Last updated 2026-06-23 03:38:37.175164; freshness should be verified

Geography

Barnicarndy 1 stratigraphic well, Barnicarndy Graben, Canning Basin, Western Australia