Jurassic Source Rock Distribution Analysis for Browse Basin Petroleum Systems

A 2026 multi-disciplinary study by Geoscience Australia integrates sequence stratigraphy, palaeogeography, and geochemical data to map Jurassic to earliest Cretaceous source rocks in the Browse Basin. The analysis details the spatial and temporal distribution of organic-rich formations like the Plover and Vulcan, linking them to major gas and condensate accumulations including Ichthys and Prelude.

Use Cases

• Model petroleum system charge history using mapped spatial and temporal distribution of Jurassic source rocks.
• Correlate geochemical data from specific formations like the Plover Formation to known hydrocarbon accumulations.
• Analyze palaeogeography of rift systems like the Heywood Graben to identify potential source rock deposition environments.
• Integrate sequence stratigraphy from J10–K10 supersequences to understand source rock contribution in underexplored areas.

Strengths

• Study integrates multiple geological disciplines: sequence stratigraphy, palaeogeography, and geochemical data.
• Analysis provides specific temporal coverage focusing on the Jurassic to earliest Cretaceous period.
• Links geological formations to major, named hydrocarbon fields like Ichthys, Prelude, and Crux.

Limitations

• Data is presented in a PDF report format, not as structured, machine-readable tables or spatial files.
• Sample data and column definitions are unavailable, limiting direct computational analysis.
• The study's conclusions are interpretive, based on geological modeling and correlation.

Provenance

Source

Geoscience Australia Data

Collection Method

Multi-disciplinary study integrating published sequence stratigraphy, palaeogeography, and geochemical data.

Time Range

Jurassic to earliest Cretaceous

Freshness

Last updated March 2026.

Geography

Browse Basin, offshore Western Australia