Salinity of Deep Formation Water in the Canning Basin, Western Australia

Salinity data for deep formation water in the Canning Basin, Western Australia, ranges from almost fresh water (<1000 mg/L TDS) to brines exceeding 300,000 mg/L TDS. The dataset was compiled by Geoscience Australia Data from well log data and water samples from oil-production wells and drill stem tests. It was last updated on 2026-05-14.

Use Cases

• Modeling paleo-hydrological conditions based on salinity-depth relationships described in the data.
• Assessing groundwater resource potential based on salinity ranges and spatial distribution.
• Studying the impact of evaporite dissolution on water chemistry, as noted in the Grant Group and Mellinjerie Limestone.
• Analyzing the preservation of salinity profiles in low-permeability sediments in present-day low recharge areas.

Strengths

• Salinity values are quantified with specific thresholds (<1000 mg/L to >300,000 mg/L TDS).
• Spatial patterns are identified, such as very high salinity water found in the south, particularly in the Willara and Kidson Sub-Basins.
• Geological context is provided, linking salinity to specific formations and depositional cycles.

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 bias inherent to data_gov_au, as most wells are drilled near basin margins.

Provenance

Source

Geoscience Australia Data

Collection Method

Estimated from well log data or measured on water samples from oil-production wells and drill stem tests.

Freshness

Last updated 2026-05-14 03:26:01.493572; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Canning Basin, Western Australia, including sub-basins like Willara and Kidson.