Vlaming Sub-Basin Seabed Survey for CO2 Storage Assessment, 2012

In March and April 2012, Geoscience Australia acquired 653 km² of multibeam and backscatter data, 6.65 km² of side-scan sonar imagery, and collected 89 seabed grab samples from 43 stations. The survey aimed to characterize the seabed and shallow geology to assess the CO2 storage potential of the Vlaming Sub-basin, Western Australia. Data was collected in two areas on the Rottnest Shelf, focusing on the link between deep geological features and the seabed.

Use Cases

• Modeling potential CO2 reservoir and seal integrity based on seabed geomorphology and structural lineaments.
• Mapping seabed habitats and features like coralline red algal (rhodolith) beds using side-scan sonar and multibeam data.
• Analyzing the spatial correlation between fault-like structures and seabed mounds described in the survey areas.
• Assessing shallow sub-bottom geology for subsurface fluid migration pathways using chirper profile data.

Strengths

• Includes 653 km² of multibeam and backscatter data, providing broad seabed coverage.
• Contains 89 physical seabed grab samples from 43 stations for ground-truthing.
• Integrates multiple data types: side-scan sonar (6.65 km²), sub-bottom profiles, and sample data.

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 survey in 2012; freshness should be verified for current applications.

Provenance

Source

Geoscience Australia, via the Australian Ocean Data Network.

Collection Method

Marine environmental survey involving seabed sampling, multibeam sonar, backscatter, side-scan sonar, and chirper sub-bottom profiling.

Time Range

March-April 2012

Freshness

Last updated 2026-06-05 06:12:22.957957; freshness should be verified

Geography

Vlaming Sub-basin, Rottnest Shelf, Western Australia