Unconventional Middle Cambrian Petroleum Systems in the Georgina Basin, Australia

Geoscience Australia's systematic evaluation targets the shale gas and oil potential of the ~325,000 sq. km Georgina Basin. The assessment relies on updated stratigraphy, tectonic history, petrography, and petroleum systems modeling, with a focus on geochemistry. For example, a 'hot shale' unit has TOC and HI up to 15.5% and 500 mg hydrocarbons/g TOC, respectively, with maturity ranging from early oil to early dry gas windows.

Use Cases

• Modeling petroleum systems based on described stratigraphy, tectonic history, and geochemistry.
• Assessing shale gas resource potential using Rock Eval, hydrocarbon, and isotopic data mentioned in the description.
• Identifying geochemical signatures of biodegraded oil stains based on described isotopic and biomarker characteristics.
• Evaluating source rock richness and maturity for the Middle Cambrian Thorntonia Limestone and Arthur Creek Formation.

Strengths

• Assessment covers a large geographic area of approximately 325,000 square kilometers.
• Description includes specific geochemical metrics, such as TOC up to 15.5% and Hydrogen Index up to 500 mg hydrocarbons/g TOC.
• Analysis incorporates multiple data types: stratigraphy, tectonic history, petrography, geochemistry, and petroleum systems modeling.

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, focusing solely on the Georgina Basin.

Provenance

Source

Geoscience Australia, Australian Ocean Data Network

Collection Method

Systematic evaluation using methodology developed by the United States Geological Survey, relying on basin analogues and updated geological studies.

Freshness

Last updated 2026-06-23 00:57:40.536694; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Georgina Basin, south-central Australia