Uranium and Organic Carbon Correlations in Australian Shales

Australian shale data from the Greater McArthur, Georgina, Eromanga, and Bight basins examines uranium enrichment as a predictor for hydrocarbon potential. The study analyzes correlations between uranium concentration, total organic carbon (TOC) content, and pyrolysis oil yield (S2) across Proterozoic to Cretaceous time slices. Uranium concentrations in organic-rich shales can range over two orders of magnitude, from less than 5 to over 500 parts per million.

Use Cases

• Model the correlation between uranium concentration and total organic carbon (TOC) content to calibrate hydrocarbon potential predictions.
• Analyze uranium concentration against pyrolysis yield (S2) and kerogen type (oxygen index – hydrogen index classification) to assess organic matter maturation.
• Investigate spatial and secular variations in uranium-TOC ratios across the Mesoproterozoic to Cretaceous geological record in Australian basins.
• Test the hypothesis that gamma-ray log uranium measurements can predict TOC content in organic-rich shales.

Strengths

• Data spans a significant geological time range from the Mesoproterozoic to the Cretaceous.
• Examines uranium concentration variations over two orders of magnitude (from <5 to >500 ppm).
• Focuses on specific Australian basins: Greater McArthur, Georgina, Eromanga, and Bight.

Limitations

• Sample data and specific row/column counts are unavailable, limiting immediate analytical scope.
• Data is presented in HTML format, which may require extraction and structuring for computational analysis.
• Correlations may be disturbed by post-depositional processes like oxidation, diagenesis, or hydrothermal fluid contact.

Provenance

Source

Geoscience Australia Data

Collection Method

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Time Range

Proterozoic to Cretaceous

Freshness

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Geography

Greater McArthur, Georgina, Eromanga, and Bight basins in Australia