Australian Paleozoic Basin Petroleum Potential Assessment

From 2010 to 2012, there was a near doubling of the onshore basin area under exploration license in Australia. This text-based report discusses the petroleum potential of Australia's Lower Paleozoic and Proterozoic systems, authored by the Australian Ocean Data Network and last updated in April 2026. It examines historical production, geological risks, and the impact of new technologies on unlocking unconventional resources.

Use Cases

• Analyze exploration trends from 2010-2012 using the cited near-doubling of licensed onshore basin area.
• Assess source rock potential by referencing specific geological periods like Cambrian, Ordovician, and Late Devonian.
• Evaluate production history and risks using data points such as less than one percent of Australia's crude oil from Lower Paleozoic systems and the impact of the Alice Springs Orogeny.
• Model technological feasibility for resource development by referencing advances in horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing for poor-quality reservoirs.

Strengths

• Report provides a focused temporal analysis of exploration activity from 2010 to 2012.
• Cites specific geological basins (Amadeus, Canning, Arafura, Georgina, Officer) and periods (Cambrian, Ordovician, Late Devonian).
• References key historical data points, such as oil production since 1984 from the Ordovician section of the Amadeus Basin.

Limitations

• No structured data (rows, columns) or sample data is provided; analysis is confined to textual interpretation.
• Geographic coverage is limited to onshore Australian basins, excluding offshore and international comparisons.
• The report's conclusions are based on evidence up to its publication, potentially missing recent developments.

Provenance

Source

Australian Ocean Data Network

Collection Method

null

Time Range

Discusses historical data from 1984 onward, with a focus on trends from 2010-2012.

Freshness

Last updated April 2026.

Geography

Onshore Australian basins including Amadeus, Canning, Arafura, Georgina, and Officer.