Publication Name: Eastern Australian Basins Symposium III (EABS 2008)
Authors: N. Arian, P.R. Tingate and R.R. Hillis
Date Published: September 2008
Number of Pages: 14
Abstract:
Petroleum generation, expulsion, migration and accumulation have been modelled along two sections across the central part of the Bass Basin, Australia. A 114 km long transect (Section A-A`) consists of two seismic lines. The transect ties the Bass-3 well located on the western side of the basin, and passes close to Bass-1 in the eastern part of the basin. A 30 km long transect (Section B-B`) crossties Section A-A` and Trefoil-1, the latest well to be drilled in the basin. Lithology and present-day temperature data have been used to calculate present-day heat flow. Source rock maturity was initially modelled using constant heat flow and complex rift-related paleoheat flows that were calculated using the McKenzie crustal stretching model and calibrated against measured vitrinite reflectance data. The best model had faults set open for hydrocarbon migration during rifting and inversion periods, and closed at other times, which enabled good calibration with present-day known accumulations. Simple scenarios with open or closed faults continuously through geological time were not able to predict known accumulations.