Publication Name: Eastern Australian Basins Symposium III (EABS 2008)
Authors: D.P. Leech, C. Kernick and A.M. Iwaniw
Date Published: September 2008
Number of Pages: 16
Abstract:
The Bass Basin is located in the central Bass Strait region between Tasmania and Victoria (Fig. 1). The basin records complex geodynamic and hydrocarbon charge histories. Unlike the adjacent prolific Gippsland Basin which has undergone a similar geological evolution, exploration in the Bass Basin has had limited commercial success. To date, the Yolla oil and gas fi eld (~600 Bcf GIIP and ~20 MMbbl; Brooks et al. 2006) is the sole producing asset in the basin, although undeveloped discoveries have been made at the White Ibis, Trefoil and Pelican structures (Lennon et al. 1999; Lonergan, et al. 2006). The lack of commercial success is probably due to drilling of invalid structural closures, fault-seal breach issues, structure compartmentalisation, distal hydrocarbon kitchen areas, subtle but important strata-velocity perturbations and, until recently, the lack of infrastructure and gas markets. There has been an unprecedented renewal of interest in the Bass Basin that will result in the acquisition of approximately 1300 km2 of new 3D seismic and 5000 km of new 2D seismic over the next four years, and four exploration wells in 2008 alone. A Cue Energy operated Joint Venture acquired two prospective blocks, T/37P and T/38P. The 2008 exploration programme includes acquisition of 3660 km of new 2D seismic data in T/37P and T/38P and one well in T/38P.