Publication Name: Eromanga Basin Symposium, Summary Papers
Authors: J D ARMSTRONG, T M BARR
Publication Volume: Adelaide, 9 - 11 November 1982
Date Published: December 1982
Number of Pages: 36
Reference Type: Conference Proceedings
Abstract:
The Eromanga Basin, of immense area and volume, has been explored forhydrocarbons since 1924. Covering 400,000 square miles it has recently
become prominent in the Australian petroleum scene with 11 significant
discoveries being made since 1975.
These discoveries have led to the Eromanga Basin Symposium, which
indicates the emerging awareness amongst petroleum explorers of the
basin's new significance. A collection of 40 papers being presented by a
wide range of earth scientists directly concerned with the basin compares
somewhat favourably with the 24 papers presented at the national APEA
conference earlier in the year. The hydrocarbon potential of the
Eromanga Basin was largely ignored in the past by the majority of earth
scientists. In reviewing the literature only a few authors, for example
R.C. Sprigg and G.D. Williams, expressed a positive view of the prospect
of finding hydrocarbons in the Eromanga Basin. The Namur 1 gas discovery in 1976 confirmed the optimism of Sprigg and
Williams to some extent, but it wasn't until substantial oil flows were
obtained from the Strzelecki 3 well in 1978, and from the Dullingari
North 1 well in 1979 that attention began to be more seriously focused on
the basin.
Discoveries have followed since 1978 with finds such as Wackett,
Dullingari, Cuttapirrie, Merrimelia, Jackson and Jackson South. With the
completion in 1982 of a liquids pipeline from Moomba to Stony Point it is
expected that in 1983, 3.5 million barrels of oil will be produced from
fields in the South Australian Eromanga Basin.
If it is assumed that there could be an undrilled prospect every 200
square miles over the central SO% of the basin, then the Eromanga . Basin
could contain 1000 prospects yet to be investigated. The 1000 prospects
represents some 7. 5 million feet of drilling and using the cost of $225
per foot, which is a cost that makes allowance for both seismic and
drilling, then this 7.5 million feet equates with exploratory work worth
$1.7 billion. This exploration is significant from a commercial
viewpoint in that Australia's economy has remained relatively buoyant in
the last 10 years due to the substantial production from the Gippsland
Basin. However, this production will decline during the last 2 decades
of this century and there will be an ever-widening gap between the demand
for petroleum-based fuels and indigenous production.
Successful exploration of the Eromanga Basin could contribute to
diminishing this gap. For example, applying a 1 in 20 success to the
hypotpetical 1000 undrilled prospects, and assuming that half of the
discoveries were oil with Jackson Oil Field size recoverable reserves,
then there could be some 500 million barrels of recoverable oil to be
discovered in the basin.
The Eromanga Basin is large and petroleum has accumulated in almost all
of the Jurassic reservoirs in the section at one location or another. If
exploration is to be encouraged, exploration companies need security of
tenure of exploration permits and continued world market pricing for the
petroleum produced. To achieve success, earth scientists should look
forward with a breadth of vision commensurate with the potential of the
Basin.