Publication Name: Petroleum in Queensland - A Stocktake for the Future
Authors: R. A. Laws
Date Published: November 1977
Number of Pages: 20
Reference Type: Journal Article
Abstract:
Since 1963, recoverable reserves of 100 x 109m3 (3.5 Tcf) of gas and substantial but presently unexploited liquid hydrocarbons have been discovered in the Cooper Basin in South Australia. Permian non-marine richly carbonaceous sediments form both the reservoir and source rock for the vast majority of hydrocarbons discovered to-date. Although only a few small fields have been discovered in the Queensland portion of the basin, prospective thicknesses of Permian rocks are shared equally between the two States. It is likely that significant additional discoveries will be made in the eastern portion of the basin, although the potential for large discoveries, such as the Moomba field, do not seem good on available data. The most prospective areasof the basin in Queensland are considered to be 1) along the southern margin of the Nappamerri Trough, 2) within the predicted eastern extension of the Patchawarra Tro ugh, especially for oil, 3) stratigraphic traps flanking the major highs which separate depocentres, 4) within the Durham Downs structural complex an~ 5) along the east extension of the Gidgealpa-Merrimelia high trend.