Publication Name: The Sedimentary Basins of WA
Authors: Tun U Maung, Steve Cadman and Barry West
Publication Volume: 1
Date Published: July 1994
Number of Pages: 25
Reference Type: Book Section
Abstract:
The Browse Basin is located in offshore northwestern Australia, west of the Precambrian Kimberley Block. Although 29 wells have been drilled, the basin is still considered to be sparsely explored. One of the main impediments to exploration of this basin has been the water depth; most of the basin lies in water depths of more than 200 m. Water depth increases rapidly to the west where it exceeds 2000 m.The tectonic events at the end of the Triassic imparted a northeast-southwest oriented structural grain to the
area, and influenced the structural framework of the younger section. The significance of these tectonic events can be seen on generalised regional seismic maps on the 'breakup unconformity', intra-Upper Cretaceous, and
base Tertiary seismic horizons.
In addition to the 'historically traditional' exploration targets of Lower to Middle Jurassic sandstones, Tithonian and Cretaceous sandstones have potential as reservoirs. Geohistory modelling, kerogen facies, total organic carbon content (TOC), and hydrogen index values from pyrolysis data, indicate that the major source rocks were shales, siltstones and claystones within the Jurassic to Upper Cretaceous sequences. More than 40 leads identified from the interpretation of the seismic data, can be grouped into seven structural and stratigraphic play types.