Download - Bancannia Trough Data Package 2018
Pondie Range Trough – Data Package Report | August 2018
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Pondie Range
Trough Data
Package
2018
August 2018
Pondie Range Trough – Data Package Report | August 2018
2
August 2018
© Crown Copyright, State of NSW through its Department of Planning and Environment 2018
Disclaimer
While every reasonable effort has been made to ensure this document is correct at time of printing, the State of
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consequences of anything done or omitted to be done in reliance or upon the whole or any part of this document.
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Contents
Introduction 5
Geological Setting 7
Evolution 9
Stratigraphy and Depositional Environments 10
Basement 11
Winduck Interval 11
Wana Karnu Interval 13
Ravendale Interval 14
Post-Devonian geology 15
Part 2 – Exploration history 17
Part 3 – Available data 19
Outcrop 19
Drilling and downhole geophysical data 20
Seismic surveys 24
Gravity surveys 27
Aeromagnetic Data 28
Geochemical surveys 28
Soil gas survey 30
Part 4 - Seismic Interpretation 31
Seismic data loading and quality control 31
Well Data 32
Well Correlation 32
Seismic-well tie and synthetic seismogram 33
Seismic Interpretation 33
Time-depth conversion 40
Part 5 – Petroleum systems 45
Source rocks 46
Reservoirs 47
Seal 52
Part 6 – Data assessment 53
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Part 7 – Summary and conclusions 56
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Introduction
The Pondie Range Trough Petroleum Data Package 2018 is a product of the New Frontiers Minerals and Energy
Exploration Initiative of the Geological Survey of New South Wales (GSNSW), Division of Resources and
Geoscience, Department of Planning and Environment. This package provides information and pre-competitive
data, for petroleum explorers, to assess the petroleum potential of this relatively underexplored trough.
The Pondie Range Trough is a sub-basin within the Darling Basin and this data package builds on the previously
released Darling Basin Petroleum Data Package 2017 which is an overview of the entire Darling Basin. The Pondie
Range Trough Data Package 2018 provides a more focused collation and discussion of the available data on the
Pondie Range Trough.
The Darling Basin covers an area of 100,000 km2 and is the largest onshore basin in New South Wales (NSW). It is
located in far western NSW in a structurally complex Late Silurian to Early Carboniferous intracratonic basin (Figure
1). The Pondie Range Trough is also relatively close to the Moomba to Sydney pipeline and the all-weather Barrier
Highway provides good road access.
Figure 1: Location of the Pondie Range Trough (in bright orange) and the Darling Basin within NSW. The figure also shows the Pondie Range Trough’s proximity to the Moomba - Sydney gas pipeline.
The Pondie Range Trough is approximately 50 km wide and 60 km long and covers an area of around 3 200 km2.
The southeastern margin is approximately 6 km northwest of Wilcannia with the northeastern margin around 25 km
south of White Cliffs. The estimated maximum sediment thickness of the Pondie Range Trough is 12 km,
comprising possible Late Silurian or Early Devonian to Cenzoic sediments.
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Data is relatively limited with only two wildcat wells (Pondie Range 1, Gnalta 1), one stratigraphic well (Mena
Murtee1) drilled and limited seismic acquisition (32 lines totaling 440 km).
The Pondie Range Trough has been the focus of recent work in enhancing pre-competitive data by the GSNSW.
This work included the compilation of this petroleum data package and analysis that show all the elements of a
conventional petroleum system, required for the formation of a petroleum deposit, are present within the Pondie
Range Trough.
The data presented in this package includes well, seismic, outcrop, age dating, hydrocarbon indicator data and
reports that relate to the Pondie Range Trough. The package also includes data from locations outside of the
Pondie Range Trough which provide important information on the regional geology to complement the relatively
limited geological data available within the trough.
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Geological Setting
The Pondie Range Trough is one of a series of sub-basin/rift-depocenters of the Darling Basin (Figure 2).
Figure 2: Pondie Range Trough and other depocentres of the Darling Basin, superimposed on the SeebaseTM image.
The main bounding structural elements of the Pondie Range Trough are the SW-NE trending, fault bounded block
of the Wilcannia High to the South and the NW-SE trending Hummocks Fault Zone to the North (Buckley et al.
2015). The western boundary of the Pondie Range Trough is marked by the N-S trending Koonenberry Fault
system of the Wonominta Block. The eastern boundary with the Poopelloe Lake Trough, is marked by a basement
ridge which delineates a rift feature with pre-Devonian sequences, at depth, from Mid-Devonian and younger
successions in the overburden (Figure 3).
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Figure 3: Map depicting the structural elements bounding the Pondie Range Trough. The outlines are
displayed over the SeebaseTM image.
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Evolution
The Darling Basin formed in a back-arc setting during the Early to Late Silurian (Figure 4; Moresi et al. 2014). The
major driver of basin development was the roll-back motion of the westward subduction zone of the paleo-Pacific
Ocean floor under the eastern margin of Gondwanaland (Scheibner 1999; Khalifa et al. 2017). This resulted in the
development of the Lachlan Orogen and the Darling Basin as an associated extensional back-arc and later a
foreland basin (Scheibner & Basden 1998).
Figure 4: Reconstruction of the Tasmanide accretionary event, showing indentation of continental ribbon
material and lateral subduction. Roll-back motion of the westward subduction zone of the paleo-Pacific
Ocean floor under the eastern margin of Gondwanaland resulted in the development of the Lachlan Orogen
and the Darling Basin as its back-arc extension. (Moresi et al. 2014)
The Darling Basin sedimentary succession includes Late Silurian to Early Carboniferous rocks. Depositional events
were interrupted by orogenic episodes that were accompanied by variable amounts of uplift, tilting, folding, and
faulting in different parts of the Darling Basin (Khalifa et al. 2017).
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Stratigraphy and Depositional Environments
Formal stratigraphy of the Darling Basin has been defined along the western and eastern edges of the Darling
Basin, where the Devonian succession is well exposed (Kobussen and Dick 2011, Figure 5).
Figure 5: Generalised stratigraphy of the Darling Basin region, modified from Kobussen and Dick (2011). The table shows the relationship between the established formal stratigraphy in the Broken Hill area in the west and the Cobar area in the east and the major unconformities observed on the regional seismic lines.
The formal stratigraphy is defined to the west and east of the Darling Basin, however in between in areas such as
the Pondie Range Trough, outcrop and drilling data are limited and stratigraphy is based on the significant
unconformities observed on the regional seismic lines (Figure 6). These tectonostratigraphic intervals correlate
with major tectonic events (Bembrick 1997). This approach has been applied by previous authors including:
Bembrick (1997), Robertson Research Australia (2001), Cooney & Mantaring (2005) and in the recent Darling
Basin Prospectivity Report (DPE 2017). Detailed description of the seismic Interpretation of the Pondie Range
Trough is included in Chapter 4.
Regional Unconformity - Bindian Event
Regional Unconformity – Tabberabberan Event
Regional Unconformity – Kanimblan Event
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Figure 6: Regional Seismic line SS134_HD_83_106 depicting significant seismic reflectors (unconformities).
Basement
The basement of the Pondie Range Trough does not crop out and it has not been intersected in any wells. It most
likely consists of Cambrian Units similar to those intersected in wells in the Bancannia Trough (Bancannia South 1,
Byrnedale 1) and outcrop (Bynguano and Scropes Range). In the Bancannia South 1 well the basement consists of
Cambrian (506.1±2.7Ma) dacitic and andesitic volcanic rocks (Bodorkos et al. 2013). In the Bynguano and Scropes
Ranges the outcropping Cambro–Ordovician sandstones, shales and limestones are unmetamorphosed (Glen
2005).
Winduck Interval
The Winduck Interval was deposited during widespread marine inundation in the Late Silurian to Early Devonian
and it has not been encountered in any wells or outcrop in the Pondie Range Trough. The Winduck interval is
interpreted to form the basal part of the Devonian aged sedimentary sequence within the Pondie Range Trough.
Seismic interpretation indicates that this interval sits immediately on basement. The seismic character of the
Winduck Interval in the Pondie Range Trough suggests a marginal marine to deepening marine environment with
potential carbonate buildups developed along the basement highs (Figure 6; Figure 7; Cook 1990, Willcox 2003).
The top of the Winduck interval is defined as a prominent seismic reflector interpreted to represent a regional
unconformity associated with the Bindian orogeny (Bembrick 1997).
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Figure 7: Interpreted depositional environments at 416Ma (base Lochkovian) at the onset of Darling Basin Succession (modified from: (Cook 1990))
The nearest known intersections of the Winduck Interval are in the wells: Kewell East 1, Berangabah 1, BMR
Ivanhoe 1 and Mt Emu. In the Kewell East 1 well the Winduck interval consists predominantly of laminated to thinly
bedded, grey to brown, fine to very fine-grained quartzose sandstone, dark grey to black siltstone and black to
dark-grey claystone, deposited in environments ranging from near-marine to distal-marine shelf.
The Winduck sequence in the BMR Ivanhoe 1 and Berangabah 1 wells consist of hard, tight, grey siltstone and
black shale. The abundant fauna, dated as Lochkovian in the lower part of the BMR Ivanhoe 1 well suggests that
sediments were deposited in an open quiet sea. The Winduck Interval also outcrop in the Maccullochs Range in
the northern part of the adjacent Poopelloe Lake Trough. The outcrop largely comprises non-marine fine-grained
sheet-flood deposited sandstones (Neef 2007).
The sediments of the Winduck Group appear to be eroded west of the Pondie Range Trough. The wells west of the
Koonenberry Fault Zone as well as outcrop observations did not record any sediments between the Wana Karnu
Interval and the Cambro-Ordovician rocks. The unconformity is interpreted in the DMR04-3 seismic line in the
western part of the Pondie Range Trough (Chapter 4- Seismic Interpretation). The Winduck Interval units thicken
towards the east indicating higher faster subsidence rates in the middle of the Pondie Range Trough.
Pondie Range Trough
New South Wales
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Wana Karnu Interval
The Middle Devonian Wana Karnu Interval is correlated with the formal Wana Karnu Group (Greenfield et al 2010).
The Top of Wana Karnu Interval (previously known as the Snake Cave Interval) is defined as a prominent seismic
reflector, representing a regional unconformity associated with the Tabberabberan deformation.
The Wana Karnu Interval consists of thickly-bedded laminated and cross-bedded medium-grained fluvial quartzose
sandstones and conglomerates with occasional quartzites. There are also occasional quartzose pebbles and mud
clasts (Blevin et al. 2007). Redbed sandstone units are also found in this interval (Pearson 2003). Deposition was
primarily influenced by a complex braided river environment with delta and alluvial fan environments (Greenfield et
al. 2010). In outcrop the thickness varies from 100 m in the southern edge of the Darling Basin to maximum 2300 m
in the Cobar trough. The depositional environment ranges from shallow marine to braided plains and distal alluvial
fans with possible widespread, brackish to marine incursions (Bembrick, 1997).
In the Pondie Range Trough the Wana Karnu Interval was penetrated in Pondie Range 1, Gnalta 1 and crops out in
the north west part of the trough. It is dominated by alluvial sandstones with rare siltstone and shale also present
(Figure 8). In the Pondie Range 1 well the top of Wana Karnu Interval is marked by a rapid increase in the sonic
transit times (dt) in sandstone units.
Figure 8: Interpreted depositional environment at 497Ma (Emsian) at the onset of Wana Karnu Interval Sedimentation (modified from: Cook (1990))
Pondie Range Trough
New South Wales
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Ravendale Interval
The base of the Ravendale Interval is a regional unconformity associated with the Tabberabberan Orogeny that
caused erosion across fault blocks uplifted during this compressive event (Greenfield et al. 2010). Erosion is also
observed in outcrop along the Koonenberry Fault and further west in the Coco Ranges (Greenfield et al. 2010).
The Ravendale Formation consists of thickly bedded fine-grained quartz sandstones and occasional interbedded
siltstones and claystones (Blevin et al. 2007). These sediments have been interpreted as alluvial fans and fluvio-
deltaic sequences. Figure 9 depicts the inferred depositional settings of the Ravendale Interval.
Figure 9: Block Diagram showing the inferred depositional settings of the Ravendale Interval in a largely terrestrial environment dominated by alluvial fan and fluvial deposits (from Slatt, 2006)
In the Pondie Range Trough this interval has been encountered in the Mena Murtee 1, Pondie Range 1 wells and
crops out along the south-eastern trough edge. In the Pondie Range Trough the Ravendale Interval was deposited
in a largely terrestrial environment dominated by fluvial deposits (Figure 10). The upper part of the Ravendale
Interval is represented by estuarine tidal channel deposits which gradually change into meandering fluvial
lithofacies in the lower part of this interval (Watson et al. 2015). The sequence fines upwards and there are
localized areas where basal conglomerates occur.
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Figure 10: Interpreted depositional environment at 360Ma (Famennian) depicting depositional environment during Ravendale Interval Sedimentation (modified from: Cook (1990))
The Kanimblan shortening event (Alice Springs Orogeny) truncates the top of Ravendale interval with Mesozoic to
Cenozoic sediments deposited on this surface. The Kanimblan orogeny resulted in an uplift of 1200 m of the
Pondie Range anticline at the Pondie Range 1 well location (Blevin 2007).
Post-Devonian geology
Apart from the north-west part of the Pondie Range Trough where Devonian sandstones of the Wana Karnu
Interval crop out the rest of the trough is covered by post Devonian sediments (Figure 11). These post Devonian
sediments are of Cenozoic (predominantly Quaternary) age. In some water bores Cretaceous and younger units
overlie the Devonian sequence. These units are flat lying and almost undeformed. They occur above a regional
unconformity and are characterized by continuous, closely spaced reflectors on seismic data. There has been no
identified outcrop of these units in the Pondie Range Trough area (Hughes et al. 2018).
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Figure 11: Surface Geology in the Pondie Range Trough area.
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Part 2 – Exploration history
The oldest petroleum exploration licence in the Pondie Range Trough was granted in the 1950s and since then
parts of the Pondie Range Trough have been covered by nine (9) petroleum exploration titles. Only during the
1970s were there no titles over the trough. The last petroleum exploration licence was relinquished in 2013.
A geothermal exploration licence (EL) 8066 granted to NSW Government is the only existing title over the area.
Despite relative interest, this sub-basin remains underexplored for petroleum. The main data previously acquired
during exploration are three (3) wells, six (6) seismic surveys and 10 gravity and magnetic surveys. The time of and
main exploration activities are summarized in Figure 12.
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Figure 12: Outline of exploration activity in the Pondie Range Trough since the 1950s.
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Part 3 – Available data
Outcrop
The outcrop of Devonian aged rocks within the area is limited to the north-west part of the Pondie Range Trough
(Figure 13) and some isolated occurrences along its southern boundary.
Figure 13: Devonian outcrop in the Pondie Range Trough region (modified from Colquhoun et al. 2016). The geological map sheets are shown, 1:250 000 map sheets are shown with labels underlined and the 1:100 000 sheets with plain text.
The geology of the area has been recently updated as part of the range of seamless geology datasets available
from the Departments web site (https://www.resourcesandenergy.nsw.gov.au/miners-and-explorers/geoscience-
information/projects/nsw-seamless-geology-project).
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There are three 1:100 000 geological map sheets covering the western half of the Pondie Range Trough. These
are, from the north to the south; Kayrunnera (Mills & Hicks 2016), Grasmere (Buckley et al. 2015) and Bunda (Mills
& Hicks 2016a). The western half of the Pondie Range Trough is covered by the Wilcannia 1:250 000 geological
map (Frenda 1965). The surface geology of the region was updated in the Explanatory Notes for the Koonenberry
Belt geological maps Bulletin, Greenfield et al. 2010.
Drilling and downhole geophysical data
Three wells have been drilled in the Pondie Range Trough (Table 1, Figure 14). Two were petroleum exploration
wells, namely Pondie Range-1, drilled in 1966 by Mid-Eastern Oil NL (PEL38, Jessop 1967) and Gnalta 1 drilled by
N.S.W. Oil and Gas Company N.L in 1969 (PEL155, Haskell 1970). A third one a stratigraphic well, Mena Murtee 1,
was drilled by the NSW Government (EL8066, Department of Trade & Investment 2015) as a part of the NSW CO2
Storage Assessment Program.
Figure 14: Location of petroleum exploration and stratigraphic wells in and adjacent to the Pondie Range
Trough. (GDA94)
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In addition, about 60 shallow water bores have been drilled within the Pondie Range Trough with maximum depths
generally less than 150 m. These data have not been fully assessed and warrant additional analysis.
This data package contains nine well completion reports and associated data. It includes the three wells (Mena
Murtee 1, Pondie Range 1 and Gnalta 1) drilled in the trough and other relevant wells (Bancannia South 1,
Berangabah 1, Blantyre 1, Ivanhoe BMR 1, Kewell East 1 and the Koonenberry Suite boreholes) drilled near the
trough.
The available well tests and core data are given in Table 2, a summary of the drilling and results of the three wells
within Pondie Range is given in Table 3.
Table 1: Summary of wells drilled within the Pondie Range Trough.
Well name Year Type Company Depth (m)
Stratigraphy
Pondie Range-1 1966 Exploration Mid-Eastern Oil NL 3054
Tertiary: 0-80 m Late Devonian: 80-1692.8 m Middle Devonian: 1692.8-TD
Gnalta-1 1969 Exploration NSW Oil and Gas 718 Wana Karnu Group
Mena Murtee-1 2014 Stratigraphic Dept. Trade & Investment
2270 Post-Devonian: 0-220 m Ravendale Fm: 220-TD
Table 2: Summary of Pondie Range Trough well tests and data.
Data Pondie Range 1 Mena Murtee 1 Gnalta-1
Available cores 24 4 4
Sidewall cores 33 19 No
Formation tests 4+1 8 No
Wireline data Yes Yes No
Well velocity No Yes No
Fluid Inclusions Yes No No
EOM Yes No No
Reflectance Yes No No
TOC Yes No No
Porosity and permeability samples
61 52 No
HC indicators No No No
Palaeontology Yes Yes No
Temp./ Bottom Hole Temp.
Yes Yes No
Fluid Inclusion Stratigraphy
Yes No No
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Table 3: Summary of the 3 key wells in the Pondie Range Trough.
Well Name Summary
Pondie Range 1 The well was spudded in October 1966 and completed 146 days later in February 1967. It was primarily a deep stratigraphic test to evaluate the Devonian and possible Cambro-Ordovician units of the Pondie Range Trough. There was also a possibility of finding hydrocarbons in the seismically interpreted anticlinal structure delineated by the White Cliffs Seismic Survey. The well was drilled to a total depth of 3053.5 m. The Well Completion Report suggests that the well might have encountered Proterozoic rocks at 2957 m after penetrating nearly 2800 m of the Upper Devonian sediments. The improved seismic data (ESG reprocessing 2004) together with the newly acquired seismic from 2004, suggests that the Middle Devonian Wana Karnu interval was encountered at 739 m. No hydrocarbons were present and no source rocks were encountered in the well. Good porosities ranging from 8% to 28% were observed in the sandstones from which salt water was recovered. Below 1350 m the sandstone intervals are extremely abrasive, well cemented, tight and with porosity values ranging from 4% to 15%. Only one deep interval (2178-2193 m) showed filter cake build-up and has a porosity of 12%.
Mena Murtee 1 Mena Murtee 1 is a stratigraphic deep test drilled by the Division of Resources & Energy (DRE) (within the NSW Department of Trade and Investment) in 2014 with three broad aims: (1) gather information on the geothermal potential of the area in collaboration with the CSIRO, (2) assess the carbon dioxide (CO2) storage potential and (3) acquire geological data for the region. The well penetrated sediments which consisted mainly of sandstone and claystone with infrequent limestones and siltstones. The Ravendale Formation Units 3, 4 and 6 contain massive claystone sediments and Unit 5 and 7 are composed predominantly of sandstones. The sandstone intervals display very good reservoir properties with porosities ranging up to 13.25 % in core samples taken between 1417 - 2098 m depth.
Gnalta 1
Gnalta 1 was a wildcat test drilled by N.S.W. OIL in 1969. The well was designed to intersect and determine the nature of a high speed refractor located in this area based on results of the Mootwingee Refraction Survey. The refractor was recorded at about 609 m subsurface near the top of the Menamurtee Dome where the well was located. The well penetrated 709 m of Devonian Mulga Downs Group sandstone before entering a hard, dense orthoquartzite possibly correlative to Precambrian Wonaminta Beds (known as the Kara Fm).
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Koonenberry Stratigraphic Wells
The Koonenberry Stratigraphic wells were drilled by the Geological Survey of NSW to investigate the presence of
petroleum source rocks in the area north-west of the Pondie Range Trough (Figure 15).
Figure 15: The location of the Koonenberry stratigraphic wells and groundwater bores in the Pondie Range Trough area.
Eight wells (DM Koonenberry 3-10) were drilled in 1999 as a part of the program. Six were drilled near the north-
west boundary of the Pondie Range Trough. Samples of core and cuttings were analysed for source rock potential.
The results showed the total organic carbon (TOC) content ranged from 0.02% to 0.53% (Little. 2000).
Palaeontological age dating was unsuccessful.
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Seismic surveys
There are 33 seismic lines, from six seismic surveys that cover parts of the Pondie Range Trough (Table 4). The total
length of seismic lines in the Pondie Range Trough is approximately 484 km.
Table 4: Seismic lines and details of surveys within the Pondie Range Trough.
Seismic Line Name
Seismic Interpretation Pondie Range Data Package 2018
Survey Name Report Date
Length [km]
SEGY Quality
1 SS047-B_PART-1
line interpreted
SS047 -White Cliffs
1965 12.3 YES POOR
2 SS047-A_PART-2
line interpreted
SS047 -White Cliffs
1965 37.8 YES POOR
3 SS047-G not interpreted SS047 -White Cliffs
1965 8.9 YES POOR
4 SS047-D line interpreted
SS047 -White Cliffs
1965 10.5 YES POOR
5 SS047-A_PART-1
line interpreted
SS047 -White Cliffs
1965 47.8 YES POOR
6 SS047-E not interpreted SS047 -White Cliffs
1965 9.5 YES POOR
7 SS047-F not interpreted SS047 -White Cliffs
1965 4.0 YES POOR
8 SS047-B_PART-2
not interpreted SS047 -White Cliffs
1965 20.3 YES POOR
9 SS051-L not interpreted SS51 - White Cliffs No.2
1965 17.6 NO -
10 SS051-J not interpreted SS51 - White Cliffs No.3
1965 5.4 NO -
11 SS051-N not interpreted SS51 - White Cliffs No.4
1965 17.7 NO -
12 SS051-PEXT line interpreted
SS51 - White Cliffs No.5
1965 3.2 NO -
13 SS051-I_(EXT)
line interpreted
SS51 - White Cliffs No.6
1965 2.5 YES POOR
14 SS051-H not interpreted SS51 - White Cliffs No.7
1965 18.4 NO -
15 SS051-H_(EXT-NE)
not interpreted SS51 - White Cliffs No.8
1965 12.6 NO -
16 SS051-K not interpreted SS51 - White Cliffs No.9
1965 2.6 YES POOR
17 SS051-O not interpreted SS51 - White Cliffs No.10
1965 2.5 NO -
18 SS051-O_EXT
not interpreted SS51 - White Cliffs No.11
1965 2.7 NO -
19 SS051-I_(EXT-W)
not interpreted SS51 - White Cliffs No.12
1965 15.0 NO -
20 SS051-P not interpreted SS51 - White Cliffs No.13
1965 2.7 YES POOR
21 SS051-I line interpreted
SS51 - White Cliffs No.14
1965 6.1 YES POOR
22 SS051-K_(EXT)
not interpreted SS51 - White Cliffs No.15
1965 6.3 NO -
23 SS051-K_(EXT-E)
not interpreted SS51 - White Cliffs No.16
1965 2.7 NO -
24 SS134>HD-106
line interpreted
SS134 - Darling
1983 47.1 YES GOOD
25 SS134>HD-107
line interpreted
SS134 - Darling
1983 45.7 YES POOR
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26 SS134>HD-105
line interpreted
SS134 - Darling
1983 32.5 YES GOOD
27 SS134>HD-101/101A
line interpreted
SS134 - Darling
1983 70.7 YES GOOD
28 SS134>HD-101B
line interpreted
SS134 - Darling
1983 5.0 YES GOOD
29 DMR04-3 line interpreted
GS2006-151 - Wilcannia / Ivanhoe 2D SS 2004, DMR
2004 41.9 YES GOOD
30 E04DB-01 line interpreted
GS2012-0770 - Darling Basin 2D Seismic Survey 2004, ESG
2004 10.6 YES GOOD
31 E04DB-02 line interpreted
GS2012-0770 - Darling Basin 2D Seismic Survey 2004, ESG
2004 19.2 YES GOOD
32 Line G not interpreted SS042 1965 13.3 NO POOR
33 Line H not interpreted SS042 1965 13.9 NO POOR
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The seismic coverage in the Pondie Range Trough is focused in the east (Figure 16) and most of the trough has no
seismic coverage. The quality of the available seismic data varies from poor to good. There is potential to
reprocess seismic data to improve the resolution and signal to noise ratios.
Figure 16: Seismic survey locations in the Pondie Range Trough and the general quality of the data for each line.
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Gravity surveys
Several gravity surveys have been acquired since exploration in the Pondie Range Trough commenced in the
1950s. The introduction of GPS systems in the early 1990s greatly improved the positioning of gradiometers
consequently, the data acquired prior to 1991 is no longer considered reliable.
The Pondie Range Trough is covered by 276 gravity stations. The 173 stations were acquired in 1995 on a 4 x 4
km grid using a modern and precise gravimeter that acquired good quality data. Previous surveys conducted in
1963-1973 were acquired on either on 11 x 11 km grid or along traverses, mostly using existing roads and tracks.
Figure 17 shows the isostatic Bouguer Gravity image covering the Pondie Range Trough area.
Figure 17: Isostatic Bouguer gravity image over the Pondie Range Trough area. Blue represents lower gravity measurements with red showing those with a higher gravimetric response.
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Aeromagnetic Data
The Pondie Range Trough is covered by the statewide aeromagnetic dataset compiled by the Geological Survey of
NSW. This dataset has a 50 m grid spacing and is based on data acquired using 400 m line spacing and a terrain
clearance of 80 m. Figure 18 shows the Total Magnetic Intensity, reduced to pole, in the Pondie Range Trough
area.
Figure 18: Total Magnetic Intensity (reduced to pole) of the Pondie Range Trough area. Red colours indicate higher magnetic intensity and blue representing a lower response.
Geochemical surveys
Rock Eval pyrolysis, Vitrinite Reflectance, Extractable Organic Matter
Analytical geochemical data for the Pondie Range Trough is limited to the Pondie Range 1 well. Table 5, Table 6
and Table 7 present the Rock Eval, Vitrinite Reflectance and Extractable Organic Matter data for the Devonian
sediments of the Ravendale and Wana Karnu Formations in the Pondie Range 1 well.
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Table 5. Pondie Range Trough – Rock Eva Total Organic Carbon Data
Well Depth [m] Age Interval Total Organic C [%]
Pondie Range 1 265.1 Late Devonian Ravendale 0.05
Pondie Range 1 450.8 Late Devonian Ravendale 0.1
Pondie Range 1 693.5 Late Devonian Ravendale 0.05
Pondie Range 1 2110.5 Middle Devonian Wana Karnu 0.05
Pondie Range 1 2343.7 Middle Devonian Wana Karnu 0.05
Table 6. Pondie Range Trough – Vitrinite Reflectance Data
Well Depth Age Interval Vitrinite Reflectance [%VR]
Pondie Range 1 265.1 Late Devonian Ravendale 0.7
Pondie Range 1 450.8 Late Devonian Ravendale 0.78
Pondie Range 1 693.5 Late Devonian Ravendale 0.72
Pondie Range 1 2110.5 Middle Devonian Wana Karnu 0.9
Pondie Range 1 2343.7 Middle Devonian Wana Karnu 0.92
Table 7. Pondie Range Trough - Extractable Organic Matter (EOM)
Well Depth Age EOM (ppm)
EOM Used
SATS (ppm)
AROMS (ppm)
SATS / ARO
NSO (ppm)
Pondie Range 1
265.1 Late Devonian
151 15.1 0 1 0 37
Pondie Range 1
450.8 Late Devonian
209 20.9 11 14 0.79 74
Pondie Range 1
693.5 Late Devonian
36 3.6 0 0 0 30
Pondie Range 1
2110.5 Middle Devonian
34 3.4 1 2 0.5 90
Pondie Range 1
2343.7 Middle Devonian
27 2.7 0 0 0 10
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Soil gas survey
In 2004 Petrofocus (2004) on behalf of Eastern Star Gas Limited completed a soil geochemical survey mostly along
several seismic lines in different parts of the Darling Basin. In the Pondie Range Trough, soil gas samples were
taken every 350-500 m along seismic line SS134-HD106 and two short lines perpendicular to it (Figure 19).
Figure 19: Location of the Petrofocus 2004 soil gas geochemical survey, the trough boundary, seismic lines and wells.
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Part 4 - Seismic
Interpretation
Seismic data loading and quality control
The interpretation of seismic data was carried out using IHS Kingdom software and the Kingdom Project is included
in this data package.
The seismic data were validated and checked against original seismic survey reports, seismic processing reports
and images of scanned hard copy seismic sections. Particular attention was given to the seismic reference datum
(SRD) and navigation data. The seismic reference datum (SRD) of the kingdom project is set at 100 m above sea
level. The coordinate system of the Kingdom project is GDA94/MGA zone 54 and all seismic navigation data were
converted to this coordinate system.
For each seismic line, volumes of different types and different processing versions have been loaded, which
included original migrated or stacked sections, reprocessed migrated and stacked data (Table 4 – Part 3 Available
Data). The final interpretation is based on the latest reprocessed data of better quality and the lower quality data
quality data were used only in areas where good quality data were absent. According to the seismic processing
reports an increase in the acoustic impedance is recorded as a peak (positive value) for all the lines. Troughs
(negative values) represent a decrease in the acoustic impedance.
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Well Data
Three wells have been drilled in the Pondie Range Trough namely; Pondie Range 1, Mena Murtee 1 and Gnalta 1.
The Mena Murtee 1 well completed in 2014 has good quality wireline logs and a check shot survey acquired,
whereas the Pondie Range 1 well drilled in 1966 has wireline data of low to moderate quality and should be used
with caution. No wireline logs were acquired for the Gnalta-1 well drilled in 1969. Additionally, a five regionally
relevant wells (Bancannia South 1, Berangabah 2, Blantyre 1, BME Ivanhoe 1 , Kewell East 1), outside of the
Pondie Range Trough, are included in the Kingdom project.
Well Correlation
Due to limited age control on the formation tops the well correlation between Pondie Range 1 and Mena Murtee 1,
is based on the well log pattern. In addition, significant seismic refractors across the two wells were used to
constrain stratigraphic correlations between wells (Figure 20).
Figure 20: Pondie Range Trough Well correlation with significant surfaces highlighted.
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Seismic-well tie and synthetic seismogram
The Mena Murtee 1 well was tied to the seismic data using the check shot survey and a synthetic seismogram
generated using available density and sonic logs. A good correlation between the synthetic trace and extracted
trace from the seismic section was achieved. The synthetic trace was generated using the DUG Insight 4.1
application and imported to the Kingdom project.
There was no density log nor check shot survey available for the Pondie Range 1 well, and the sonic log is of
limited use due to poor well conditions during wireline logging. A sonic log-derived Time-Depth (T-D) curve is
available in the Pondie Range 1 well completion report. This curve was modified in this project and used as a
reference. The Pondie Range 1 well was tied to seismic data using the combined time-depth pairs derived from the
Pondie Range well sonic log and the check shot data from the Mena Murtee 1 well.
Seismic Interpretation
The seismic interpretation focused on major seismic horizons and faults. Table 8 shows the interpreted horizons in
the Kingdom project included with this package, which correlate with the interpretation of Willcox et al. (2003).
Table 8: Correlation between horizons interpreted in the project and those from Willcox et al. (2003)
Interpreted horizon names in Pondie Range Trough Kingdom project
Horizon names of Willcox et.al. (2003)
Geological Interpretation
H_unconformity_regional A Top Revendale regional unconformity
H7_unit5_MM C Lithology boundary (Top Unit_5 identified at Mena Murtee 1)
H6_unit6_MM Lithology boundary (Top_Unit_6 identified at Mena Murtee 1)
H5_unit7_MM D Lithology boundary ( Top Unit_7 identified at Mena Murtee 1)
H4_unconform Top Wana Karnu unconformity (confirmed at Pondie Range 1 well)
H4_unit4_PR Top anticline reflector
H3 F Intra-Wana Karnu unconformity
H2_unconform Intra-Wana Karnu unconformity
H2_top_ancline Top anticline
H1_unconform H Top Winduck, Regional unconformity between syn-rfit succession and sag phase
H1_C_unconform Unconformity within the syn-rift succession
H1_B_unconform J Unconformity within the syn-rift succession
H1_A_unconform I Unconformity within the syn-rift succession
H1 K Unconformity within the syn-rift succession
H_base, Basement L Basement
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The most significant tectonic/structural events, evident on the seismic lines, are the major regional unconformities, interpreted as: H1_unconform (Top Winduck) and H_unconformity_regional (Top Ravendale) (Figure 21; Figure 22; Figure 23; Figure 24).
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Figure 21. Horizons interpreted and stratigraphic patterns on seismic section of SS134_HD_83_106. Please note vertical axis is two-way-time (TWT) in milli-seconds.
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Figure 22. Interpreted seismic section of line SS134_HD_83_106 (two-way-time in seconds).
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Figure 23. Interpreted seismic section of line SS134_HD_83_106 (two-way-time in seconds).
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Figure 24. Interpreted seismic section of line DMR04-3 (two-way-time in seconds).
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The H1_unconform (Top Winduck) horizon is associated with an extensive erosion between the presumed syn-rift
package and the overlying thermal sag succession of the Wana Karnu and Ravendale intervals. The syn-rift
package has a wedge-shaped geometry in most sections, including two to three recognisable unconformities. The
unconformity surfaces are characterized by truncation below them and onlap above.
Part of the syn-rift package comprises high amplitude, discontinuous reflectors, with oblique and channelised
features, whereas other parts of the package consists of medium to high amplitude, relatively continuous parallel
reflectors. Basement-involved low angle thrust faults were also interpreted in this syn-rift package.
For the interval between the two significant regional unconformity horizons, H1_unconform (Top Winduck) and
H_unconform_regional (Top Ravendale), eight horizons have been interpreted, of which most are unconformities.
Between the H1_unconform (Top Winduck) and H4_unconform horizons, the interval consists of five successions,
or sequences, separated by unconformities, of which most are associated with truncations or/and onlaps.
A large scale anticlinal geometry is observed in the Pondie Range 1 well area, associated with the post Devonian
regional inversion (Willcox et al. 2003). Mapping of the structure using seismic data indicate a four-way dip closure
or a fault-anticline combined closure.
The interval between the H4_unconform (Top Wana Karnu) and the H_unc_regional (Top Ravendale) horizon is
associated with broad and gentle folding, of which the top part is significantly truncated.
The H_unc_regional (Top Ravendale) horizon is correlated to a shallow regional unconformity associated with
strong truncation of the reflectors below, indicating significant regional uplifting and erosion. The unconformity is
shallow (less than 100 milliseconds (about 100m thick) and has a horizontal character. It separates the younger
Cainozoic sediments from the underlying and truncated Late Devonian units of the Ravendale Interval.
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Time-depth conversion
The horizons, H1_unconform (Top Winduck) and H4_unconform (Top Wana Karnu) were gridded (Figure 25;
Figure 26) and converted to depth (Figure 27; Figure 28) using a velocity function combining checkshot data from
the Mena Murtee 1 well and seismic stacking velocities at different structural locations. The resulting depth map of
the H4_unconform (Top Wana Karnu) horizon shows a good tie with the relevant formation tops of the Pondie
Range 1 well the H1_unconform (Top Winduck) horizon is not penetrated by wells in the Pondie Range Trough).
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Figure 25.Structural map of the H1_unconform (Top Winduck) horizon (two way time in milliseconds, CI=50ms).
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Figure 26: Structural map of the H4_unconform (Top Wana Karnu) horizon (two way time in milliseconds, CI=50ms)
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Figure 27: Structural map of H1_unconform (Top Winduck) horizon (depth in meters subsea, CI=150m).
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Figure 28: Structural map of the H4_unconform (Top Wana Karnu) horizon (depth in meters subsea,
CI=100m).
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Part 5 – Petroleum systems
This chapter focuses on the different elements of the petroleum system within the Pondie Range Trough (Figure
29). The integration of all available data including the recently drilled Mena Murtee 1 well and the reprocessed
seismic lines have provided evidence that all the elements of a petroleum system are present in the Pondie Range
Trough. Source rock units associated with a marine inundation in the Early Devonian were identified on newly
acquired and reprocessed seismic lines (Willcox 2003; Cooney & Mantaring 2007). Reservoir intervals were
deposited during the Middle to Late Devonian (Wana Karnu and Ravendale Intervals) in a foreland basin setting
with molassic sedimentation patterns (Cooney & Mantaring 2007). The core data from Mena Murtee 1 and Pondie
Range 1 have also confirmed good intra-formational sealing properties within these units.
Figure 29: Schematic cartoon indicating potential Petroleum System Elements within the Pondie Range Trough.
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Source rocks
The main source rocks within the Darling Basin are syn-rift deposits of the Winduck Interval. The Interval is
associated with marine inundation during the Early Devonian. The known intersections of the basal part of this
interval, in the Berangabah 1 and BMR Ivanhoe 1 wells, confirm its petroleum generative potential. The shallow
marine sequences encountered in these wells, despite being overmatured still contain up to 1% TOC (Table 9;
BMR 1979; Scott & Hartung-Kagi 1997; Brown et al. 1982; Dept. Mineral Resources 1993; Black Rock Petroleum
et al. 2001). Seismic characteristics within the Winduck Interval in the Pondie Range Trough indicate a marginal
marine to deepening marine environment with potential carbonate buildups developed along the basement highs
(Willcox 2003).
The source rock potential of the Wana Karnu and Ravendale Intervals are poorly understood. The lacustrine and
shallow marine facies of these intervals are likely to demonstrate petroleum generative potential. Marine inundation
within time equivalent units were laid down in the Devonian Adavale Basin of Queensland. The only available TOC
data in the Pondie Range 1 well are lean and represents the fluvial facies of these intervals.
Table 9: Pondie Range, BMR Ivanhoe 1 and Balranald 1 Source Rock Data (Source of Data BMR 1979; Scott & Hartung-Kagi 1997; Brown et al. 1982; Dept. Mineral Resources 1993; Black rock Petroleum et al. 2001)
Well Depth Interval Ro TOC
m % %
Pondie Range 1
265 Ravendale 0.7 0.05
451 Ravendale 0.78 0.1
694 Ravendale 0.72 <0.05
2111 Wana Karnu 0.9 <0.05
2344 Wana Karnu 0.92 <0.05
BMR Ivanhoe 1
62 Winduck 1.61 0.98
169 Winduck - 1.06
170 Winduck 1.2 0.81
201 Winduck 1.44 0.12
215 Winduck 0.43 0.15
225 Winduck 1.6 0.14
240 Winduck - 0.15
250 Winduck 0.85 0.08
270 Winduck 1.57 0.15
283 Winduck 1.63 0.29
287 Winduck - 0.23
301 Winduck 1.81 0.09
Balranald-1 186 Winduck - 0.8
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The presence source rocks are also confirmed by thermogenic derived ethane and propane present in the soil-gas
samples in the Pondie Range Trough (Petrofocus 2004).
Reservoirs
The reservoir properties of the Darling Basin rocks have been a subject of multiple studies (Blevin et al. 2007,
Kobussen & Dick 2011, Watson et al. 2015). In total 114 samples from the Pondie Range 1 and Mena Murtee 1
wells have been analysed for porosity and permeability. Several reservoir units within the Ravendale and Wana
Karnu intervals have been identified (Blevin et al. 2007; Kobussen & Dick 2011; Watson et al. 2015).
In the Pondie Range 1 well porosity is strongly influenced by depth of burial, diagenesis and microfacies
distribution. The seismic interpretation of the Pondie Range structure indicates at least 1200 m of the post-
Devonian (Kanimblan Orogeny) uplift and erosion (Blevin et al. 2007) at the well location. Despite this significant
uplift good reservoir properties of 12% porosity and permeabilities exceeding 100 mD occur down to 1600 m
(Figure 30).
Figure 30: Porosity and Permeability data for the Pondie Range 1 well. (Source of Data: GS2000/186; GS1997/378. GS1997/502)
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Thin sections show a moderate level of cementation within the identified reservoir units. In the thin section from the
deepest location (1281 mKB), a good primary intergranular porosity is still visible despite some minor reduction due
to diagenesis (Buswell,1997).
Figure 31: Thin section of sample from 1281 m in Pondie Range 1 (Buswell, 1997b) The sample is quartz arenite with good primary porosity. Blue stained epoxy represents porosity (blue areas). Some minor reduction in porosity is due to authigenic sillica overgrows.
The Mena Murtee 1 well penetrated four sandstone units of low clay content (1) 1386 – 1418 m; (2) 1488 – 1498 m;
(3) 1526 – 1535 m; (4) 1552 – 1641 m. All these units were cored, mini-Drill Stem Tested (DST) and then the
collected core samples analysed for reservoir properties (Bell et al. 2014). Measured porosities were between 11 -
13% and mini-DST derived permeabilities ranged between 23 and 260 mD. A summary of the results is presented
in Figure 32.
Silica overgrows
Quartz
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Figure 32: Petrophysical interpretation of sandstone units of interest at Mena Murtee 1. Porosity (%) and permeability (Kinf mD) results from side wall cores, conventional cores, and mini DSTs are given. In total 52 core and sidewall core samples were analysed for porosity and permeability in Mena Murtee 1 (Figure 33).
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Figure 33: Porosity and permeability data for Mena Murtee 1. (Source: GS2015/0405)
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Porosity is visible in thin sections of the sandstone from the Mena Murtee 1 well. In the sample from 1630.78 m
(Figure 34) a low level of diagenetic cementation is evident in the form of quartz overgrowth development.
Figure 34: Mena Murtee 1 1630.78 m. Well-rounded, well sorted, fine grained quartz (Q) exhibits overgrowth cementation. Blue stained epoxy (blue areas) represents porosity. (source Intertek-Geotech-Mena Murtee-1).
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Seal
Numerous fine-grained units, capable of acting as seals, have been identified in the Pondie Range 1 and Mena
Murtee 1 wells. In the Pondie Range 1 well the interval from 1693 to 2507 m consisting of laminated siltstones with
interbedded sandstones is potentially a good seal.
In the Mena Murtee 1 well units with good sealing potential are also recognised. Twelve samples from various
possible sealing units (755 to 1979 m) were analysed to determine their gas retention capabilities (Watson et al.
2015). These measurements have revealed that they can contain a gas column height (CO2) of 52 m to 417 m
(Figure 35).
Figure 35: Gas column retention heights for the samples from Mena Murtee 1.
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Part 6 – Data assessment
A qualitative assessment of the availability of petroleum data in the Pondie Range Trough has been completed and
for the assessment the trough was subdivided into five areas (Figure 36). The areas were delineated based on
geology and the relative amount of data. The “North” and “South-west” sub-divisions are based on the interpreted
shallowing of the basin over faults that extend into basement. The “Central-north”, “Central” and “South-east” sub-
divisions are arbitrarily based on the location of the wells and seismic line density.
Figure 36. Location of areas considered in data assessment
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Ten geological factors were ranked based on the definitions set out in Table 10. For each of the areas a score for
each factor considered has been assigned after the assessment (Table 11). The assessment considers the
availability of data relevant to petroleum exploration in the five areas and the occurrence of hydrocarbon indicators
or shows. A higher score indicates relatively better data quality and density.
The assessment indicates that the NW, SW and Central areas have low data availability. The NE and SE, areas
have relatively good data coverage particularly in terms of seismic data availability. These two areas also have
moderate amounts of soil gas testing data although drilling data remains very limited in all parts of the trough. None
of the areas exhibit petroleum shows in wells or outcrop although there are indications based on soil gas surveys of
elevated light hydrocarbons in the SE and NE areas.
Table 10: Explanation of rankings used in the data assessment of the trough. The scores were used to calculate a data availability value for each area.
Ranking Score Explanation
None 0 No data available. Unable to draw any conclusions about the geology of the area.
Very Limited
1 Only minor, sparse data availability. Regional geology of the area may be inferred.
Limited 2 Only sparse data availability. Regional geology of the area may be inferred.
Moderate 3 Reasonable coverage. Regional geology may be interpreted with a degree of confidence.
Good 4 Good data availability. Regional geology can be interpreted with a higher degree of confidence and prospect scale geology may be inferred.
Excellent 5 Excellent data availability. High degree of confidence for the interpretation of regional and prospect scale geology.
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Table 11: Qualitative assessment of data availability in the Pondie Range Trough based on ranking definitions set out in Table 10. The scores and percentages indicate the relative amount and quality of data available in each area.
NW SW Central NE SE
Data Availability
Well data 1 Very limited 0 None 0 None 1 Very limited 1 Very limited
Formation test data
0 None 0 None 0 None 1 Very limited 1 Very limited
Seismic data 1 Very limited 0 None 0 None 4 Good 4 Good
Borewater geochemistry data
0 None 0 None 0 None 1 Very limited 0 None
Soil gas geochemistry data
0 None 0 None 0 None 3 Moderate 3 Moderate
Mapping data 4 Good 2 Limited 1 Very limited 1 Very limited 1 Very limited
Geophysics data 4 Good 4 Good 3 Moderate 4 Good 4 Good
Hydrocarbon Shows
Well show 0 None 0 None 0 None 0 None 0 None
Outcrop show 0 None 0 None 0 None 0 None 0 None
Geochemical survey show
0 None 0 None 0 None 1 Very limited 2 Limited
Overall data assessment score
10 6 4 16 16
Overall data % 20 12 8 32 32
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Part 7 – Summary and
conclusions
The available datasets and their interpretation indicate potential for the discovery of new petroleum resources in the
Pondie Range Trough.
All the elements of a petroleum system are interpreted to be present in the Pondie Range Trough. Source rocks are
associated with a marine inundation in the Early Devonian which resulted in deposition of marine units of the
Winduck Interval. These marine sequences showing a petroleum generative potential were encountered in wells
(BMR Ivanhoe-1, Berangabah 1) of the Neckarboo trough and were identified on the reprocessed seismic lines in
the Pondie Range Trough.
Reservoir intervals were deposited during the Middle to Late Devonian (Wana Karnu and Ravendale Intervals) in a
foreland basin setting. The preserved reservoir properties (porosities 10-12% permeabilities 10 -1000 mD) are
similar to those observed in gas producing intervals of the Lissoy Sandstone in the Devonian aged Adavale Basin
in Queensland.
Sealing units are provided by fine-grained intervals intersected by both Mena Murtee 1 and Pondie Range 1 in the
Pondie Range Trough. Laboratory analysis of these intervals have revealed a good sealing capacity.
The Pondie Range Trough is under-explored for hydrocarbons. Further assessment and exploration is required to
properly test its petroleum resource potential and determine if commercially viable hydrocarbon accumulations
likely exist.
.
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https://www.resourcesandenergy.nsw.gov.au/miners-and-explorers/geoscience-information/products-and-
data/geoscience-data-resources/geoscience-data-packages/data/seamless-geology-data-package-zone-54