AUSTRALIA 2013
Offshore Petroleum Exploration Acreage Release
RELEASE AREAS W13-10, W13-11, W13-12 AND W13-13,
DAMPIER, BEAGLE AND BARROW SUB-BASINS,
NORTHERN CARNARVON BASIN,
WESTERN AUSTRALIA
HIGHLIGHTS
BIDS CLOSE 21 November 2013
 Within one of Australia’s premier offshore
producing basins with pre-existing
infrastructure
 Shallow to deep water, depths 40 to >200 m
 Oil-prone Upper Jurassic and gas-prone
Triassic to Middle Jurassic source rocks
 Proven multi-level structural and
stratigraphic plays in Triassic, Jurassic and
Lower Cretaceous strata
 Special Notices apply, refer to Guidance
Notes
Figure 1 Location of the 2013 Release Areas in the
Dampier, Beagle and Barrow sub-basins of the
Northern Carnarvon Basin
Release Area W13-10 is located in the Beagle and Dampier Sub-basins, in the vicinity of the Bounty, Finucane, Fletcher
and Mutineer/Pitcairn oil fields. Release Area W13-11 is located in the Dampier Sub-basin, in the vicinity of the Legendre
and Sage oil fields. Release Area W13-12 is located in the Dampier Sub-basin, in the vicinity of the Corvus gas field.
Release Area W13-13 is including located in the Dampier and Barrow Sub-basins, in the vicinity of the Corvus and
Campbell gas fields, and numerous oil fields Chamois, Oryx and Tusk.
The Dampier, Beagle and Barrow Sub-basins contain Paleozoic to Cenozoic sedimentary successions, with maximum
thicknesses of 10–20 km. The region offers proven petroleum systems of Late Triassic, Middle-Late Jurassic and Lower
Cretaceous age. Both oil and gas accumulations exist within these Sub-basins, which offer a range of play types to be
targeted. Gas is sourced from Triassic to Middle Jurassic fluvio-deltaic rocks of the Mungaroo and Brigadier formations,
Murat Siltstone, and Athol and Legendre formations. Oil is sourced from the Upper Jurassic Dingo Claystone. Structural
plays include tilted fault blocks and rollovers, anticlines and drapes, and horsts. Stratigraphic plays include pinch-outs,
unconformity traps and transgressive sandstone packages at the base of the Locker Shale. The region contains existing
infrastructure that will facilitate further development.
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Figure 2 Structural setting of the Dampier, Beagle and Barrow sub-basins showing petroleum fields and discoveries,
location of the regional cross-section and the 2013 Release Areas
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Figure 3 Stratigraphy and hydrocarbon discoveries of the Dampier Sub-basin based on the North Carnarvon Basin
Biozonation and Stratigraphy Chart (Nicoll et al, 2010). Geological Time Scale after Gradstein et al (2012). AGSO
regional seismic horizons after AGSO (2001)
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Figure 4 AGSO seismic line 101r/08 through the Dampier Sub-basin. Location of the line is shown in Figure 2. Regional
seismic horizons are shown in Figure 3
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PETROLEUM SYSTEMS ELEMENTS
Dampier, Beagle and Barrow Sub-basin
Sources
 Upper Jurassic marine Dingo Claystone (oil-prone)
 Lower–Middle Jurassic fluvio-deltaic to marginal marine Legendre Formation (gas- and oil-prone)
 Lower–Middle Jurassic marine to marginal marine Athol Formation
(gas- and oil-prone)
 Lower Jurassic marine Murat Siltstone (gas- and oil-prone)
 Upper Triassic fluvio-deltaic to marine Brigadier Formation (gas-prone)
 Middle–Upper Triassic fluvial to marginal marine Mungaroo Formation
(gas-prone)
Reservoirs
 M. australis Member and other sandstone units within the Lower Cretaceous marine to marginal
marine Muderong Shale
 Berriasian sandstones within Lower Cretaceous marine to fluvio-deltaic Forestier Claystone (Barrow
Group equivalents)
 Upper Jurassic marine to fluvial Angel Formation
 Upper Jurassic marine Eliassen and Biggada formations
 Lower–Middle Jurassic fluvio-deltaic to marginal marine Legendre Formation
 Lower–Middle Jurassic marine to marginal marine Athol Formation
 Lower Jurassic fluvio-deltaic to marine North Rankin Formation
 Upper Triassic fluvio-deltaic to marine Brigadier Formation
 Middle–Upper Triassic fluvial to marginal marine Mungaroo Formation
 Lower Triassic basal transgressive sand underlying Locker Shale (untested)
Seals

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Lower–Upper Cretaceous marine Gearle Siltstone
Lower Cretaceous marine to marginal marine Muderong Shale (regional seal)
Lower Cretaceous marine to fluvio-deltaic Forestier Claystone
Upper Jurassic marine Dingo Claystone
Lower–Middle Jurassic marine to marginal marine Athol Formation
Lower Jurassic marine Murat Siltstone
Lower Triassic Locker Shale (untested)
Traps



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Lower Cretaceous M. australis Member stratigraphic traps
Lower Cretaceous low-side rollover structures
Lower Cretaceous faulted horst blocks
Upper Jurassic–Lower Cretaceous drape structures
Upper Jurassic–Lower Cretaceous submarine fan stratigraphic traps
Middle Jurassic faulted anticlines
Upper Triassic–Lower Jurassic horst and tilted fault-blocks
INFRASTRUCTURE AND MARKETS
The Release Areas are in proximity to pre-existing infrastructure with tie-in options including the Pluto LNG Gas, North
Rankin and Devil Creek pipelines, as well as the Northwest Shelf 42” Trunkline. Pipelines connect to onshore facilities for
processing before transport to domestic and international markets.
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CRITICAL RISKS
Across the Dampier Sub-basin there is variable risk for entrapment and preservation of hydrocarbons. In the
northwestern part of the sub-basin, diagenesis of Jurassic sandstones as a result of increased burial depth may
adversely affect potential reservoirs. Sandstone distribution within the fine, deep-water sediments poses a significant
risk. In-board areas of the sub-basin may have risks associated with hydrocarbon migration, biodegradation and lack of
seal.
DATA SETS
For the Wells Data Listing go to
http://www.petroleum-acreage.gov.au/2013/support/geo.html
For the Seismic Surveys Listing go to
http://www.ga.gov.au/energy/projects/acreage-release-and-promotion/2013.html#data-packages
GEOSCIENCE AUSTRALIA PRODUCTS
Regional Geology and Seismic

Line Drawings of Geoscience Australia’s Regional Seismic Profiles, Offshore Northern and Northwestern Australia,
2001. AGSO Record 2001/36. GEOCAT 36353

Interpreted Horizons and Faults Data for Seismic Survey 101. Carnarvon Basin, 2003. GEOCAT 35240

Interpreted Horizons and Faults Data for Seismic Survey 110. Carnarvon Basin, 2003. GEOCAT 35242

Survey 97: Operations Report for the Joint BMR/Woodside Petroleum High Resolution Seismic Program in the
Dampier Sub-basin, October 1990, 1991. GEOCAT 14453
Stratigraphy

Northern Carnarvon Basin Biozonation and Biostratigraphy Chart 36, 2013. GEOCAT 75819
Petroleum Systems and Accumulations

Source Rock Time-Slice Maps, Offshore Northwest Australia, 2004. GEOCAT 61179

Australian Petroleum Systems: Dampier Sub-basin Module, 1993. GEOCAT 37164

Australian Petroleum Systems: Roebuck and Offshore Canning Basins – Beagle Sub-basin Module, 1995.
GEOCAT 37167

Oils of Western Australia II: Regional Petroleum Geochemistry and Correlation of Crude Oils and Condensates from
Western Australia and Papua New Guinea, 2005, Geoscience Australia and GeoMark Research. GEOCAT 37512

Characterisation of Natural Gases from West Australian Basins: AGSO and Geotechnical Services non-exclusive
study, 2000. GEOCAT 33569

Light Hydrocarbon Geochemistry of the WA-28-P Area, Dampier Sub-basin, Western Australia: Rig Seismic Survey
97: Project 121.19, 1992. GEOCAT 14569
Contact Geoscience Australia’s Sales Centre for more information or to order these reports or products, phone
61 (0)2 6249 9966, email sales@ga.gov.au
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Offshore Petroleum Exploration Acreage Release
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KEY REFERENCES
AGSO, 2001—Line drawings of AGSO – Geoscience Australia’s Regional Seismic Profiles, Offshore Northern and
Northwestern Australia. Australian Geological Survey Organisation Record 2001/36.
ANDERSON, P.F., BINGAMAN, P., GRAVES, K., FERNANDES, F., O’SULLIVAN, F. AND BETTS, S., 2012—Recent
production and drilling success of the Stag oil field from multidisciplinary evaluation of OBC seismic data. Leading Edge,
(Special Section) Marine and seabed technology, 31(4), 387–391.
BALLESTEROS, M., 1998—Recent discoveries in the Barrow and Dampier sub-basins: Agincourt, Alkimos, Wonnich,
Reindeer and Legendre fields. In: Purcell, P.G. and Purcell, R.R. (eds), The Sedimentary Basins of Western Australia 2:
Proceedings of the Petroleum Exploration Society of Australia Symposium, Perth, 541–552.
BARBER, P., 1994—Late Jurassic–Early Cretaceous depositional systems of the Dampier Sub-basin – Quo Vadis? The
APEA Journal, 34(1), 566–585.
CATHRO, D.L. AND KARNER, G.D., 2006—Cretaceous–Tertiary inversion history of the Dampier Sub-basin, northwest
Australia: insights from quantitative basin modelling. Marine and Petroleum Geology, 23, 503–526.
CROWLEY, A.J., 1999—The M. australis sandstones, Dampier Sub-basin, Australia. The APPEA Journal, 39(1), 104–
114.
CROWLEY, A.J. AND COLLINS, E.S., 1996—The Stag Oilfield. The APPEA Journal, 36(1), 130–141.
DYSON, I.A., 1998—Stratigraphy and sedimentology of the M. australis Sandstone, Barrow and Dampier Sub-basins. In:
Purcell, P.G. and Purcell, R.R. (eds), The Sedimentary Basins of Western Australia 2: Proceedings of the Petroleum
Exploration Society of Australia Symposium, Perth, 503–514.
GRADSTEIN, F.M., OGG, J.G. SCHMITZ, M.D. AND OGG, G.M. (eds), 2012—The Geologic Time Scale 2012; Volumes
1 and 2. Elsevier BV, 1144pp.
HILL, G., 1994—The role of the pre-rift structure in the architecture of the Dampier Basin area, North West Shelf,
Australia. The APEA Journal, 34(1), 602–613.
HOCKING, R.M., 1990—Carnarvon Basin. In: Geology and Mineral Resources of Western Australia. Western Australia
Geological Survey, Memoir 3, 347–495.
KINGSLEY, D.R. AND TILBURY, L.A., 1999—Impact of 3D seismic on exploration and drilling success in the Dampier
Sub-basin, WA. The APPEA Journal, 39(1), 87v103.
KOPSEN, E. AND MCGANN, G., 1985—A review of the hydrocarbon habitat of the eastern and central Barrow–Dampier
sub-basin, Western Australia, APEA Journal, 25(1), 154–176.
NICOLL R.S., BERNARDEL, G., HASHIMOTO, T., JONES, A.T., J.M. KELMAN, A.P., KENNARD, J.M., LE POIDEVIN,
S., MANTLE, D.J., ROLLET, N. AND TEMPLE, P.R., 2010—[Web page] Carnarvon Basin, Biozonation and Stratigraphy,
2010, Geoscience Australia.
ROMINE, K.K., DURRANT, J.M., CATHRO, D.L. AND BERNARDEL, G., 1997—Petroleum play element prediction of
the Cretaceous–Tertiary basin phase, Northern Carnarvon Basin. The APPEA Journal, 37(1), 325–339.
THOMAS, G.P., LENNANE, M.R., GLASS, F., WALKER, T., PARTINGTON, M., LEISCHNER, K.R. AND DAVIS, R.C.,
2004—Breathing new life into the eastern Dampier Sub-basin: an integrated review based on geophysical, stratigraphic
and basin modelling evaluation. The APPEA Journal, 36(1), 131–144.
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