OFFSHORE PETROLEUM EXPLORATION
ACREAGE RELEASE  AUSTRALIA 2014
Release Areas W14-8, W14-9, W14-10, W14-11, W14-12,
W14-13 and W14-22, Exmouth Plateau,
Northern Carnarvon Basin, Western Australia
Highlights
Work program bids (W14-8 to W14-13)
close 2 April 2015
Cash bids (W14-22) close 5 February 2015
Figure 1
Location of the 2014 Release Areas on the
Exmouth Plateau, Northern Carnarvon
Basin

Deep-water gas province with multi-Tcf gas
accumulations

Proximal to Thebe, Scarborough and Io/Janz
gas accumulations

Deep to ultra-deep water depths,
900–2000 m

Proven Triassic fault blocks and
structural/stratigraphic traps

Large undrilled areas with potential for
discovery of new plays

Special Notices apply, refer to Guidance Notes
A number of Release Areas are being offered in a variety of locations on the Exmouth Plateau. Release Areas W14-8
and W14-9 are in the underexplored northwestern Exmouth Plateau in the vicinity of the Thebe gas accumulation,
approximately 300 km off the West Australian coast. Release Areas W14-10, W14-11 and W14-12 are in a central
location, in the vicinity of the giant Scarborough and super-giant Io/Jansz gas accumulations, 150 to 250 km offshore.
Release Area W14-13 is on the southern Exmouth Plateau, around 115 km northwest of Exmouth.
Release Area W14-22 is located on the axis of the Kangaroo Syncline, in the inboard portion of the Exmouth Plateau,
170 km north of Exmouth. This Release Area, adjacent to the super-giant Io/Jansz gas accumulation and on a parallel
trend with the Maenad and Satyr gas discoveries, is considered mature in exploration status and is available for
cash bidding.
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Offshore Petroleum Exploration Acreage Release
DISCLAIMER: This document has been developed as a guide only. Explorers should not rely solely on this information when making commercial decisions.
Image courtesy of BHP Billiton Petroleum Pty Ltd.
1
The Exmouth Plateau is a deep-water marginal plateau that is the westernmost structural element of the Northern
Carnarvon Basin. The plateau is underlain by 10–15 km of flat-lying and tilted, block-faulted Paleozoic to Mesozoic
sedimentary rocks, deposited during periods of extension prior to continental breakup in the Middle Jurassic and Early
Cretaceous. The Triassic fluvio-deltaic Mungaroo Formation has been the target for many explorers in the Exmouth
Plateau, acting as both source and reservoir. Other reservoirs include the Jansz Sandstone, as well as sandstone units
within the Barrow Group and Brigadier Formation. The Lower Cretaceous Muderong Shale acts as the regional seal.
Proven play types include Triassic fault blocks and drapes, and stratigraphic traps of Oxfordian and Early
Cretaceous age.
Figure 2
Structural elements of the Exmouth Plateau, showing petroleum fields and discoveries, the location of regional
seismic sections and the 2014 Release Areas. Release Areas shown by outline only are discussed elsewhere
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Figure 3
Stratigraphy and hydrocarbon discoveries of the Exmouth Plateau, based on the Northern Carnarvon Basin Biozonation and Stratigraphy Chart 36 (Kelman et al 2013).
Geological Time Scale after Gradstein et al (2012). Regional seismic horizons after AGSO (2001)
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Figure 4
Composite seismic lines 110/15 and 101/07 across the Exmouth Plateau. Interpretation after AGSO (2001). Location of the seismic line is shown in Figure 2.
Regional seismic horizons are shown in Figure 3
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Figure 5
Seismic line 110/12 across the Exmouth Plateau and Exmouth Sub-basin. Interpretation after AGSO (2001). Location of the seismic line is shown in Figure 2.
Regional seismic horizons are shown in Figure 3
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Figure 6
Seismic and well data in the vicinity of the Release Areas on the Exmouth Plateau, Northern Carnarvon Basin.
Release Areas shown by outline only are discussed elsewhere
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Petroleum systems elements
Exmouth Plateau
Sources

Triassic fluvio-deltaic sediments of the Mungaroo Formation (gas-prone)
Reservoirs





Lower Cretaceous basin-floor fans and turbidites in the Barrow Group
Upper Jurassic upper–lower shoreface Jansz Sandstone
Upper Triassic carbonate reefs (no discoveries to date)
Upper Triassic shallow marine-deltaic Brigadier Formation
Upper Triassic fluvio-deltaic to marginal marine Mungaroo Formation
Seals
Regional seal

Lower Cretaceous Muderong Shale
Intraformational seals
Traps



Lower Cretaceous distal claystones of the Barrow Group (Forestier Claystone equivalents)
Jurassic marl/claystone condensed sections (Dingo Claystone equivalents)
Intra-formational Mungaroo Formation claystones (cross-fault)




Tilted Triassic fault blocks and associated drapes
Upper Jurassic shoreface sandstone stratigraphic traps
Lower Cretaceous basin floor fan stratigraphic traps
Upper Triassic pinnacle reefs
Infrastructure and markets
The Release Areas are in proximity to existing multi-Tcf gas accumulations and recent discoveries, as well as to planned
and currently under construction LNG facilities.
Critical risks
The full extent of the petroleum system(s) operating on the Exmouth Plateau, especially in the north and west, is yet to
be determined. Continued exploration success relies on the identification of traps with access to charge from the
gas-prone Mungaroo Formation source. Seismic data shows evidence of trap breach around a number of the northern
wells (e.g. Jupiter 1), leading to some traps being under-filled (Longley et al, 2002).
Data sets
For the Wells Data Listing go to
http://www.petroleum-acreage.gov.au/2014/support/geo.html
For the Seismic Surveys Listing go to
http://www.ga.gov.au/energy/projects/acreage-release-and-promotion/2014.html#data-packages
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Geoscience Australia products
Regional geology and seismic

Geological Framework of the Outer Exmouth Plateau and Adjacent Ocean Basins, 2004. GEOCAT 60864

Line Drawings of AGSO-Geoscience Australia’s Regional Seismic Profiles, Offshore Northern and Northwestern
Australia, 2001. 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

Interpreted Horizons and Faults for Seismic Survey 128. Outer Carnarvon, Roebuck and Browse basins, 2003.
GEOCAT 35247

Interpreted Horizons and Faults for Seismic Survey 95. Carnarvon and Roebuck basins, 2003. GEOCAT 35234

Seismic Transects of Australia’s Frontier Continental Margins, 2006. GEOCAT 64054
Stratigraphy

Geoscience Australia’s Basin Biozonation and Stratigraphy Chart Series: Northern Carnarvon Basin Biozonation
and Biostratigraphy Chart 36, 2013. GEOCAT 76687
Petroleum systems and accumulations

Source Rock Time-slice Maps: Offshore Northwest Australia, 2004. GEOCAT 61179

Australian Petroleum Systems. Exmouth Plateau & Outer Rankin Platform Module, 1995. GEOCAT 37166

Characterisation of Natural Gases from West Australian Basins: Australian Geological Survey Organisation and
Geotechnical Services Non-exclusive Study, 2000. GEOCAT 33569
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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Key references
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AGSO, 2001—Line drawings of AGSO – Geoscience Australia’s Regional Seismic Profiles, Offshore Northern and
Northwestern Australia. Australian Geological Survey Organisation Record, 2001/36, 174pp.
https://www.ga.gov.au/products/servlet/controller?event=GEOCAT_DETAILS&catno=36353 (last accessed 15 January
2014).
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Australia. In: Keep, M. and Moss, S.J. (eds), 2013, The Sedimentary Basins of Western Australia IV: Proceedings of the
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HEFTI, J., DEWING, S., JENKINS, C., ARNOLD, A. AND KORN, B.E., 2006—Improvements in seismic imaging,
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field, Carnarvon Basin, Australia. The APPEA Journal, 43(1), 303–324.
KAMINSKI, M.A., BAUMGARTNER, P.O., BOWN, P.R., HAIG, D.W., MCMINN, A., MORAN, M.J., MUTTERLOSE,
J. AND OGG, J.G., 1992—Chapter 38. Magnetobiostratigraphic synthesis of Leg 123: sites 765 and 766 (Argo Abyssal
Plain and Lower Exmouth Plateau). In: Gradstein, F.M., Adamson, A.C., Ludden, J.N. and Paog, C.W. (eds).
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KELMAN, A.P., NICOLL R.S., KENNARD, J.M., MORY, A.J., MANTLE, D.J., LE POIDEVIN, S., BERNARDEL, G.,
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KORN, B.E., TEAKLE, R.P., MAUGHAN, D.M. AND SIFFLEET, P.B., 2003—The Geryon, Orthrus, Maenad and Urania
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