MGPalaeo’s AUSTRALIS® geological database provides the most up-to-date interpretation of geological data that exists, covering almost 3000 Australian wells using one consistent zonation scheme.


“An innovative stratigraphic database that gives the geoscientist the competitive advantage to identify new hydrocarbon accumulations and high grade prospective exploration acreage.” [Carnarvon Petroleum, 2016]

Explore our all new AUTRALIS VIEWER here!

MGPalaeo’s AUSTRALIS geological database contains comprehensively interpreted geological data for all exploration and many development/appraisal wells across the North West Shelf of Australia, plus Perth, Otway, Gippsland, Bass, Canning, and the Great Artesian basins (with more to come).

Whether you are working oil & gas, carbon capture & storage, hydrogen, geothermal, groundwater, or mineral exploration, this is the database for you.

Our Data – a point of difference

While there is a wealth of geological data freely available through government websites (e.g. Geoscience Australia, WAPIMS/NOPIMS, etc.), the AUSTRALIS geological database is the only quality-controlled database containing consistent, fully-reviewed and reinterpreted palynological and lithostratigraphical data, edited wireline logs, and detailed sequence stratigraphic frameworks for all wells from spud depth to TD.

To build accurate geological models, accurate, quality-controlled, and consistent geological data that you can trust is a vital component – and this is only available from MGPalaeo’s AUSTRALIS database.

Read on to learn what differentiates AUSTRALIS from all other databases.


Palynology

Central to our database, and one of its key advantages that separates it from all other databases, is the strength of the biostratigraphy, a cornerstone to any sound geological model. All available open-file palynological data for every well has been internally reviewed by our team of experienced palynologists, and updated to one consistent zonation scheme, MGP2014. This means there is consistency right across the board with naming conventions, zonal picks, and palaeoenvironmental interpretations.


Lithostratigraphy

We have maintained the Formations everyone knows from different basins, but increased predictability by ensuring they fit into a chronostratigraphic framework. We also ensure consistent nomenclature across each basin, and that our frameworks ties into alternative correlation schemes, such as Chemostratigraphy. Lithostratigraphic interpretations are based on our regional understanding, reviewed biostratigraphic data, wireline log data, and core observations (where possible).


Sequence Stratigraphy

A critical piece of this database is the chronostratigraphic framework. The Marshall and Lang (Woodside) framework is generally considered the standard for regional mapping, and this scheme forms the basis of our sequence stratigraphic framework, available for every well. In addition, we also include the Carnarvon Petroleum scheme, which is based on the Santos nomenclature (and the main scheme for the Otway Basin) so that you can easily switch between nomenclatures.


Wireline Logs

A full suite of merged log files (provided in .las format ready for import), allowing easy use in seismic interpretations and geological correlations, are also available. Key data types include gamma ray, sonic, density, neutron porosity and resistivity. Edited logs are available for >88% of wells; editing includes validating the digital logs vs scanned images, splicing, removing any casing affect and bad reading, despiking, renaming logs to unique nomenclatures, and depth matching.


Additional Datasets

The following datasets (provided as .dat, .txt, or .csv formats) are also available. Where this data exists as open-file data requiring no reinterpretation, we have QC’d it for consistency:

  • Play Intervals
  • Litho Logs
  • Deviation Surveys (raw data)
  • Check Shot Surveys (raw data)
  • Geochemistry (Rock Eval Pyrolysis & Vitrinite Reflectance)
  • Conventional core intervals
  • Casing Points
  • %Helium
  • Bottom-hole Temperatures
  • RFT shows, and more…

And note that all new explorations wells will be added as soon as they become open-file.


Datasets are available in tabulated format (i.e., .dat, .txt, or .csv as required), with log data provided as .las format. These formats can be easily imported into many software programs such as ODM/IC, Petrel, Kingdom, etc. Alternatively, we can work with you to ensure the data is formatted in the way that works best for importing into your internal database.

The database is available in its entirety or as data subsets that best fit your needs (i.e., the Otway Basin, a Vulcan Sub-basin pack, a Beagle & Bedout sub-basins Triassic pack, or even just as a single well). Contact us and let us know your requirements.


AUSTRALIS geological database - MGPalaeo
An example of selected datasets plotted visually through an interval of a well in the AUSTRALIS geological database

Frequently Asked Questions

Open file biostratigraphic data is often a mix of vintage reports, some dating back to the 1950s and typically utilizing outdated zonation schemes, or is a mix of inhouse and industry schemes that creates more confusion than stratigraphic clarity.

For example, does your palynological dataset still contain the R. aemula Zone? Issues correlating this zone across the North West Shelf resulted in it being superseded by the C. ancorumV. tabulata, and T. balmei zones almost a decade ago! …yet it still remains in many databases.

How about the also-defunct A. cinctumC. halosa, and W. digitata zones?  Continuing with these outdated zones (all replaced for good reasons) usually results in miscorrelations. The raw data should always be reinterpreted to the latest zonal schemes to ensure consistent recognition of these key biostratigraphic zones.

It’s the same situation in the Otway Basin, where a number of different zonation schemes have been used, further complicated by the fact that the zonal names have remained largely unchanged but the definitions of these zones have evolved. In addition, two high resolution schemes have been used in recent years, developed over different fields in the region.



An example of how geological models can vary when using MGPalaeo’s standardized data rather than open-file data. The Montara Fm is correlated differently between three wells from the Vulcan Sub-basin. Move the slider all the way to the right to see the open-file data, and to the left for MGPalaeo’s standardized data. The open-file correlation is based on interpreted major depositional cycles of a prograding deltaic system, as provided in the well completion reports. The correlation by MGPalaeo benefits from the utilization of standardized biostratigraphic data that also recognises higher resolution subzonal assignments not available in the public domain.

These biozone inconsistencies lead to limits on the resolution achievable from the open-source biostratigraphic data. This in turn leads to limits on the resolution of any sequence stratigraphic framework that may be built using this current data, and more crucially, results in erroneous geological modelling.

To build an accurate geological model centred on a robust sequence stratigraphic framework, accurate, quality-controlled, and consistent palynological data is a vital component – and this is not available from the open file datasets.

Simply put, you can’t correlate oranges with apples.

The other benefit to the AUSTRALIS database is that we have been able to provide greater zonal resolution from a lot of open file interpretations, simply because the subzonal resolution hadn’t been developed at the time of analysis.

Even open file reports by the same analyst can benefit from a review, and we have revised many well interpretations using log profiles and offset well data, all of which allows us to see results more consistently.

Similar issues arise from inconsistent lithostratigraphic nomenclature. A single sedimentary unit may have multiple names, or even more confusingly, the same name may be applied to different definitions of that stratal package! As such, without any kind of consistency in terminology or definition, no accurate correlations between wells, or on a basin-wide scale, can be made without first updating your lithostratigraphic library.or on a basin-wide scale, can be made without first updating the data.

Pricing of our AUSTRALIS database is dependent on the wells and data types you require. Rather than having to purchase the database in its entirety, or specific subsets put together by MGPalaeo, you are in full control of exactly what wells and data types you need.

For example, you could purchase just the palynological data and sequence stratigraphic picks from all wells starting with B from the entire North West Shelf if you wish, and we would provide a price just for those datasets.

We also offer discounted rates for the more wells/datasets that are purchased.

With any database purchase, we include full support for 12 months (maintenance), so if there are any new datasets, or revisions to the interpretations during this time, we will provide these to you free of charge. We will also have a dedicated stratigrapher that will investigate any queries you have regarding the data, and work with you to ensure the best quality data possible.

This maintenance can be continued after the initial 12-month period for a small subscription fee; this fee varies depending upon the number of wells originally purchased. It is entirely optional though, and if you choose not to continue with the subscription, you just won’t get further updates.

Yes. The palynological data for all wells has been internally reviewed by our team of experienced palynologists, and updated as necessary to our latest zonation scheme, MGP2014. This means there is consistency right across the board with naming conventions, zonal picks, and palaeoenvironmental interpretations. For some wells, this involved reviewing more than 20 reports of different vintages, and consolidating/updating all the data.

All palynological data comes as detailed point data (sample by sample) with zonal/sub-zonal intervals, all for the one price.

High resolution palynological events are the first/last occurrences of certain species or changes in the abundance of certain species that help us define additional intra-zonal events and aid in well correlations. These have been picked out for key intervals in key areas, and we are adding more events all the time.

If there are wells or intervals from certain wells that you would like high res events from, please let us know and we can target those.

No, although these can be provided as PDF’s for a small fee. They will be the open file reports as submitted to Government, so they may differ from our latest in-house interpretations that appear in the AUSTRALIS database.

Confidence ratings were an arbitrary value assigned to each sample based on different factors; as such, there was no internal consistency on how ratings were picked or defined. If we cannot pick a zonal age for a specific sample after reviewing all available palynological data, we won’t make a guess.

No. Palynofacies is usually only done as a specifically requested study – unless you are referring to the palaeoenvironmental interpretations, which are provided as part of the palynological dataset.

Wireline logs include both edited and unedited gamma ray, sonic, density, neutron porosity, and resistivity. These logs are provided in .las format.

The edited logs attempt to provide a consistent dataset for geological and geophysical studies. Editing includes validating the digital logs vs scanned images, splicing, removing any casing affect and bad reading, despiking, renaming logs to unique nomenclatures, and depth matching.

Where available, we have attempted to put together a set containing GR, DT, CALI, RHOB, DRHO, NPHI, deep, med and shallow resistivity. The aim here was to simplify making correlations, synthetic seismograms, well displays on 3D visualization, etc.

For petrophysical use, you would still require the raw data, which is what is usually available on NOPIMS. Some logs, such as shear sonic, PR, etc., have also been loaded but are unedited.

Check-shots are available as depth and one-way time in ascii format. We have also checked the time-depth curve and run an eye over the interval velocities to look for outliers.

Deviation is the actual survey points so generally depth, deviation, and azimuth in ascii format. Any wells with less than 5m difference in MD to TVD have been treated as vertical, so no deviation set will be loaded to our database; however, we can still supply this deviation data on request if the survey is available in the WCR.

Lithostratigraphic interpretations are carried out by plotting our biostratigraphic dataset against the well logs. Consistency is achieved by comparing each well to numerous offset wells. Our team’s regional understanding, and visual observations in the core shed, also aids in our refinements.

The AUSTRALIS geological database contains regional play intervals and sequence stratigraphic picks based on the published Woodside scheme after Marshall & Lang (2013), and a modified Carnarvon Petroleum scheme (based on the Santos scheme). All the interpretations have been carried out by MGPalaeo stratigraphers utilizing our updated biostratigraphic data.


This dynamic database is constantly being reviewed and updated as new data becomes available; each data point is checked by skilled geologists before being incorporated into the database. The incorporation of high resolution localized palynological events to improve well-to-well correlations is one such addition.

MGPalaeo's AUSTRALIS geological database
MGPalaeo’s AUSTRALIS geological database offers reviewed and updated geological data for more than 2000 wells across the North West Shelf (click to enlarge).

Background
Originally commissioned by Carnarvon Petroleum over a 12 month period between 2016-2017, this ground-breaking database was to provide the latest interpretation of all available open-file stratigraphical data from all exploration wells across the Carnarvon, Roebuck, Browse, and Bonaparte Basins.

Management at Carnarvon Petroleum saw the advantages the larger oil companies gained from a comprehensive well database. Having confidence in their well data, in particular the sequence and lithostratigraphic picks, meant they could move quickly on seismic interpretations while a good understanding of the regional geology helped to evaluate plays and prospects. As consultant biostratigraphers, MGPalaeo also saw the advantages of having our own database. This has allowed us to refine biostratigraphic zonations by understanding the impacts of facies, biostratigraphic surfaces of regional significance, and identify areas which would benefit from review and infill.

Since these initial days, we have been expanding our database to encompass other basins across Australia, both onshore and off, as well as Papua New Guinea.