OVERVIEW

This multi-client study delivers an integrated sedimentological and stratigraphic review of the Vulcan Sub-basin, examining 1.6 km of core from 63 wells across the region and its surrounding areas. The study provides a comprehensive and up-to-date reservoir geology dataset, with particular relevance to companies exploring or operating in the Vulcan Sub-basin.

By combining newly reviewed and photographed core material with refined palynological data, this study offers key insights into depositional environments, stratigraphic variability, and core condition—enhancing understanding of regional reservoir distribution and quality.

BACKGROUND

The Vulcan Sub-basin, a northeast-southwest trending Mesozoic extensional depocenter within Australia’s Bonaparte Basin, has been a significant focus for hydrocarbon exploration due to its complex structural traps and proven petroleum systems. Historically, exploration efforts have targeted Jurassic and Cretaceous reservoirs, with hydrocarbons sourced primarily from Late Jurassic marine shales.

In recent years, the Australian government has recognized the sub-basin’s potential for carbon capture and storage (CCS). In 2023, an 18-block area within the Vulcan Sub-basin was released for greenhouse gas storage assessment, highlighting opportunities for CO₂ sequestration in depleted fields like the Triassic-hosted Challis and Cassini oil fields, as well as possible saline aquifers. These developments underscore the need for comprehensive geological studies to enhance understanding of reservoir characteristics, inform exploration strategies, and support sustainable resource development in the region.

DETAILS

This multi-client report presents the results from an integrated sedimentological and stratigraphical study covering the variability of depositional environments within key stratigraphic intervals in the Vulcan Sub-basin. The aim behind this study is to provide a comprehensive reservoir geology database which is of specific relevance to exploration and operating companies assessing the prospectivity of the Vulcan Sub-basin.

As part of this study 1.6km of cores from 63 wells, situated in the Vulcan Sub-basin and surrounding areas (northern Browse Basin, Nancar Trough and Ashmore Platform) spanning an area from Crux 1 in the Southwest to Ludmilla 1 in the Northeast were examined to create a comprehensive and up-to-date core data set (Figure 1).

All cored intervals were reviewed and photographed during which core condition, cored intervals and brief observations of the core were recorded. Existing palynological data over the cored intervals has also been reviewed and refined, and supplemented by analysis of new core samples.

Figure 1: Location of the Vulcan Sub-basin (highlighted in red) with the cored wells included in this study highlighted.

DELIVERABLES

For all 63 cored wells:

  • Overview chart highlighting the stratigraphic position of each cored interval (based on newly QC’d and updated biostrat from MGPalaeo’s AUSTRALIS geological database)
  • Recent overview core photography
  • Tabulated core condition
  • Very brief description of the cored intervals including depositional environments (where possible)

Core descriptions of 25 selected wells covering 770m of various parts of the stratigraphy:

  • Approx. 270m at 1:70 scale
  • Approx. 500m at 1:200 scale
  • Digital grain size data (excel)
  • Digital cm-scale export of lithofacies and depofacies (excel)
  • RCA data (where present) plotted against lithofacies and depofacies (excel)
  • Brief description of depositional environments
  • Depositional models

For pricing or more information and examples of deliverables, please contact us.

MGPalaeo Vulcan Sub-basin core study