High-quality data from the Eendracht MC3D seismic survey gives insight about the hydrocarbon potential of the Carnarvon Basin

Abstract

The Eendracht 3D multi-client seismic survey covers an area of about 8,000 km2. It is located in the Carnarvon Basin, one of Australia’s most hydrocarbons-prolific basins. The basin is filled with thick Paleozoic, Mesozoic, and Cenozoic sedimentary successions, deposited during multiple phases of extension and following the breakup of Gondwana. The most prominent structural trend is northeast—southwest with basins and sub-basins aligned as a consequence of the rifting event, which occurred during Jurassic to Early Cretaceous. Recent discoveries like Ragnar–1 and Tallaganda–1 show a working petroleum system and the high prospectivity of the Carnarvon Basin. The Eendracht survey covers a relatively less-explored but prolific area of the basin and provides a large volume of high-quality 3D seismic data. New technologies for acquisition and processing such as Fresnel Zone Bining, Interactive Azimuthal Anisotropy Analysis, and Diffracted Noise/Multiple Attenuation have been used. The hydrocarbon generation, migration, and entrapment in the Carnarvon Basin is controlled by Jurassic to Early Cretaceous syn- and post-rift structures, deposition, and Neogene reactivation. The most dominant successions in the Basin are Triassic to Lower Cretaceous sedimentary units. The Triassic Mungaroo Formation is the main reservoir found in the area covered by the Eendracht survey. Northeast–southwest-oriented extensional structures create potential traps for hydrocarbons and structures like horsts, tilted fault blocks, drapes, and fault-over anticlines can now be better visualised and analysed due to the 3D character of the Eendracht survey.