New insights into the deep-water Otway Basin – Part 2. Tectonostratigraphic framework revealed by new seismic data

Abstract

The inboard areas of the Otway Basin, particularly the Shipwreck Trough, are well explored and a petroleum-producing province. However, outboard in water depths greater than 500m, the basin is underexplored with distant well control and sparse 2D reflection seismic data coverage. The presence of a successful petroleum province onshore and in shallow waters raises the question as to whether these plays may extend further outboard into the deep-water areas. In the deep-water area, structural complexity and poor imaging of events in the legacy seismic data have resulted in interpretation uncertainty and consequentially a high-risk profile for explorers. The 2020 Otway Basin seismic program acquired over 7000-line km of 2D reflection seismic data across the deep-water Otway Basin. In addition, over 10000km of legacy 2D seismic data were reprocessed to improve the tie between the inboard wells and the new seismic grid. This new dataset provides the first clear insight into the structural and stratigraphic framework of this frontier area, including better imaging of the sedimentary section and the lower crust, increased structural resolution and improved calibration of the outboard seismic reflectors via ties to the inboard wells. Interpretation of the new data has led to an improved assessment of the structural elements and the extension of regional supersequences into the deep-water areas. These refinements have been used as input into petroleum systems modelling work and will provide a foundation for future work to understand petroleum prospectivity, including the distribution of source, reservoir and seal facies.