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Summary Of Data And Results Carnarvon Basin, Western Australia Exmouth Gulf Marine Seismic Survey Whaleback Seismic Survey Of West Australian Petroleum Pty Limited

Created 11/01/2026

Updated 11/01/2026

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A reconnaissance marine reflection seismic survey was conducted in 1961 by Seismograph Service Limited for West Australian Petroleum Pty Limited. The survey took place within the Carnarvon Basin in Western Australia, and covered Exmouth Gulf and the open coastal waters along the west coast of Western Australia from Frazer Island to Bernier Island (see Fig. 1). The project areas fall within Permit to Explore 28H.

The survey was a two-boat operation. In the Exmouth Gulf area the survey was controlled by a Lorac radio navigational system, and along the west coast positioning was determined by sextant angle measurements to shore beacons and landmarks. All shots were recorded on magnetic tapes which were processed into variable-area record sections.

The purpose of the survey was to obtain additional information on the regional geology and to map the extension of known structures in the North-West Cape region of the Carnarvon Basin. Information was also sought on the nature of the pre-Cretaceous to post-Palaeozoic faulting. The survey commenced on 15th July, 1961, and terminated on 20th August, 1961; a total of 753 miles of traverse was shot.

The survey indicated that Exmouth Gulf is essentially synclinal in character in the Cretaceous and Tertiary sediments. Several major pre-Cretaceous fault trends which had already been mapped on land with the seismograph were followed beneath the Gulf. A pre-Cretaceous anticlinal axis underlies the Cape Range Anticline both to the north and to the south of the surface expression of the structure. An anticline was located trending north in the eastern part of the Gulf. A Cretaceous anticline near and parallel to the coast near Cardabia may be the extension of the Rough Range Anticline.

To the south of Point Maud, the survey provided a much-needed tie between the Rough Range-Cape Range area and the structurally complex area round the Salt Marsh. Some structural features were found in this southern area and the trend of major faults was established.

The geophysical operation undertaken in the Exmouth Gulf area, Western Australia, was subsidized under the Petroleum Search Subsidy Act 1959.

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Title Summary Of Data And Results Carnarvon Basin, Western Australia Exmouth Gulf Marine Seismic Survey Whaleback Seismic Survey Of West Australian Petroleum Pty Limited
Language eng
Licence Not Specified
Landing Page https://data.gov.au/data/dataset/98cf1aa6-e6f5-4fd2-92bd-05d7014bab31
Contact Point
Australian Ocean Data Network
clientservices@ga.gov.au
Reference Period 20/04/2018
Geospatial Coverage Australia
Data Portal Australian Oceans Data Network

Data Source

This dataset was originally found on Australian Oceans Data Network "Summary Of Data And Results Carnarvon Basin, Western Australia Exmouth Gulf Marine Seismic Survey Whaleback Seismic Survey Of West Australian Petroleum Pty Limited". Please visit the source to access the original metadata of the dataset:
https://catalogue.aodn.org.au/geonetwork/srv/eng/csw/dataset/summary-of-data-and-results-carnarvon-basin-western-australia-exmouth-gulf-marine-seismic-surve2