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Basin-forming structures and their relevance to hydrocarbon exploration in Bass Basin, southeastern Australia

Created 16/10/2025

Updated 16/10/2025

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Interpretation of high-quality seismic reflection data from Bass Basin, southeastern Australia, has led to the recognition of major Early Cretaceous extensional normal faults segmented by contemporaneous transfer faults. The normal faults, which initiated development of the basin, are rotational, have low to moderate dips, and were produced by 60-80% horizontal extension (B = 1.6-2.0) of the crust beneath the basin. There are three major normal faults, with trends of 290° to 300° - one along each margin and one near the centre of the basin. The transfer fault s are vertical and trend 0200 to 030°. They are predominantly of right-lateral offset, giving rise to the northwesterly trend of the basin. The normal faults and associated tilt-block edges have had a major influence on structural evolution in the overlying hydrocarbon-prospective Eastern View Coal Measures (EVCM). A play concept is presented that relates the mid-basin tilt-block/normal fault system and associated transfer faults to structures, facies variations, and source maturity within the EVCM. A geohistory analysis of a specific location containing such a structure associated with possible direct hydrocarbon indicators shows that the lower EVCM has been oil-mature since the Oligocene, and it is suggested, therefore, that the prospectivity of the Bass Basin should be upgraded.

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Field Value
Title Basin-forming structures and their relevance to hydrocarbon exploration in Bass Basin, southeastern Australia
Language eng
Licence Not Specified
Landing Page https://data.gov.au/data/dataset/7fc8e13e-c91c-4876-b4c6-64ce8cb458f7
Contact Point
Geoscience Australia Data
clientservices@ga.gov.au
Reference Period 20/04/2018
Geospatial Coverage
Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors
{
  "coordinates": [
    [
      [
        143.0,
        -42.0
      ],
      [
        150.0,
        -42.0
      ],
      [
        150.0,
        -37.0
      ],
      [
        143.0,
        -37.0
      ],
      [
        143.0,
        -42.0
      ]
    ]
  ],
  "type": "Polygon"
}
Data Portal Geoscience Australia

Data Source

This dataset was originally found on Geoscience Australia "Basin-forming structures and their relevance to hydrocarbon exploration in Bass Basin, southeastern Australia". Please visit the source to access the original metadata of the dataset:
https://ecat.ga.gov.au/geonetwork/srv/eng/csw/dataset/basin-forming-structures-and-their-relevance-to-hydrocarbon-exploration-in-bass-basin-southeast