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Petroleum Systems Analysis of the Northern Houtman Sub-basin - APPEA Conference 2017

Created 17/10/2025

Updated 17/10/2025

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Interpretation of newly acquired seismic data in the northern Houtman Sub-basin (Perth Basin) suggests the region contains potential source rocks similar to those in the producing Abrolhos Sub-basin. The regionally extensive late Permian–Early Triassic Kockatea Shale has the potential to contain the oil-prone Hovea Member source interval. Large Permian syn-rift half-graben, up to 10 km thick, are likely to contain a range of gas prone source rocks. Further potential source rocks may be found in the Jurassic-Early Cretaceous succession, including the Cattamarra Coal Measures, Cadda shales and mixed sources within the Yarragadee Formation. This study investigates the possible maturity and charge history of these different source rocks. A regional pseudo-3D petroleum systems model is constructed using new seismic interpretations. Heat flow is modelled using crustal structure and possible basement composition determined from potential field modelling, and subsidence analysis is used to investigate lithospheric extension through time. The model is calibrated using temperature and maturity data from 9 wells in the Houtman and Abrolhos sub-basins. Source rock properties are assigned based on an extensive review of TOC, Rock Eval and kinetic data for the offshore northern Perth Basin. Petroleum systems analysis results show that Permian, Triassic and Early Jurassic source rocks may have generated large cumulative volumes of hydrocarbons across the northern Houtman Sub-basin, whilst Middle Jurassic‒Cretaceous sources remain largely immature. However the timing of hydrocarbon generation and expulsion with respect to trap formation and structural reactivation is critical for the successful development and preservation of hydrocarbon accumulations.

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Field Value
Title Petroleum Systems Analysis of the Northern Houtman Sub-basin - APPEA Conference 2017
Language eng
Licence Not Specified
Landing Page https://data.gov.au/data/dataset/755e048a-5a48-4018-b818-a80d23b8af26
Contact Point
Geoscience Australia Data
clientservices@ga.gov.au
Reference Period 22/04/2018
Geospatial Coverage
Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors
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      ],
      [
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      [
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    ]
  ],
  "type": "Polygon"
}
Data Portal Geoscience Australia

Data Source

This dataset was originally found on Geoscience Australia "Petroleum Systems Analysis of the Northern Houtman Sub-basin - APPEA Conference 2017". Please visit the source to access the original metadata of the dataset:
https://ecat.ga.gov.au/geonetwork/srv/eng/csw/dataset/petroleum-systems-analysis-of-the-northern-houtman-sub-basin-appea-conference-2017