Use of Industry seismic reflection data for groundwater investigations in the Kimberley region as part of the Exploring for the Future Program

The Kimberley Region of north-western Australia has been identified as a priority for agricultural expansion by the Australian, Western Australia (WA) and Northern Territory (NT) Governments. The area also has known hydrocarbon and mineral resources, with irrigated agriculture proposed for both upland and lowland landscapes. Geoscience Australia is currently undertaking an inter-disciplinary, multi-physics investigations into the groundwater systems in the Kimberley region including the onshore Ord-Bonaparte Basin to provide a broader regional context for proposed future development in the region. New data acquisition includes: over 6,000 line-km of airborne electromagnetics (AEM; SkyTEM312FAST); surface nuclear magnetic resonance (SNMR); passive seismic and microgravity; drilling and pump testing; borehole geophysics (induction, spectral gamma, NMR); hydrogeological and hydrochemical investigations; regional soils, geological and morphotectonic mapping; and groundwater system assessment and modelling. Pre-existing Industry seismic reflection data are often overlooked for groundwater studies and can supply additional regional context and constraints. The project has re-processed ~600 line-km of legacy, multisurvey 2D seismic reflection data acquired in several phases from the early 1980s through to 1997. Reprocessing focussed on targeting the shallow depth section while maintaining imaging at depth. Results vary between surveys and geographically, however, overall, reprocessing has resulted in higher Signal/Noise ratios, and traceable reflections that provide additional details of the shallow subsurface geological architecture, while reflectivity is retained at greater depth. Reprocessed seismic data will be integrated with geological and hydrogeological interpretations from the newly acquired data and provide invaluable constraint to AEM inversions, particularly in areas with complex fault zones. Presented at the Australian Geoscience Council Convention (AGCC 2018)