Browsing by Author "Henderson, Bob"

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    Lithological and facies analysis of the Roseneaath and Murteree shales, Cooper Basin, Australia
    (Elsevier, 2017) Jadoon, Quaid Khan; Roberts, Eric M.; Henderson, Bob; Blenkinsop, Thomas G.; Wust, Raphael A.J; Mtelela, Cassy
    Unconventional shale plays have received marked attention over the last five years because of their economic potential for hydrocarbon generation, and yet they are amongst the least understood of all clastic sedimentary rock systems. The Cooper Basin is one of the largest Gondwana intracratonic basins of Australia, extending from northern South Australia into southwestern Queensland and covering approximately 130,000 seq. km. The basin may be prospective for shale gas, particularly within the lacustrine shales of the Permian Murteree and Roseneath formations. This study investigates lithological characteristics of these two units in relation to reservoir evaluation. Core samples representing the Dirkala-02 and Moomba-46 wells were used for petrographic analysis. A combination of wireline log analysis, thin section petrography, X-ray diffraction and pyrolysis analysis was used to define and characterize four distinct lithofacies within the Roseneath and Murteree shales: siliceous mudstone, organic siliceous mudstone, calcareous siliceous mudstone, and silty siliceous mudstone. The siliceous mudstone and organic siliceous mudstone are the most common. Diagenetic sideriteoccurs in all lithofacies. A conceptual depositional model is developed for deposition of the Roseneath and Murteree shales. Wireline-log cross plots were interpreted and utilized in the construction of electrofacies. The study was concentrated on the northern portion of the basin between the Nappameri and Patchawarra Troughs in order to understand the nature of lithofacies and variability in reservoir architecture, which was controlled by relative lake-level fluactuation. The results of this study will aid in the evaluation of shale gas potential for this portion of the basin, as well as a better understanding of shale gas opportunities in the Cooper Basin more generally.