Fugro together with Searcher Seismic and Gardline have completed shooting approximately 4,200 kms of 2D seismic data covering the W08-21 and W08-22 acreage release areas. Fugro and Searcher have also completed reprocessing 4,300 kms of 2D PSTM seismic data in the Exmouth West area. This data complements the existing Fugro library of high quality reprocessed seismic data.

Exmouth Plateau consists of up to 10 km of sediments from Permian to Cainozoic age, overlying Early Paleozoic intracratonic sediments. The upper Triassic sequences are paleogeographically analogous with the sequences along the Rankin Trend and should be capable of producing liquids (Cook 1985, Bradshaw et al., 1998). Studies published after the 1996 acreage release, using fluid inclusion techniques, reviewed the paleo-oil saturation in the area (Bradshaw et al., 1998). The various fluorescence colours suggested that the oils had derived from thermal low mature to high mature source rocks. It is suspected that the structures drilled in the late 1970s to the early 1980s post-date the main oil-charge for the area.

There is a comprehensive grid of older seismic data over the 2000 application areas to which we have made significant improvements in quality by reprocessing. The late 1970s and early 1980s data has been fully reprocessed from field tapes with the more modern data, 1992 onwards, being post-stack reprocessed. All data has been phase matched to provide a consistent, high quality data set.

For further information on this basin, please contact Owen Dyer.