Duntroon Sub-basin
Entity ID: 27358 Compiled by: Bradshaw, B.E. Year: 2002 Status: Defined
Last Revised: 2013
Rank: Subprovince Type: sedimentary Subtype: polyhistory Location: SA Off-shore
Synonyms: Duntroon Basin, Inner Duntroon Basin Symbol: NA
Minimum age: Maastrichtian Age method: inferred, biostratigraphic correlation
Maximum age: Middle Jurassic Age method: inferred, seismic interpretation
Summary: The Duntroon Sub-basin of the Bight Basin is a rift basin on the continental shelf and slope containing a Jurassic to Upper Cretaceous sedimentary succession up to 10 km in thickness.
Attributes:
Area (square kilometres): 12000 State: SA Minimum present water depth (m): 100 Maximum present water depth (m): 2500 Main rock types: siliciclastic sediments and sedimentary rocks Main depositional environment: marine and non-marine Minimum sediment thickness (m): 0 Maximum sediment thickness (m): 10000 overlain by up to 2000 m of Cainozoic strata Present crustal setting: continental Country: AUS
Parent: Bight Basin
Child Provinces: No data
Relationships:
Adjoins - Ceduna Sub-basin, Couedic Shelf
Underlies - Eucla Basin
Constituent units: Borda Formation, Ceduna Formation, Echidna Formation, Platypus Formation, Wombat Sandstone Member, Neptune Formation, Wigunda Formation (absent throughout most of Duntroon Sub-basin), Potoroo Formation, Hammerhead Supersequence, Tiger Supersequence, White Pointer Supersequence, Blue Whale Supersequence, Bronze Whaler Supersequence, Southern Right Supersequence, Minke Supersequence, Sea Lion Supersequence
Events: Eyre extension, Ceduna extension, Southern Margin Late Cretaceous and Tertiary magmatism, Australia-Antarctica break-up
Mineral Deposits: No data
Key Reference: Bradshaw, B.E., Rollet, N., Totterdell, J.M., Borissova, I. 2003, A revised structural framework for frontier basins on the southern and southwestern Australian continental margin., Geoscience Australia. Record, 2003/03, 44 (Refid:13490)
Comments: Minage based on recoginition of upper T. longus spore-pollen zone and intra M. druggii dinocyst zone
Overview: The Middle Jurassic to Late Cretaceous (Maastrichtian) Duntroon Sub-basin is a half-graben complex on the continental shelf and upper slope (100 to 1000m water depth) in offshore South Australia. The Duntroon Sub-basin has been reclassified as one of a series of four half-graben depocentres inboard of the main rift system of the Bight Basin, superseding the former terminology of the Duntroon Basin. Only three exploration wells have been drilled in the Duntroon Sub-basin, with no commercial discoveries (Dec 2003). The Duntroon Sub-basin developed during a period of Middle Jurassic to Early Cretaceous extension and Early Cretaceous thermal subsidence. It was also modified by inversion tectonics during the Late Santonian break-up of Australia and Antarctica. The Duntroon Sub-basin contains a largely siliciclastic, Mesozoic sedimentary succession up to 10 km in thickness. This is unconformably overlain by up to 2 km of a mixed siliciclastic to carbonate, Tertiary-aged section assigned to the Eucla Basin. The basal Jurassic basin-fill of the Duntroon Sub-basin is poorly known, with most information inferred from seismic reflection images. Lower Cretaceous (Berriasian-Albian) fluvial, lacustrine and coastal plain sediments are widespread and overlie inferred Jurassic-aged fluvial and lacustrine sediments. Upper Cretaceous marine sediments are generally either thin or absent throughout the Duntroon Sub-basin. Upper Jurassic to Lower Cretaceous syn-rift lacustrine shales from the Echidna Formation are considered the main potential source rock in the Duntroon Sub-basin, while coals from the Upper Borda Formation may also have some source rock potential. Structural traps associated with tilted fault blocks, drape anticlines and inversion anticline structures are the main potential exploration targets. Evidence for hydrocarbon generation and migration in the Duntroon Sub-basin are some minor gas and oil shows at Echidna 1, and hydrocarbon seeps interpreted from ALF and SAR anomalies.
Images: Eastern Bight Basin structural elements and cross-section location map (82 KB), Eastern Bight Basin regional cross-section Profile 7 (57 KB), Bight Basin sequence stratigraphy and basin phases (61 KB)
Other media: No data
Source Information:
- FOR PROVINCE-GENERAL: Messent, B.E.J., Wilson, C., Flynn, K., 1996, Assessment of the seal potential of Tertiary carbonates, Duntroon Basin, South Australia, APEA Journal, 36(1), 233-241. (Refid: 12815)
- FOR PROVINCE-GENERAL: Norvick, M.S., Smith, M.A., 2001, Mapping the plate tectonic reconstruction of southern and southeastern Australia and implications for petroleum systems, APPEA Journal, 41(1), 15-35. (Refid: 12817)
- FOR PROVINCE-GENERAL: Stagg, H.M.V., Cockshell, C.D., Willcox, J.B., Hill, A.J., Needham, D.V.C., Thomas, B., O'Brien, G.W., Hough, L.B., 1990, Basins of the Great Australian Bight region, geology and petroleum potential, Bureau of Mineral Resources Continental margins Program, Folio 5, . (Refid: 12824)
- FOR PROVINCE-GENERAL: Messent, B., 1995, Duntroon Basin, EPP 26, Lead Summaries: Platypus-Duntroon, Greenly and outer Basin fairways, Report submitted by BHP Petroleum (Victoria) Pty Ltd. South Australia Department of mines and Energy, Confidential Envelope, 8441, R95/00994 (unpublished), . (Refid: 12811)
- FOR PROVINCE-GENERAL: Messent, B.E.J., Mustica, A., 1997, Permit EPP 26 Duntroon Basin, Surrender report submitted by BHP Petroleum (Victoria) Pty Ltd. South Australia Department of Mines and Energy, Open file Envelope, 8441, Vol.7, R21, (unpublished), 7, . (Refid: 12813)
- FOR PROVINCE-GENERAL: Messent, B.E.J., James, C.L., Lasker, B.D., 1995, Permit EPP 25 surrender report, Surrender report submitted by BHP Petroleum (Victoria) Pty Ltd. South Australia Department of Mines and Energy, Open file Envelope, 8440 (unpublished), . (Refid: 12814)
- FOR PROVINCE-GENERAL: Totterdell, J.M., Bradshaw, B.E., Willcox, J.B., 2003, Structural and tectonic setting., In O'Brien, G.W.O. and Hibburt, J. (eds.), Petroleum Geology of South Australia Volume 5 - Bight Basin. South Australia Department of Primary Industry and Resources, Petroleum Geology of South Australia Series., Volume 5, ch. 4., . (Refid: 14146)
- FOR PROVINCE-GENERAL: Totterdell, J.M., Blevin, J.E., Struckmeyer, H.I.M., Bradshaw, B.E., Colwell, J.B., Kennard, J.M., 2000, A new sequence framework for the Great Australian Bight: starting with a new slate, APPEA Journal, 40(1), 95-117. (Refid: 12827)
- FOR PROVINCE-GENERAL: Hill, A.J., 1995, Duntroon Basin., Drexel, J.F. and Priess, W.V. (Eds). The geology of South Australia, The Phanerozoic. South Australia Geological Survey. Bulletin, 54, 138-141. (Refid: 13509)
- FOR PROVINCE-GENERAL: Morgan, R., 1999, Palynology review of the pre-Tertiary of the Bight-Duntroon Basin, unpublished draft manuscript, . (Refid: 13414)
- FOR PROVINCE-GENERAL: Bradshaw, B.E., Rollet, N., Totterdell, J.M., Borissova, I., 2003, A revised structural framework for frontier basins on the southern and southwestern Australian continental margin., Geoscience Australia. Record, 2003/03, 44. (Refid: 13490)
- FOR PROVINCE-GENERAL: Smith, M.A., Donaldson, I.F., 1995, The hydrocarbon potential of the Duntroon Basin, APEA Journal, 35 (1), 203-219. (Refid: 49892)
- FOR PROVINCE-GENERAL: Struckmeyer, H.I.M., Williams, A.K., Cowley, R., Totterdell, J.M., Lawrence, G., O'Brien, G.W., 2002, Evaluation of hydrocarbon seepage in the Great Australian Bight, APPEA Journal, 42(1), 371-386. (Refid: 12825)
