Completed 2020 Barkly Seismic Survey

The Barkly Seismic survey is located in an area of northern Australia that has had very little exploration in the past, and currently has no mineral or energy production.

Acquisition of the 813 km Barkly 2D Seismic survey commenced in September 2019, near the town of Camooweal on the Northern Territory – Queensland border and extends through to the Beetaloo Sub-basin. The new seismic data fills in the ‘missing link’ between the Mount Isa Province in Queensland and the Beetaloo Sub‑basin in the Northern Territory. This seismic survey represents a new high-quality geophysical data set that fundamentally changes our understanding of the region's energy, mineral and groundwater resource potential. This data set has assisted in identifying previously undiscovered basin sequences and basement structures that will greatly improve our geological understanding of the region. The new seismic data and derivative information will reduce the exploration risk for industry in this underexplored region, by providing new information to confidently invest in additional exploration activities.

The Barkly Seismic survey builds on the knowledge gained from the 2017 South Nicholson seismic and complementary scientific research conducted under the Exploring for the Future program. It will also assist in defining the western extent of the new Carrara Sub-basin, which straddles the Northern Territory - Queensland border discovered in 2017. This seismic survey opens up the opportunity to explore new basin sequences with hydrocarbon potential, and also structures and architecture that are characteristic of mineral resources.