Deep-dive projects Officer–Musgrave–Birrindudu
The Officer–Musgrave–Birrindudu project is investigating the energy and groundwater potential of the Officer Basin, the adjoining Musgrave Province and nearby Birrindudu Basin.
In alignment with the Exploring for the Future vision, the Officer-Musgrave-Birrindudu project is developing an integrated geoscientific understanding of the resource potential of this frontier region. Project activities and outputs will support regional communities, providing an evidence-base for future resource use, encouraging investment and job creation, and leading to improved economic, social and cultural outcomes. This project is also developing, refining and implementing novel scientific workflows and methods that can be applied in other frontier regions across Australia.
Groundwater investigations focus on the Musgrave Province, Officer Basin and far eastern Canning Basin to identify potential palaeovalley groundwater resources, vital to responsible future development and supporting local communities.
The energy component of this project includes the acquisition of key new precompetitive data in the Officer and Birrindudu basins, and re-analysis of existing datasets covering the Officer Basin. This work will improve understanding of regional resource potential, to stimulate industry exploration investment in the medium-term, ultimately leading to new discoveries and economic benefits for the region.
Key activities include hydrogeological, geological, and geophysical data acquisition, to develop basin and palaeovalley system understanding and resource potential assessments.
The Officer–Musgrave–Birrindudu project area
What we are doing
The project incorporates a number of study areas and proposed activities, including:
Outputs
Collaboration
Geoscience Australia acknowledges all landholders and communities who have supported our work in rural, regional and remote Australia.
- Geological Survey of Western Australia
- Geological Survey of South Australia
- Northern Territory Geological Survey
- Northern Territory Department of Environment, Parks and Water Security
- South Australia Department for Environment and Water
- Western Australia Department of Water and Environmental Regulation
- CSIRO
- Traditional Owners
Related information
Exploring for the Future in the Officer Musgrave region
Carr, L. K., Henson, P., Wang, L., Bailey, A., Fomin, T., Boreham, C., Edwards, D., Southby, C., Symington, N., Smith, M., Halas, L., Jones, T. (2022)
Neoproterozoic and Cambrian chemostratigraphic mega-sequences of the Officer basin; a regional framework to assist petroleum and mineral exploration
Edwards, D., Munday, S., Wang, L., Riley, D., Khider, K. (2022)
Geomechanical rock properties of the Officer Basin
Bailey, A., Wang, L., Dewhurst, D., Anderson, J., Carr, L.K. and Henson, P. The APPEA Journal (May 2022)
Important community information
Geoscience Australia is committed to land, air and marine access best practice and to protecting cultural heritage and the environment.
We thank the people and communities who collaborate with us to ensure the success of the Exploring for the Future program.
Geoscience Australia activities are not undertaken on behalf of any exploration company; we work for the benefit of all Australians.
All data produced by Geoscience Australia, including the data from this project, will be made publicly available after quality assurance has been performed.
For more information or general enquiries, please email clientservices@ga.gov.au
Current program
The current Exploring for the Future program (2020–24) focuses on 8 interrelated projects, united in growing our understanding of Australia's geology.
Deep-dive
Three deep-dive projects in potentially resource-rich corridors identified in the east and west of Australia: Darling–Curnamona–Delamerian, Officer–Musgrave–Birrindudu and Barkly–Isa–Georgetown projects.
National
Three national projects with a focus on southern Australia: Australia’s Resources Framework, National Groundwater Systems and Australia’s Future Energy Resources projects.
Program support
Two program support projects: Enhanced Data Delivery and Geoscience Knowledge Sharing projects.