Understanding the geometry and distribution of fluvial channel sandstones and coal in the Walloon Coal Measures, Surat Basin, Australia

Zhou, Fengde; Shields, Daren; Titheridge, David; Tyson, Stephen; Esterle, Joan

doi:10.1016/j.marpetgeo.2017.06.020

Cited by 20 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 12 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Exon (1976) interpreted palaeodrainage, based on isopach thickness, to the north from studies on the Roma Shelf and along the eastern hinge-line of the Mimosa Syncline, while Fielding (1993) and Yago (1996) suggested, from outcrop studies in the adjoining Clarence-Moreton Basin, that rivers flowed towards the Eromanga Basin in the west. In contrast, more recent studies by Hamilton et al (2014), Shields & Esterle (2015) and Zhou et al (2017) advocate palaeodrainage in the Surat Basin to the south and south-east based on sandstone isopach maps, outcrop measurements and the analysis of image logs.…”

Section: Geological Setting Of the Walloon Coal Measures In The Surat...mentioning

confidence: 93%

“…The predominance of fluviolacustrine strata of the Walloon Coal Measures has been recognized by many authors (Exon, ; Exon & Burger, ; Fielding, ; Yago, ; Hoffmann et al ., ; Ryan et al ., ; Martin et al ., ; Hamilton et al ., ; Shields & Esterle, ; Shields et al ., ; Zhou et al ., ). New insights on the age and stratigraphic architecture of the formation across the basin (Wainman et al ., , ) and the plausible recognition of brackish water influence at certain levels based on sedimentary structures and brackish water palynomorphs that suggest deposition in the fluvial to tidal transition throws new light onto how the depositional system evolved through time and space.…”

Section: Depositional Environments and Their Evolution Through Timementioning

confidence: 97%

“…(), Shields & Esterle () and Zhou et al . () advocate palaeodrainage in the Surat Basin to the south and south‐east based on sandstone isopach maps, outcrop measurements and the analysis of image logs.…”

Section: Geological Setting Of the Walloon Coal Measures In The Surat...mentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Evolution of the depositional environments of the Jurassic Walloon Coal Measures, Surat Basin, Queensland, Australia

Wainman

McCabe

2018

Sedimentology

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The Jurassic Walloon Coal Measures of the Surat Basin in eastern Australia host the continent's most significant coal bed methane resources. Previous studies have interpreted the Walloon Coal Measures within a single depositional facies model encompassing a wholly terrestrial setting. Using a multidisciplinary approach (facies analysis, palynology and wireline logs), the evolution of the Walloon Coal Measures is described within a new chronostratigraphic framework defined by accurate and precise U-Pb tuff dates. Analysis of sedimentary facies indicates that the majority of the Walloon Coal Measures was deposited by relatively small (<300 m wide), low gradient rivers on a poorly-drained floodplain with numerous small lakes and mires. However, this study also identified some marine-influenced facies with brackish palynomorphs (notably dinoflagellate cysts) and tidal sedimentary structures. These facies appear to have been deposited in estuaries during times of transgression. The evidence for base level shifts suggests that the coals may not have coevally accumulated with at least some of the thicker sandstones. Palaeogeographic maps for eleven time intervals suggest that rivers drained towards to the south/south-west and south-east, as indicated by sandstone percentage and gross unit isopach maps, presumably into proximal estuarine complexes. Marine incursions into the continent probably came from the north and east during times of high eustatic sea level and as precursors to those of the more persistent and extensive transgressions of the Early Cretaceous. A similar multidisciplinary approach should help to elucidate the evolution of other fluviolacustrine systems in other basins and aid in resource prediction.

show abstract

Section: Geological Setting Of the Walloon Coal Measures In The Surat...mentioning

confidence: 93%

Section: Depositional Environments and Their Evolution Through Timementioning

confidence: 97%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Evolution of the depositional environments of the Jurassic Walloon Coal Measures, Surat Basin, Queensland, Australia

Wainman

McCabe

2018

Sedimentology

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Production of CSG in the Surat Basin (Figure 1-1) commenced from the gas fairway along the northeastern margin in 2006, and many geological studies utilising the open file exploration data of this area have been published over the last decade. Exploration and production has fast extended to the west, however, the Walloon Subgroup and its coals thin out across the Roma Shelf and the Nebine Ridge before transitioning into the Birkhead Formation of the adjacent Eromanga Basin (Figure 1-1 and 1-2; OGIA, 2016; Zhou et al, 2017). Despite being a target for CSG production, the Walloon Subgroup in the western Surat Basin is poorly studied.…”

Section: 1! Overviewmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This work built upon and extended westward published geological studies by Hamilton et al (2014), Shields & Esterle (2015) and Bianchi et al (2017), and was complimented by studies conducted in parallel on the chrono-and biostratigraphy of the Walloon Subgroup 2017) and provenance of stratigraphically related units (Bein, 2016). Zhou et al, 2017). A-A' line marks the cross section shown in the inset.…”

Section: 1! Overviewmentioning

confidence: 99%

Integrating coal petrology, geochemistry and geochronology to understand spatial variation in the Walloon Subgroup

Hentschel¹

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The Jurassic Walloon Subgroup in the Surat Basin is a prolific source of coal seam gas (CSG) in Queensland. Production of CSG commenced from the fairway along the north-eastern basin margin, but despite decreasing unit-and net coal thickness of the Walloon Subgroup, exploration and production rapidly extended across to the Roma Shelf towards the Nebine Ridge in the west. This ridge separates the Surat and Eromanga basins, across which the Walloon Subgroup and the overlying Springbok Sandstone are correlated to transition into the Birkhead Formation and Adori Sandstone respectively. A regional lithostratigraphic model of the Walloon Subgroup based on wireline data, highlights westward thinning of the unit through pinching of the lower (Taroom) coal measures, and thinning or erosion of the upper (Juandah) coal measures by the overlying Springbok Sandstone. The dis-or unconformable surface represents a change in gradient within the basin, between the rising to stable base levels (the coal measures) and falling base levels, the timing and mechanisms of which are debated. This thesis tests the lithostratigraphic framework model of the Walloon Subgroup by providing alternative markers and trends within the coal maceral and carbon isotopic composition, coupled with vertical and lateral variation in the mineralogy and zircon provenance of the interburden strata. A petrographic and stable carbon isotope study of eight wells from east to west of the basin, records a transition from a wet, herbaceous marsh or fen environment during the deposition of the Taroom and Lower Juandah Coal Measures to a more arid system, as indicated by a characteristic oxidized material-rich (inertinite) signature of the Upper Juandah Coal Measures. In each well across the basin, the organic stable carbon isotopes show a positive excursion from the Lower to Upper Juandah CoalMeasures that sets in well before the increased inertinite content, followed by a shift to more negative compositions in coals interpreted to occur within the Springbok Sandstone. The positive excursion in organic stable carbon isotope composition represents a global trend, and in the Surat Basin, a shift to drier conditions, which ultimately could have caused a drop in regional base level and the creation of exposed surfaces, resulting in the Springbok unconformity. The δ 13 C trend including the positive excursion was applied as a tool to test the current lithostratigraphic framework of the Walloon Subgroup, and in particular, its relationship with the overlying Springbok Sandstone. On the Roma Shelf in the west, this positive excursion, as well as its turning point, occur within the Juandah Coal Measures, rather than across the Springbok Unconformity as observed in the east.

show abstract

Coal Ply Distributions and Quantitative Prediction in Tipton Gas Field

Bie

Zhang

et al. 2021

Springer Series in Geomechanics and Geoengineering

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Understanding the geometry and distribution of fluvial channel sandstones and coal in the Walloon Coal Measures, Surat Basin, Australia

Cited by 20 publications

References 12 publications

Evolution of the depositional environments of the Jurassic Walloon Coal Measures, Surat Basin, Queensland, Australia

Evolution of the depositional environments of the Jurassic Walloon Coal Measures, Surat Basin, Queensland, Australia

Integrating coal petrology, geochemistry and geochronology to understand spatial variation in the Walloon Subgroup

Coal Ply Distributions and Quantitative Prediction in Tipton Gas Field

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About