19/10/96
Mines Minister and Greenough MLA Kevin Minson said today the onshore northern part of the Perth Basin was showing good potential for further discoveries of hydrocarbons.
He said a new publication had been released through the Department of Minerals and Energy's Geological Survey Division containing geo-scientific interpretative findings.
These findings related to gravity survey work carried out in the area which were considered promising for further discoveries.
"The area referred to is a strip of land about 90km long by about 200km wide between Greenough and Lancelin," he said.
"Since the 1970s, the area has produced six commercial hydrocarbon fields plus three small non-commercial accumulations of oil and gas."
The commercial fields include the Woodada gas field, the Dongara gas and oil fields, the Mt Horner oil fields and the Beharra Springs, the Mondarra, and the Yardarino gas fields.
Geological Survey Division director Dr Pietro Guj said gravity data from the onshore northern Perth Basin had been manipulated into images and analysed for structural trends.
These trends on the gravity maps correlated directly with faults an lineaments mapped using seismic and magnetic data.
"Even though gravity mapping should not be thought of as a direct indicator of hydrocarbons, when combined with seismic and aeromagnetic data it provides complementary information with which to formulate structural models," Dr Guj said.
"This ultimately helps identify areas where detailed exploration may uncover new hydrocarbon discoveries."
Mr Minson said the work was part of the Government's and the department's on-going commitment to the minerals and petroleum industries to provide the most up-to-date information possible.
Media contact: Caroline Lacy 222 9595
