Thermo-tectonic history of Taranaki Basin (New Zealand) using Apatite Fission Track Analysis (AFTA)

Conference · Fri Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1988

OSTI ID:6774067

Kamp, P J.J.; Hegarty, K A; Green, P F

The Taranaki basin, which extends offshore between the north and south island of New Zealand, contains several large gas fields (e.g., Maui field) and smaller oil fields. The Taranaki basin is New Zealand's only productive hydrocarbon basin. The basin trends north-south, is asymmetrical in cross section, and is faulted with up to 7 km of displacement along parts of its eastern margin. Preliminary results from Apatite Fission Track Analysis (AFTA) reveal the timing and magnitude of basin inversion. Four well cross sections from the southern part of the basin have been used. Initially, basin tectonics and sedimentation were associated with extension and the formation of half-grabens that began in the Late Cretaceous with the breakup of Gondwana. However, most of the observed subsidence and sedimentation resulted from mid-Cenozoic rifting throughout western New Zealand. Following the formation of the modern Australia-Pacific plate boundary during the early Miocene, the southern part of the basin, which lies 60 km from the Alpine fault in places, was partially inverted. AFTA parameters (apparent age and length) downhold at the Fresne-1 well show a distinct break in slope at 1,100 m depth (currently at 30/sup 0/C) where the apparent age is 15 Ma for the Late Cretaceous Parkawau Coal Measures. The data indicate that basin inversion began about 15 Ma and was accompanied by the removal of 2-3 km of section. Sedimentation began again in the Taranaki basin during the mid-Pliocene. The source of the gas and gas condensate in the basin is probably the Eocene coal measures. The maturation history of these beds and the overlying reservoirs was modeled using the constraints from AFTA data. Discrepancies exist between estimates of maximum paleotemperature from AFTA results and from vitrinite reflectance.

• OSTI ID: 6774067
• Report Number(s): CONF-880301-
• Resource Relation: Conference: Annual meeting of the American Association of Petroleum Geologists, Houston, TX, USA, 20 Mar 1988
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

03 NATURAL GAS
02 PETROLEUM
NATURAL GAS DEPOSITS
PETROLEUM GEOLOGY
NEW ZEALAND
EXPLORATION
PETROLEUM DEPOSITS
SEDIMENTARY BASINS
FISSION TRACKS
APATITES
CRETACEOUS PERIOD
GAS CONDENSATES
GEOLOGIC MODELS
MATURATION
NATURAL GAS
PALEONTOLOGY
RIFT ZONES
TECTONICS
TERTIARY PERIOD
AUSTRALASIA
CENOZOIC ERA
CONDENSATES
ENERGY SOURCES
FLUIDS
FOSSIL FUELS
FUEL GAS
FUELS
GAS FUELS
GASES
GEOLOGIC AGES
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
GEOLOGIC STRUCTURES
GEOLOGY
LIQUIDS
MESOZOIC ERA
MINERAL RESOURCES
MINERALS
NATURAL GAS LIQUIDS
PARTICLE TRACKS
PHOSPHATE MINERALS
RESOURCES
030200* - Natural Gas- Reserves
Geology
& Exploration
020200 - Petroleum- Reserves
Geology
& Exploration