Geology and petroleum potential of Adelie Coast margin, east Antarctica

Conference · Fri May 01 04:00:00 EDT 1987 · AAPG (Am. Assoc. Pet. Geol.) Bull.; (United States)

OSTI ID:5999219

Wanneson, J

The few rock outcrops on Adelie Coast-Wilkes Land consist mainly of Precambrian plutonic rocks and metasediments. On the continental margin, several multichannel seismic surveys, including the 1982 IFP survey, reveal the presence of a thick sedimentary basin, especially beneath the outer continental shelf and upper slope, where it may exceed 6000 m. Thin basin results from the creation and evolution of a continental margin, initiated some 100 Ma from the separation of Australia and Antarctica. Beneath the outer shelf, which is 400-500 m deep, the sedimentary series consist of four units separated by three major unconformities: (1) a predrift unit including a Precambrian basement, possible Paleozoic and early Mesozoic sediments, and a Mesozoic syn-rift sequence; (2) an upper Eocene to Oligocene unit in a shallow marine environment; and (3) a Neogene glacial prograding unit. The predrift and early postrift units are considered to be a promising target with reference to other passive margins, although no major hydrocarbon accumulation has been discovered as yet on the Australian conjugate margin.

• Research Organization: Institut Francais du Petrole, Rueil Malmaison, France
• OSTI ID: 5999219
• Report Number(s): CONF-870606-
• Conference Information: Journal Name: AAPG (Am. Assoc. Pet. Geol.) Bull.; (United States) Journal Volume: 71:5
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
020200* -- Petroleum-- Reserves
Geology
& Exploration
ANTARCTIC REGIONS
ANTARCTICA
CENOZOIC ERA
EXPLORATION
GEOLOGIC AGES
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
GEOLOGIC SURVEYS
MINERAL RESOURCES
PETROLEUM DEPOSITS
POLAR REGIONS
RESOURCE POTENTIAL
RESOURCES
SURVEYS
TERTIARY PERIOD