The Lowmead Graben—Geology, Tertiary oil shale genesis and regional tectonic implications
Titel:
The Lowmead Graben—Geology, Tertiary oil shale genesis and regional tectonic implications
Auteur:
McConnochie, M. J. Henstridge, D. A.
Verschenen in:
Australian journal of earth sciences
Paginering:
Jaargang 32 (1985) nr. 2 pagina's 205-218
Jaar:
1985-06
Inhoud:
Along the eastern seaboard of Queensland, differential subsidence caused by isostatic re-adjustment produced a number of early Tertiary fault-bound basins that contain oil shale deposits. The Lowmead Graben contains one of these deposits. The Lowmead Graben is located about 70 km S of Gladstone, Queensland, and is about 18 km long and up to 4.5 km wide. Exploration programmes for oil shale within the graben have delineated a Tertiary sedimentary sequence interpreted to be in excess of 700 m thick. The sedimentary pile, the Lowmead Formation (new name), has been subdivided into six conformable members (all new names), four of which, the Makowata Oil Shale, Korenan Oil Shale, Wheatley Oil Shale and Harpur Creek Members, contain significant proportions of oil shale. Continuous drill-core sampling of oil shale sections within the graben has indicated an in situ shale oil resource in excess of 700 million barrels. Climatic variation determined physical and chemical conditions which controlled deposition in four sedimentary environments recorded in the formation. Lacustrine and limnic environments prevailed during the accumulation of oil shale and carbonaceous oil shale.
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