The characterisation and provenance of crude oils stranded on the South Australian coastline. Part II: Potential parent petroleum systems

Alexander J Corrick; Philip A Hall; Se Gong; David M McKirdy; Christine Trefry; Andrew S Ross

doi:10.1016/j.marpolbul.2021.112709

The characterisation and provenance of crude oils stranded on the South Australian coastline. Part II: Potential parent petroleum systems

Mar Pollut Bull. 2021 Oct:171:112709. doi: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2021.112709. Epub 2021 Jul 20.

Authors

Alexander J Corrick¹, Philip A Hall¹, Se Gong², David M McKirdy³, Christine Trefry⁴, Andrew S Ross⁴

Affiliations

¹ Department of Earth Sciences, School of Physical Sciences, University of Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia.
² Energy, CSIRO, North Ryde, NSW 2113, Australia.
³ Department of Earth Sciences, School of Physical Sciences, University of Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia. Electronic address: david.mckirdy@adelaide.edu.au.
⁴ Energy, CSIRO, Kensington, WA 6151, Australia.

PMID: 34298326
DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2021.112709

Abstract

In 2014-2016 more than 600 specimens of semi-solid crude oil were recovered from 30 ocean beaches along the coastline of South Australia, as part of the recently completed Great Australian Bight Research Program. All are believed to be products of submarine oil seepage. Their source-specific biomarker signatures provide the basis for their assignment to sixteen oil families, some previously unrecognised. Two of these families (asphaltite and asphaltic tar) likely originated from Cretaceous marine source rocks in the offshore Bight Basin. The others comprise waxy oils of lacustrine, fluvio-deltaic and marine source affinity. Their biomarker characteristics do not match those of any Australian crude oil. However, they are strikingly similar to those of oils found in Cenozoic and Mesozoic basins throughout the Indonesian Archipelago and elsewhere in Southeast Asia.

Keywords: Bight Basin; Hydrocarbon seepage; Indonesian Archipelago; Multiple oil families; South Australian coastline.

MeSH terms

Australia
Humans
Indonesia
Petroleum* / analysis
Ships
South Australia

Substances

Petroleum