An Appraisal of Petroleum Exploration Title Areas - Offshore and Central Queensland May 1974

This record is the result of a brief examination of data relevant to the titles areas. All available data have been used in its preparation, including confidential company reports, but no original interpretation has been made.

Summaries are given of the regional geology, hydrocarbon potential, geophysical activity and drilling results. Assessments have been made of the prospectivity of the title areas, and recommendations are made for further exploration.

Because of the moratorium on exploration on the Great Barrier Reef, only scientific surveys have been carried out since 1969 and no wells have been drilled.

Aeromagnetic. and the small amount of reconnaissance seismic work carried out prior to the moratorium indicate the continental shelf is covered by a thin veneer of sediments with several ill-defined basinal depressions. These sediments are generally thought to be of Tertiary and Mesozoic age. Prospects for hydrocarbon accumulations within the existing title areas are rated as low.

An area in the southeastern part of the Gulf of Papua outside the present title areas is considered to have the best prospects.