Evaluating Hydrocarbon Potential Through Analogue Studies: Case Study from Proterozoic Basins; Ganga Basin, India & Beetaloo Basin, Australia

Sujata R. Mishra
Delta Studies Institute, Andhra University, Vishakapatnam, India

Analogue studies of Basins are fast emerging as tools towards evaluating hydrocarbon potential of lesser explored Basins. Beetaloo Basin, Australia and Ganga Basin, India, both interior sag basins of Meso Proterozoic time. Proximity in time and space in terms of plate positions of both these Basins has dictated commonality in basin evolution.
Comparisons of these basins have exhibited similarities in:
-Interior sag cycles in basin development.
-Development of source potential in Neo Proterozoic Tilhar-Ujhani formation in Ganga basin and Velkerri formation and Kyalla formation in Beetaloo Basin, Which deposited under shallow marine condition and is sapropelic, algal in nature having gas and gas condensates in Ganga basin and Kerogen type-I&II in Beetaloo basin.
Presence of reservoir of similar character. E.g Ujhani sandstone Ganga basin and Jamison sandstone Beetaloo basin.
Traps: showing similarity in the form of unconformity traps in the Proterozoic.
Seals: Intra formational Proterozoic seals and regional unconformity seals like lower -Siwalik (Tertiary) regional unconformity in Ganga basin India and hay field mudstone (Proterozoic) in Beetaloo basin.
Strike slip events leading to formational folds in lower Siwaliks in Ganga basin and Cambrian in Beetaloo basin.
Dissimilarities observed in these Basins are:
Volcanic events at1100my in Beetaloo basin and interior fracture in initial part of basin development have not happened in Ganga Basin.
Study takeaway includes:
-The mode of occurrence of gas shows in Beetaloo Basin. The petroleum system style observed in Beetaloo could be replicated in Ganga.
-The reported occurrence of deep basin gas in Beetaloo basin can emerge as a new play in Ganga basin as well.

Presentation GEO India Expo XXI, Noida, New Delhi, India 2008©AAPG Search and Discovery