3-D seismic chronostratigraphy of reefs and drifts in the Browse Basin, NW Australia

Sebastian Thronberens, Stefan Back, Julien Bourget, Tony Allan, Lars Reuning

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

7 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

In its subsurface, the Browse Basin on the Australian Northwest Shelf accommodates one of the largest Miocene–Pliocene carbonate platform provinces on Earth. This study presents a comprehensive three-dimensional (3-D) documentation and investigation of the Neogene Browse Basin carbonates based on the analysis of 15 3-D seismic reflection volumes covering ca. 33,000 km2 and 22 industry boreholes. Eight basin-wide seismic marker horizons tied to Sr isotope and biostratigraphic data provide a robust 3-D chronostratigraphic framework that (1) newly documents the occurrence of Miocene to recent carbonate systems in vast inboard basin areas; (2) presents the 3-D distribution and dynamic development of carbonate platforms through time constrained by absolute ages; and (3) supports the detailed 3-D interpretation of Miocene to recent depositional processes and key stratigraphic controls. Around 18.6 Ma, the extent of all Browse Basin carbonate platforms was ca. 8600 km2, rising to >10,000 km2 between 15.6 Ma and 12 Ma. By ca. 9.7 Ma, the total platform extent had decreased to ca. 5700 km2, waning to
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)3155-3175
Number of pages21
JournalBulletin of the Geological Society of America
Volume134
Issue number11-12
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Nov 2022

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