News
Petroleum Exploration and Geosciences Initiative (PEGI) is released
GNS Science releases 14 new products to the industry for free, see the GNS Science press release.
A full list of the new products available through the New Zealand Petroleum Basin Explorer (PBE) can be found here.
Other GNS Science Petroleum Geoscience data products are listed by geographical region on our products page.
Geological Transect Across the Wairoa Area
Insights into elements of the East Coast petroleum system
GNS Data Series 11a product compiles industry and research data on the Wairoa area of northern Hawke's Bay and summarises interpretations and conclusions relating mainly to the hydrocarbon reservoir potential of the Middle Miocene Tunanui Formation. Aspects addressed include clastic and fractured reservoir quality, seal quality, seismic interpretation and facies, faults and fault seal and the present stress regime.
Bibliographic reference
Field, B., Baur, J., Bland, K., Browne, G., Griffin, A., Ilg, B., Juniper, Z., Lawrence, M., Marrett, R., Mildren, S., Milner, M., Morgans, H., Roncaglia, L., Uruski, C., Zhu H. 2011. Geological Transect Across the Wairoa Area: Insights into elements of the East Coast petroleum system. GNS Data Series 11a.
FREE in the New Zealand Petroleum Basin Explorer (PBE)
Updated Paleogeographic maps of the Taranaki Basin and surrounds.
As part of the facies characterisation objective of the 4D Taranaki (4DT) Project, a regional reassessment of the paleogeographic evolution of the Taranaki Basin and surrounding areas has produced a set of 31 maps spanning the Late Cretaceous to present day, which expand on those from previous studies and incorporates significant new data. These maps capture the most important aspects of the tectonic and sedimentary evolution of the Taranaki Basin, and form the basis for ongoing detailed paleofacies mapping and basin modelling studies.
The product is available in two GIS geo-databases:
Strogen, D.P. (compiler), 2011. GIS project: Updated paleogeographic maps for the Taranaki Basin and surrounds - Cretaceous-Paleogene: early rift to maximum flooding. GNS Science data series, 5a.
Strogen, D.P. (compiler), 2011. GIS project: Updated paleogeographic maps for the Taranaki Basin and surrounds - Neogene: active margin tectonics. GNS Science data series, 5b.
Both of the above are combined on one CD priced at $30 plus postage.
Full bibliographic reference of the publicly available reportis:
Strogen, D.P. (compiler), 2011. Updated paleogeographic maps for the Taranaki Basin and surrounds. GNS Science Report, 2010/53. 83p.
Priced at $45 plus postage.
Chapter bibliographic references to reflect the relative authorships of the components of the publicly available report are:
Strogen, D.P., Baur, J.R., Bland, K.J. and King, P.R., 2011a. Cretaceous-Paleogene: early rift to maximum flooding. In: Strogen, D.P. (compiler), Updated paleogeographic maps for the Taranaki Basin and surrounds. GNS Science Report, 2010/53, pp.11-35.
Strogen, D.P., Bland, K.J., Baur, J.R., King, P.R., Vonk, A.J. and Kamp, P.J.J., 2011b. Neogene: active margin tectonics. In: Strogen, D.P. (compiler), Updated paleogeographic maps for the Taranaki Basin and surrounds. GNS Science Report, 2010/53, pp. 36-60.
Please contact GNS Science publication sales office to order copies of any of the above.
RECENT PUBLICATIONS
Higgs, K.E., Arnot, M.E., Browne, G.H., Kennedy, E.M. 2010. Reservoir potential of Late Cretaceous terrestrial and shallow marine sandstones, Taranaki Basin, New Zealand. Journal of Marine and Petroleum Geology 27, 1849‐1871.
This recently published paper reviews the geology of Late Cretaceous rocks of Taranaki Basin. It integrates outcrop and subcrop data and emphasises the characteristics of these potentially significant reservoir facies. In related papers, GNS co‐workers have described much about the source rock potential of these sediments. In this paper the sedimentology of Rakopi and North Cape formation rocks are described, integrating wireline logs and biostratigraphy, petrographic data, and reservoir quality, with revised paleogeographies for the entire offshore portion of the basin (including 17 wells from Ariki‐1 in the north to Cook‐1 in the south).
Poppelreiter, M., Crookbain, R.A., Sapru, A.K., Lawrence, M.J.F. 2010. Applications of dipmeter and borehole image data in static models. In: Poppelreiter, M.; Garcia‐Carballido, C.; Kraaijveld, M. (eds). Dipmeter and borehole image log technology. Tulsa, Okla: American Association of Petroleum Geologists. AAPG Memoir 92. p. 67‐80
This is a review paper that discusses the application of dipmeter and borehole image data in static models with lots of examples and illustrations.
King, P.R., Ilg, B.R., Arnot, M, Browne, G.H., Strachan, L.J., Crundwell, M.P., Helle, K. 2011. Outcrop and seismic examples of mass‐transport deposits from a late Miocene deep‐water succession, Taranki Basin, New Zealand. In: Mass‐Transport Deposits in Deepwater Settings. SEPM Special Publication 96, 311‐350.
Just published in time for the AAPG Convention in Houston, this extensively illustrated paper describes Neogene mass transport deposits of North Taranaki. Outcrop and sub‐surface examples are provided, including numerous illustrations from seismic profiles. The whole volume is given over to describing MTDs from a range of settings in numerous basins, and is a great compendium for anyone interested in slumped or mass transport depositional settings and their implications to reservoir predictions and exploration.
Fielding, C.R., Browne, G.H., Field, B.D., Florindo, F., Harwood, D.M., Krissek, L.A., Levy, R., Panter, K., Passchier, S., Pekar, S.F. 2011. Sequence stratigraphy of the ANDRILL AND‐2A drillcore, Antarctica: a long‐term, ice‐proximal record of Early to mid‐Miocene climate, sea‐level and glacial dynamism. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 305, 337‐351.
This paper reviews the sequence stratigraphic implications of glacial successions cored in the recent ANDRILL South McMurdo Sound (SMS) drilling programme. This hole provides a fully cored +1150 m deep stratigraphic record as far back as the Early Miocene (20.2 Ma), a unique record of changing climate‐driven cyclicity in Antarctica. The paper has important implications for sedimentary records in other areas include the New Zealand Miocene.
Greg Browne wins Harold Wellman Prize.
Greg Browne won the Harold Wellman Prize at the annual New Zealand Geoscience Society Conference held in Auckland in December 2010. Greg was the first to discover dinosaur footprints from New Zealand, and published these findings in the New Zealand Journal of Geology and Geophysics in 2009. LINK . The discovery is also the first record of dinosaur remains in the South Island. The find was made in tidal deposits of the Late Cretaceous North Cape Formation in northwest Nelson, and comprise a series of localities where a range of footprint sizes and morphologies are present. They were all formed by sauropods, large herbivorous dinosaurs with rather club-like feet. Full abstract.
Browne, G.H. 2009. First New Zealand record of probable dinosaur footprints from the Late Cretaceous North Cape Formation, northwest Nelson. New Zealand Journal of Geology & Geophysics 52, 367-377.
Paper on Late Cretaceous shallow marine sandstones published.
A recent paper published in the journal Marine and Petroleum Geology LINK reviews the geology of Late Cretaceous rocks of Taranaki Basin. Authors Karen Higgs, Malcolm Arnot, Greg Browne, and Liz Kennedy have integrated outcrop and subcrop data in this review paper, which emphasises the characteristics of these potentially significant reservoir facies. GNS workers in related papers, have described much already about these sediments with respect to their source rock potential. In this paper the sedimentology of Rakopi and North Cape formation rocks are described, integrating wireline logs and biostratigraphy, petrographic data, and reservoir quality, with revised paleogeographies for the entire offshore portion of the basin (including 17 wells from Ariki-1 in the north to Cook-1 in the south). Full abstract.
Higgs, K.E., Arnot, M.J., Browne, G.H., Kennedy E.M. 2010. Reservoir potential of Late Cretaceous terrestrial to shallow marine sandstones, Taranaki Basin, New Zealand. Marine and Petroleum Geology 27, p. 1849-1871.
Field Trip - North West Nelson.
Some GNS staff recetly attended a field trip to the Northwest Nelson region to study the exposed Cretaceous to Miocene sediments that are being studies as part of the multi year New Zealand Petroleum Resources research programme. For more information on this and other field trips we run, click here.
Geochemical study of 10 wells from several New Zealand basins
This science report from the New Zealand's Petroleum Resources programme is now available, request a free copy.
New Zealand Petroleum Conference, September 19-22nd 2010
GNS had a large and highly successful presence at the biannual New Zealand Petroleum Conference. About 20 GNS staff attended all or part of the conference - noticeably more than anyone else, with the possible exception of MED. GNS’ booth was in a prime position and received dozens of visitors every day showing a great interest in our range of products and services. We gave out a pallet-load of maps, brochures and chocolate bars. Our mantra of the NZ continent, so well illustrated by the enormous poster of the continental shelf, is finally being heard and adopted. Almost every speaker on the first day referred to ‘the NZ continent’, said we are ‘not a few specks in the Pacific Ocean’, or spoke of our ‘continental-scale resources’.
The conference was marked by a significant shift to a much more positive attitude towards oil exploration. The Government’s commitment to and support for resource development drove a feeling of optimism in almost everyone there. A copy of the updated New Zealand Petroleum Basins book was given to all conference attendees. GNS Science is proud to have compiled this summary for MED Crown Minerals. Copies are available through Crown Minerals website or download a pdf copy.
Conference presentations are also available through the Crown Minerals website, including the presentations given by GNS staff: Mike Isaac, Chris Uruski, Ray Wood, Richard Sykes, Ingo Pecher, and Karen Higgs. High resolution copies of the 12 GNS Science posters, including Sam Hemmings-Sykes' award winning poster on the relationship between faulting and hydrocarbon migration, are available on request through the GNS Science website or via the Crown Minerals website.
GNS contributions:
Presentations
- Uruski, C. Breaking new ground - again! The Pegasus Sub-basin of the East Coast Basin, North Island, New Zealand. 2010 New Zealand Petroleum Conference.
- Isaac, M. and Cook, R. Exploring the New Zealand continent. 2010 New Zealand Petroleum Conference.
- Stagpoole, V., Uruski, C., Wood, R., Reid, E., Herzer, R., King P. and Sutherland, R. Westward Ho! Reinga Basin and the Northwest Frontier of New Zealand. 2010 New Zealand Petroleum Conference.
- Higgs, K. Chasing high porosity–permeability: a study of the Mangahewa Formation, Kapuni Field. 2010 New Zealand Petroleum Conference.
- Sykes, R. Chemometric analysis of oil families and oil-source rock correlations in New Zealand basins: implications for source kitchens and migration pathways. 2010 New Zealand Petroleum Conference.
Posters
- Uruski, C. and Warburton, J. Sequence stratigraphy and facies prediction in the deepwater Taranaki Basin. 2010 New Zealand Petroleum Conference.
- Uruski, C. and Warburton, J. Seismic evidence for active petroleum systems and the charge history of PEP 38451, deepwater Taranaki Basin. 2010 New Zealand Petroleum Conference.
- Rogers, K., Phillips, A., Zink, K., Sykes, R. Linking gases to oils and source rocks using compound specific isotope analysis. 2010 New Zealand Petroleum Conference.
- Arnot, M. and Strand, J. Assessing the impact of sedimentary architecture, structural complexity and dynamic properties on fluid flow in deepwater clastic reservoirs, Taranaki Basin. 2010 New Zealand Petroleum Conference.
- Higgs, K. and Arnot, M. Advances in mineralological and pore-level characterisation of Miocene reservoirs, Taranaki Basin. 2010 New Zealand Petroleum Conference.
- Strogen, D., Roncaglia, L., Arnot, M., Baur, J., Fohrman, M., King, P., Kroeger, K., Ilg, B., Milner, M., and Zhu, H. From seismic facies to basin evolution visualisation: an integrated workflow developed for offshore Taranaki, New Zealand. 2010 New Zealand Petroleum Conference.
- Juniper, Z. AVO modelling in the northern Taranaki Basin. 2010 New Zealand Petroleum Conference.
- Strogen, D., Bland, K., Baur, J. and King, P. Updated regional paleogeographies for the Taranaki Basin. 2010 New Zealand Petroleum Conference.
- Hemmings-Sykes, S., The relationship between faulting and hydrocarbon migration and accumulation in the Taranaki Basin. 2010 New Zealand Petroleum Conference.
- Baur, J., King, P., Stern, T., and Leitner, B. Depositional systems, seismic attributes and tectonic subsidence history of offshore Taranaki Basin. 2010 New Zealand Petroleum Conference.
- Reid, E., Fohrman, M., Kroeger, K., and Hill, M. Insights into the timing of basin inversion from high resolution mapping and structural reconstruction of the Kupe region, Taranaki Basin. 2010 New Zealand Petroleum Conference.
- Sykes, R. and Zink, K. Calibration of absolute maturity for terrestrial-sourced oils in New Zealand basins. 2010 New Zealand Petroleum Conference.
Entry of Petrobas into Raukumara Basin caps off long campaign:
The recent announcement that Brazil’s state oil company, Petrobras, has been awarded a five-year permit to explore the Raukumara Basin caps off a successful campaign by GNS Science and Crown Minerals to put this sedimentary basin on the oil industry’s radar. Read in full here
PEGI:
Crown Minerals has executed a contract with GNS Science for delivery of the Petroleum Exploration and Geosciences Initiative (PEGI) project, a major two year work programme aimed at the promotion of oil and gas exploration around New Zealand. Crown Minerals’ contribution to the cost of the project is $4,002,000. The Foundation for Research, Science and Technology has contributed approximately $3,600,000 to the project through past and present programme grants to GNS Science. For further information visit the PEGI page.
New Zealand exploration update:
Petroleum production gains momentum while exploration companies gear-up for deepwater drilling. Produced by Chris Uruski, exploration geophysicist at GNS Science. Download the May 2010 edition:
New Taranaki Basin product suite:
GNS Science offers a wide range of technical reports and data for the Taranaki Basin. Although these can be purchased individually GNS Science is now offering a Taranaki Basin specific product suite.
This new package includes the previously unreleased digitally remastered Monograph number 13: Cretaceous-Cenozoic geology and petroleum systems of the Taranaki Basin, New Zealand; 14 well sheets; digitally remastered Taranaki Petroleum Atlas; over 250 GB of seismic data; both phases of the Middle to Late Eocene Stratigraphy reports; and the geochemical database of Taranaki oils and condensates. For a full list on the package contents please click here.
Please contact our Business Development Manager for a competitive price on the complete Taranaki products package, download the flier here: