About This Item

Share This Item

The AAPG/Datapages Combined Publications Database

AAPG Special Volumes

Abstract


Pub. Id: A131 (1986)

First Page: 487

Last Page: 501

Book Title: M 40: Future Petroleum Provinces of the World

Article/Chapter: Geology and Hydrocarbon Potential of the Arafura Sea

Subject Group: Basin or Areal Analysis or Evaluation

Spec. Pub. Type: Memoir

Pub. Year: 1986

Author(s): John A. Katili

Abstract:

The Arafura Sea is a continental shelf sea situated between Irian Jaya (western New Guinea) and the northern part of the Australian continent. To the south, it adjoins the stable Australian craton, and to the north, it is bordered by the Tertiary collision zone between the Australian craton and the northern Irian Jaya island arc. To the west and northwest, it is bounded by the active Banda arc collision zone, whereas to the east, it is bordered by the northern extension of the Gulf of Carpentaria that also forms the western limit of the zone of late Paleozoic granites. Shelf sediments predominate in the Arafura Sea continental shelf, ranging in age from late Paleozoic, Mesozoic to Cenozoic and underlain by granitic basement. Two tectonic styles of deformation are recogniz ble in the area, namely a block-faulted downwarping within stratified shelf and slope sediments of the Arafura Sea, and overthrusting of chaotic sediments from the Banda arc toward the Australian continent, in which the intensity of deformation increases from south to north. In the Malita-Calder graben and its northeastern extension, and in the Sahul Ridge, gas shows have been reported from Jurassic-to-Cretaceous fine-grained marine limestone and sandstones, while gas and condensate occur in Cretaceous sediments and Middle Jurassic, fine-grained sands.

End_Page 487------------------------

Pay-Per-View Purchase Options

The article is available through a document delivery service. Explain these Purchase Options.

Watermarked PDF Document: $14
Open PDF Document: $24