Palynology of drillhole Balmain 1 (Warramban 1:100 000 sheet; Tanumbirini 1:250 000 sheet) Beetaloo Basin, Northern Territory, Australia

Abstract

A sample from drillhole Balmain 1 (held in the NTGS core library in Darwin, Northern Territory) was collected by John Gorter on behalf of ENI and examined by Kathleen Grey as part of a reassessment of the hydrocarbon prospectivity of the Beetaloo Basin. A single palynological sample was prepared using a modified preparation technique. Initial examination of the prepared slides indicated abundant, diverse, extremely well-preserved palynomorphs, many of numerous new taxa that could not be readily be assigned to existing species or precisely dated. Because of the difficulties presented by these previously undescribed taxa, slides were set aside until time was available for a more detailed examination. Further work has now been carried out, but it still has not been possible to do more than document some of the more common species. A more extensive study is needed to define the taxa present and document their stratigraphic distribution. The general aspect of the assemblage indicates a Mesoproterozoic age. More detailed analyses should provide a biostratigraphic scheme covering much of the Mesoproterozoic Beetaloo Basin succession. Such a scheme would have considerable potential for correlation of hydrocarbon exploration drillholes in the Beetaloo Basin.