The Cattamarra Coal Measures is an
Early Jurassic
The Early Jurassic Epoch (geology), Epoch (in chronostratigraphy corresponding to the Lower Jurassic series (stratigraphy), Series) is the earliest of three epochs of the Jurassic Period. The Early Jurassic starts immediately after the Triassic-J ...
geological unit
A stratigraphic unit is a volume of rock of identifiable origin and relative age range that is defined by the distinctive and dominant, easily mapped and recognizable petrographic, lithologic or paleontologic features (facies) that characterize ...
in
Western Australia
Western Australia (commonly abbreviated as WA) is a state of Australia occupying the western percent of the land area of Australia excluding external territories. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Southern Ocean to th ...
.
Description
They are part of the
Perth Basin
The Perth Basin is a thick, elongated sedimentary basin in Western Australia. It lies beneath the Swan Coastal Plain west of the Darling Scarp, representing the western limit of the much older Yilgarn Craton, and extends further west offshore. C ...
, and are a sequence of non-marine, probably fluvial sandstones, shales and silts including
bituminous coal, and are up to 300 m thick. The Cattamarra Coal Measures conformably overly the Eneabba Formation.
The Cattamarra Coal Measures constitute an
unconventional tight gas
Tight gas is natural gas produced from reservoir rocks with such low permeability that massive hydraulic fracturing is necessary to produce the well at economic rates. This natural gas is trapped within rocks with very low permeability, in other ...
reservoir
A reservoir (; from French ''réservoir'' ) is an enlarged lake behind a dam. Such a dam may be either artificial, built to store fresh water or it may be a natural formation.
Reservoirs can be created in a number of ways, including contro ...
.
There are well preserved fossil insects from the Jurassic age in the deposit.
See also
*
Toarcian turnover
The Jurassic ( ) is a geologic period and stratigraphic system that spanned from the end of the Triassic Period million years ago (Mya) to the beginning of the Cretaceous Period, approximately Mya. The Jurassic constitutes the middle period o ...
*
Toarcian formations
**
Marne di Monte Serrone, Italy
**
Calcare di Sogno, Italy
**
Sachrang Formation, Austria
**
Posidonia Shale
The Posidonia Shale (german: Posidonienschiefer, also called Schistes Bitumineux in Luxembourg) geologically known as the Sachrang Formation, is an Early Jurassic (Toarcian) geological formation of southwestern and northeast Germany, northern Swit ...
,
Lagerstätte
A Lagerstätte (, from ''Lager'' 'storage, lair' '' Stätte'' 'place'; plural ''Lagerstätten'') is a sedimentary deposit that exhibits extraordinary fossils with exceptional preservation—sometimes including preserved soft tissues. These f ...
in Germany
**
Ciechocinek Formation
The Ciechocinek Formation (also known as the Gryfice Formation at Suliszewo), formerly known in Germany as the Green Series (German: ''Grüne Serie'') is a Jurassic (lower Toarcian) geologic formation that extends across the Baltic coast, from ...
, Germany and Poland
**
Krempachy Marl Formation, Poland and Slovakia
**
Lava Formation, Lithuania
**
Azilal Group, North Africa
**
Whitby Mudstone
The Whitby Mudstone is a Toarcian (Early Jurassic; ''Falciferum''-''Bifrons'' in regional chronostratigraphy) geological formation in Yorkshire and Worcestershire, England.[Fernie Formation
The Fernie Formation is a stratigraphic unit of Jurassic age. It is present in the western part of the Western Canada Sedimentary Basin in western Alberta and northeastern British Columbia.Poulton, T.P., Tittemore, J. and Dolby, G. 1990. Jurassic ...]
, Alberta and British Columbia
***
Poker Chip Shale
The Fernie Formation is a stratigraphic unit of Jurassic age. It is present in the western part of the Western Canada Sedimentary Basin in western Alberta and northeastern British Columbia.Poulton, T.P., Tittemore, J. and Dolby, G. 1990. Jurassic ...
**
Whiteaves Formation
The Whiteaves Formation is a geologic formation in British Columbia. It preserves fossils dating back to the Jurassic period.
See also
* List of fossiliferous stratigraphic units in Italy
* Toarcian turnover
* Toarcian formations
** Marne di M ...
, British Columbia
**
Navajo Sandstone
The Navajo Sandstone is a geological formation in the Glen Canyon Group that is spread across the U.S. states of southern Nevada, northern Arizona, northwest Colorado, and Utah as part of the Colorado Plateau province of the United States.Anonymo ...
, Utah
**
Los Molles Formation
The Los Molles Formation is a geologic formation of Early to Middle Jurassic age, located at northern and central part of Neuquén Basin at Mendoza Shelf in Argentina. It is overlain by the Niyeu–Lajas Formation.McIlroy et al., 2005
Descrip ...
, Argentina
**
Mawson Formation
The Mawson Formation is a geological formation in Antarctica, dating to roughly between 182 and 177 million years ago and covering the Toarcian stages of the Jurassic Period in the Mesozoic Era. Vertebrate remains are known from the formation. T ...
, Antarctica
**
Kandreho Formation
The Kandreho Formation is an Early Jurassic (middle or late Toarcian) geological formation of the Mahajanga Basin of Madagascar. The marly limestones of the formation were deposited in a subtidal lagoonal environment. The formation overlies the ...
, Madagascar
**
Kota Formation
The Kota Formation is a geological formation in India. The precise age of Kota Formation are uncertain, but it dates from the Early to Middle Jurassic, and is split into a Lower Member and Upper Member.Prasad GVR, and Manhas BK. 2007A new docodont ...
, India
**
Unconventional (oil & gas) reservoir
Unconventional (oil & gas) reservoirs, or unconventional resources (resource plays) are accumulations where oil & gas phases are tightly bound to the rock fabric by strong capillary forces, requiring specialised measures for evaluation and extr ...
References
Further reading
* {{cite journal, last1=Timms, first1=Nicholas E., last2=Olierook, first2=Hugo K.H., last3=Wilson, first3=Moyra E.J., last4=Delle Piane, first4=Claudio, last5=Hamilton, first5=P. Joseph, last6=Cope, first6=Patricia, last7=Stütenbecker, first7=Laura, title=Sedimentary facies analysis, mineralogy and diagenesis of the Mesozoic aquifers of the central Perth Basin, Western Australia, journal=
Marine and Petroleum Geology
''Marine and Petroleum Geology'' is a peer-reviewed scientific journal covering marine and petroleum geology. It was established in 1984 and is published by Elsevier. The editor-in-chief is Massimo Zecchin ( Istituto Nazionale di Oceanografia e di ...
, date=February 2015, volume=60, pages=54–78, doi=10.1016/j.marpetgeo.2014.08.024
Stratigraphy and petroleum systems elements of the northern Perth Basin* S. K. Martin. 2010. Early Jurassic cockroaches (Blattodea) from the Mintaja insect locality, Western Australia. Alavesia 3:55–72
* S. K. Martin. 2008. A new protorhyphid fly (Insecta: Diptera: Protorhyphidae) from the Lower Jurassic of the Perth Basin, Western Australia. Alavesia 2:253–257
Geologic formations of Australia
Jurassic System of Australia
Aalenian Stage
Pliensbachian Stage
Toarcian Stage
Sandstone formations
Fluvial deposits
Reservoir rock formations
Source rock formations
Coal formations
Coal in Australia
Paleontology in Australia
Geology of Western Australia