PLATE TECTONIC CONTROL OVER THE GEOLOGICAL EVOLUTION OF EXMOUTH PLATEAU AND ITS BEARING ON PETROLEUM ACCUMULATION

The North Carnarvon Basin is located in the northwest part offshore Australia. It evolved from late Palaeozoic to Cenozoic. The Exmouth plateau is one of the biggest tectonic units of the North Carnarvon Basin. Since 2008, 30 gas fields have been discovered in this place. A lot of specific geological phenomena have been discovered when doing seismic interpretation. There have found many regional unconformities, of which some are related to plate motion. The distribution of fault system is regular. Special sedimentation is also found in this basin, such as the special deltaic front. By using seismic and regional geological data, we made integrated study of the geology of the plateau. Plate tectonic affects the evolution of regional geology as well as the distribution of petroleum in this basin.